Quote:
Originally Posted by blankall
The real question:
Is it okay to execute someone who is mentally ill?
There's a good chance this guy just has no hold on reality and was incapable of forming the intent needed to be convicted of murder.
Its kind of sad that this guy may actually have been mentally ill and convicted of murder. Meanwhile, people who fake it are probably better at weasiling their way out of a conviction.
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Personally I think it depends on what is cheaper, lifetime incarceration at a well-staffed psychiatric facility, or running the appeals gauntlet to death row. Neither are likely to accomplish much of anything deterence-wise, but as long as the goal of permanently removing this person from society is accomplished, either work. Rehabilitation of the criminally insane is still by and large a pipe dream. Repeat offense rates from sociopaths and pedophiles are disgustingly high. Rehab typically finds its success with mostly stable people who make mistakes, and make poor decisions. Not people with severely botched wiring.
People of sound mind who murder are typically less of a danger to society at large, than someone who is mentally unbalanced/sociopathic. Murderers with a "sound mind" are not only few and far between, but typically have no intent to attack at large. To me, insanity is more of a reason to put someone away permanently, or strapped to a chair.