Quote:
Originally Posted by flylock shox
I don't know if that addresses his point. Why should you be punished for it if you were not in your right mind when you did it?
If someone suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, and truly and honestly believes his neighbour's wife is pregnant with the antichrist and the world will end if it is born, and he intentionally stabs her in the stomach believing this is the only way to protect us all, should he be punished? Why? What does it achieve?
It won't deter other crazy people, who aren't capable of the rational thought necessary for deterrence to work. And it won't deter the individual, who can't understand what he has done wrong or, worse, doesn't remember doing it and can't possibly feel genuine responsibility for it.
I don't think there's a distinction between "murder" and "intentional killing." One defines the other.
Unless, perhaps, I've misunderstood your post.
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Though I don't agree with your post I'm curious on what you think about the fact that he was obviously charged and found guilty if he was on death row and thus the courts didn't find him insane...do you still execute someone even if he "became" mentally ill while being held?