what is you opinion of the death penalty?

Question

I am from TEXAS we execute more people than any civilized country in the world
my opinion
AGAINST
1 why should a death penalty candidate get out of prison by death it is freedom to those guys they look forward to
2 Dallas county has had numerous death cases overturned on bad evidence,and over zealous prosecutors.. by the way the new prosecuter in Dallas is black and democrat they are tryin to clear up that bad ju ju from the white republican machine that sent innocent men to death row for years......... innocence another reason
3 it cost more to execute than serve life
what do you think
NJ has banned it and it is goin away
what do you think

Answer 1

Not to be a doomsayer or anything myself, but if you execute some one after all the evidence is displayed to the satisfaction of all, they are not going to be coming back and doing it again. On the other hand, I think all repeat drunken offenders who cause some one's death should immediately be hung on National TV that preempts all TV broadcasts, even that idiot in the White House's speeches that he continually messes up anyway. Just my opinion, don't everyone get their knickers in a twist.

Answer 2

I agree with you. Here are some other points. New Jersey did the right thing and in the right way. It instituted a year long study commission before taking up an abolition bill. Among the many witnesses before the commission were families of murder victims who do not support the death penalty. I have given a link to the commission report, below.

You don't have to sympathize with criminals or want them to avoid a terrible punishment to ask if the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime and to think about the risks of executing innocent people. Your question is much too important to settle without thinking about these.

125 people on death rows have been released with proof that they were wrongfully convicted. DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides and isn’t a guarantee we won’t execute innocent people.

The death penalty doesn't prevent others from committing murder. No reputable study shows the death penalty to be a deterrent. To be a deterrent a punishment must be sure and swift. The death penalty is neither. Homicide rates are higher in states and regions that have it than in those that don’t.

We have a good alternative. Life without parole is now on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. It is sure and swift and rarely appealed. Life without parole is less expensive than the death penalty.

The death penalty costs much more than life in prison, mostly because of the legal process which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people.

The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed?

The death penalty doesn't necessarily help families of murder victims. Murder victim family members across the country argue that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

Problems with speeding up the process. Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. If the process is speeded up we are sure to execute an innocent person.

Answer 3

There are two reasons for opposing the death penalty which the Majority of the UK population agree on, which was why the death penalty was abolished in 1998. they are: 1. Inhumanity. It is imposssible for a state to murder someone and maintain the moral 'high ground' 2. Miscarriage of justice: if something goes wrong, and it does go wrong in capital cases, the person who is executed cant come back.

Answer 4

Well, I'll be - a serious question....and of course, I'm biting and taking the opportunity to answer :-)

After reading your points I WOULD like to see the data on what you said about it being more expensive to execute rather than to jail for life without parole.

AND I will say that naturally, there are crimes committed that make me want to kill the person myself!...particularly heinous crimes against children and other totally defenseless people...like rapes and murders of the elderly.

Having said that, I also realize that I still have inward questions about the 'rightness' [is that a word?] of taking another life. The old tit for tat belief sometimes flies in the face of my spiritual beliefs [not 'organized' religious beliefs necessarily]

AND as you pointed out, with the development of evidentiary/forensic methods for determining guilt, I am very reluctant to say unequivocally...yes, this person should die.

I know for me...if I were one of those people who committed a crime that deserved the death penalty I would prefer to die rather than live with what I had done and even if one day freed, be ostracized by others and be even more so, by myself.

Many years ago I read a piece about a woman who had killed her children [while documented as being severely mentally ill] She spent many years in an institution and when pronounced mentally sane, she was released. She wrote her thoughts before commiting suicide later. She stated that once restored in a normal mental state she could not live with the thought and knowledge she had such a horrible thing.

Given her conclusions...would not being made to STAY ALIVE, yet apart from the general populace with NO hope of freedom from self or others or jail be the worst thing possible?

I think so.

THAT IS...IF we could be assured that the person would NEVER see the light of day outside prison walls. [unless PROVEN innocent]

IF we could be assured that a change in law at later dates would not free them.

IF we could be assured that their 'existence' such as it was would not include the 'niceities' [sp?] of some prisons....and would be similar to what death row is...solitary cells...no privileges...etc.

Answer 5

FACT: Most inmates would rather spend the rest of their lives in jail than face the death penalty.

My Opinion:
1. One Appeal and One Appeal Only. No Living off of your Appeals:
2. Bullets are cheaper than jail cells, excercise yards, libraries, cable tv, cigerettes, etc.
3. I would like to know who is doing the math who thinks one injenction, one meal, a priest, and a drug is more expensive than a lifetime of tv, food, and other luxuries that inmates shouldn't have but do.

The idea that they "might be innocent" is always going to crop up. Its not a perfect system. And this might be cold but if one wrongful death means ten rapist or killers get theirs then so be it. Improve the investigative system (which we have through DNA) and make those who present false evidence face the same sentence. Don't let killers off easy because you can't trust your investigators to do their jobs.

Its like this business with staying an execution in Florida because the needle might hurt. I'm sure it didn't hurt to get raped and killed though?

Answer 6

I think death penalty is an easy way out for the convicted. Like how are people so sure they'll go to hell and burn in a lake of fire? Isn't that why they think the death penalty is the worst punishment? I think it would be worse to keep them in an uncomfortable jail with bad food for many years. We could do that more cheaply than we do. As for cost, I've heard death penalty is more costly than life in prison because of legal fees and appeals, etc.

Answer 7

its great, but there are few cases when innocent people were executed. because of this I dont like death penalty, cause then all those years in jail they still have time to prove if they are truly innocent.

look at this. some boy had a consensual sex with another girl, but when her friends caught her having sex, she started screaming "no!". then she did a rape kit and she has witnesses how he was raping her. she is popular but the boy isnt, so she is lying just to keep her reputation high. now think if that boy would get a death penalty. all the evidence is against him, but he trully never raped her. she will keep lying, so others wont make fun of her in school just because she had sex with someone that isnt popular.

Answer 8

For the death penalty. Give them 1 appeal ,if it fails they leave the court room & get a needle stuck in their arm the same day. You are wrong about the cost. It costs more to keep them incarcerated. Why should they get 3 hot meals a day , a bed to sleep on & live out the rest of their live; when their victims can't.

Answer 9

an eye for an eye will leave you blind. I think its sort of a contradictory, the death penalty. Society tells us that killing another human being is so wrong, someone on death row isn't any less human (although so many people will try to argue that). Of course murder is wrong, rape is wrong, basically any crime is wrong, but when did executing become so justified? Although many people who are on death roll committed such horrible crimes, I personally don't believe a person should have control over someone elses life, not in any case. Any murder is wrong.

Answer 10

I see it as a cost saving issue.

In case's with only circumstantial evidence "death" should be off the table. If later proved by DNA or other overwhelming evidence I say send em south.

Odds are you do support abortion though.