Death sentences lowest since 1976

[transplant99]

The number of people sentenced to death last year fell to the lowest level since the Supreme Court reinstated the penalty in 1976.



There were 125 people sent to death row in 2004, down from 144 the previous year and the sixth consecutive annual decline, according to figures compiled by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In 1998, 300 people received death sentences.


Capital punishment is another one of "those" subjects that seem to polarize people.

I certainly see the validity of the argument from both sides, but lean towards supporting the death sentence in certain cases.

Thoughts?

link

[Agamemnon]

I've always been against capital punishment.

However, I seem to relent a bit depending on the crime. If a couple of guys rob a Mac's, things get tense, and they shoot and kill the storekeeper?; life in prison.

Pedophiles? Serial Rapist/Murderers? I'm not so sure those people can be rehabilitated.

I've always thought that its a question of humanity. By torturing, raping, or otherwise physically demeaning someone, you've forfeited your own humanity. Accidentally pull the trigger and regret the outcome? Too bad, so sad, off to jail... but not death.

[transplant99]

I hear what your saying and that sort of sums up my thoughts as well.

I wish Canada had the option as well. It makes me ill that people like Bernardo/Homolka, Clifford Olsen, Robert Picton etc, are allowed to remain breathing the same air as others.

They simply have nothing to offer society ever again except a giant expense every year, Gas these types and save money...makes sense to me.

Someone robbing a store and doesn't mean to kill anyone....is a little different. However, I would agree that any pre-meditated murder should also fall under the auspices of capital punishment, but the proof has to be absolute before that sentence can be imposed.

Tough subject.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

I'm pretty sure you can't get the death sentence for accidentally murdering someone (ie, a robbery gone bad). From what I understand it has to be 1st degree murder (meaning it was a planned, premeditated crime). So maybe that changes a few opinions.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally posted by Bring_Back_Shantz@Apr 26 2005, 08:29 AM
I'm pretty sure you can't get the death sentence for accidentally murdering someone (ie, a robbery gone bad). From what I understand it has to be 1st degree murder (meaning it was a planned, premeditated crime). So maybe that changes a few opinions.

Perhaps but take a look at some of the people that have been executed in the US (particularly Texas)- seems like they are a little quick to use capital punishment in some cases.

Better yet - check out the documentary "Deadline" which is a very interesting examination of the subject that may change your view.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

I never really stated a veiw. You're assuming that I'm pro capital punishment. In some cases I am, and in some cases I'm not. I was just stating a fact about it, in response to the above comments about when it should be used.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally posted by Bring_Back_Shantz@Apr 26 2005, 10:15 AM
I never really stated a veiw. You're assuming that I'm pro capital punishment. In some cases I am, and in some cases I'm not. I was just stating a fact about it, in response to the above comments about when it should be used.

Sorry, I wasn't clear in my post. I realize you are not stating if you are pro capital punishment or not. However my point, and the movie I cited was about how it is applied. Although I admit the documentary I watched was probably slanted it did open my eyes to the application of the death penalty - being much more liberally applied then I thought prior to watching it.

The example of a botched robbery is a perfect example as this is indeed the type of crime that has led to the applicatin of capital punishment in some cases in the States.

[FlamesAddiction]

I'm against it for the simple fact that it is not applied equally. Judges seem to hand it out on whims.

Plus, there is always the possibility that an innocent person may be executed, in which case the state would literally be a murderer. Actually, it's not just a possibility. It happens.

So if death sentences are the lowest in the U.S. since 1976, I wonder where they stand globally now. A few years ago, only China was known to have more executions than the U.S.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punis...e_United_States

[FlamesAddiction]

For those interested, Wikipedia has a great section on capital punishment, including different relgious views on the subject:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment



For a list of countries that do and do not have the death penalty:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_...alty_worldwide

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Wow, there are some interesting ones there.
In Iran Sodomy is punisable by death. Hmmm, I guess they won't be legalizing gay marriage any time soon.

[Coelah]

I'm against the death penalty. For me, there are only two arguments in the death penalty debate.

For; it ensures that the convicted person can never harm another human being again.

Against; it ensures that an innocent person is never excecuted.

I believe we can achieve the first argument without excecuting them. It may cost more money, but I'm willing to pay a little more and also live with the fact a true murderer is still living, to make sure not one innocent person is put to death.

I look at the Milgaard case and know that if Canada had the death penalty, he would've been the perfect candidate.

[Mike F]

I'm against the death penalty.

You hear about innocent individuals being convicted, even for serious crimes, often enough that, over a long period of time, it's inevitable that an innocent person will be put to death.

Plus, I think that forcing someone to live in a tiny cell for 60+ years with only one hour of exercise per day and no voluntary conjugal activity is more of a punishment than 10 or so years in prison, 3 or 4 days of terror prior to the execution and then putting them out of their misery.

[Hakan]

I think there's a certain corrolary between the actions of the government and the moral makeup of society. Therefore, capital punishment is not desirable as it will have some effect on legitimizing killing even if those it kills may deserve it.

Gandhi and Vaclav Havel are two people that have talked about this. Makes a lot of sense IMO.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally posted by Mike F@Apr 26 2005, 07:58 PM

Plus, I think that forcing someone to live in a tiny cell for 60+ years with only one hour of exercise per day and no voluntary conjugal activity is more of a punishment than 10 or so years in prison, 3 or 4 days of terror prior to the execution and then putting them out of their misery.

Protestant conservatives believe that by executing someone quickly though, you are taking away their chance of repenting in the future, thereby damning them to Hell. So for them, it would be a much worse fate than keeping them in a cell for just their natural lifetime.