What are your thoughts on the Death Penalty?

Question

If a judge or jury ruled out that adeath penalty sentence for someone how does this make you feel?

Do you think it's right? If you think the death penalty such as lethal injection or the electric chair is ok then how do you feel about the person that is responsible for making it happen?
Should the person starting the lethal injection or turning on the electric chair be responsible for the death of that person?

Do you not agree with the death penalty? If you don't agree with the death penalty then what are your thoughts about those repeat sex offenders or rapist? What do you think we should do with them?

Answer 1

this is tough because I can argue either way. It is fair, as outlined in our constitution and laws (maybe not directly in the const. but you get my point) that if you do certain things, you could die for them. its not like they didnt know what the consequences would be, and they chose to chance it. Technically, the "executioner" IS killing another person, but he is doing so under the laws set forth that have been deemed as fair and just. Why keep murderers and rapists alive, when we have to pay to keep them that way? Although rehabilitation is possible, at what point would you say "ok, youve had enough punishment. go forth into the world."?

As long as there was a fair trial and they were convicted by their peers, they should be put to death. whats sad is that nowadays that usually just means a life sentence.

Answer 2

I supported capital punishment for a long time, but I have changed my stance over the years, for several reasons:

1. By far the most compelling is this: Sometimes the legal system gets it wrong. In the last 30 years, over 100 people have been released from death row after years of imprisonment because they were exonerated by DNA evidence. Unfortunately, DNA evidence is not available in most cases. No matter how rare it is, the government should not risk executing one single innocent person.

Really, that should be reason enough for most people. If you need more, read on:

2. Because of the extra expense of prosecuting a DP case and the appeals process (which is necessary - see reason #1), it costs taxpayers MUCH more to execute prisoners than to imprison them for life.

3. The deterrent effect is questionable at best. Violent crime rates are actually higher in death penalty states. This may seem counterintuitive, and there are many theories about why this is (Ted Bundy saw it as a challenge, so he chose Florida – the most active execution state at the time – to carry out his final murder spree). Personally, I think it has to do with the hypocrisy of taking a stand against murder…by killing people. The government becomes the bad parent who says, ‘do as I say, not as I do.’

4. There’s also an argument to be made that death is too good for the worst of our criminals. Let them wake up and go to bed every day of their lives in a prison cell, and think about the freedom they DON’T have, until they rot of old age. When Ted Bundy was finally arrested in 1978, he told the police officer, “I wish you had killed me.”

5. The U.S. government is supposed to be secular, but for those who invoke Christian law in this debate, you can find arguments both for AND against the death penalty in the Bible. For example, Matthew 5:38-39 insists that violence shall not beget violence. James 4:12 says that God is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. Leviticus 19:18 warns against vengeance (which, really, is what the death penalty amounts to). In John 8:7, Jesus himself says, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Answer 3

I support the death penalty. The person carrying out the sentence is not responsible for the death, the criminal is responsible for his/her own death. 2D

Answer 4

I believe that it is wrong. When you kill someone for killing another person then you are just being a hypocite. You are saying that in some cases that it is okay to kill another human, when that is not true at all. ONLY GOD HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE SOMEONES LIFE!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

This was aked about 30 mins ago by Exotic81