Put to death in some States in the US...

[JAG]

.... Or he would have been.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/7950303.stm

A man jailed for murdering a woman in 1979 has had his conviction quashed at the Court of Appeal after spending 27 years in prison.

Just thought I would highlight it, for all those people who still don't believe it is a legitimate reason to think the death penalty is absurd. There are of course many other reasons, but this one seems as good as any.

[CountArach]

Glad to hear he got out, but that isn't going to bring the 27 years back.

[Major Robert Dump]

the death penalty is absurd, especially if you equate all the people put to death before DNA testing and based on eyewitness accounts only. It's also now an undisputable fact that the death penalty costs significantly more money than life in prison thanks to the process, so even the most hardcore fiscal conservatives can't argue for it.

A lot of people will argue that it has never been proven an innocent person has been executed, except that executed persons kind of have their cases grow cold because, ya know, they are dead. I suggest An Innocent Man by Grisham, i think it may be his only non-fiction novel....turns out the culprit of the crime two men were sentenced to death for was the STAR WITNESS of the prosecution, all of which could have been cleared up through some simple testing that was available at the time. The Pontotoc County DA, who I had a run-in with myself once upon a time, will rot in hell forever and ever as he still refuses to show any remorse. Personally, I think the entire system is jacked.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I oppose the death penalty, but would not characterize it as absurd.

The basic component is: the state does not need to deal out death to protect society -- removal of the threat to society from circulation suffices. Mind you, I'm not a big fan of early release either...

[Major Robert Dump]

hey I'd be down with the death penalty under a few conditions:

-Scientific evidence only
-Painful
-You don't have the convenience of knowing when, just a general timeframe, which means the prison could take people in the middle of the night to be executed, give them a shot of saline and then say LOLZ SIKE!!! Wow, would it be awesome to know exactly when I was gonna die, a much better gift than the poor sap who got raped and murdered, yes?

anyway, rotting away at life inprisonment is still cheaper and , imo, more of a grueling punishment than being on death row and knowing when the day is coming

[Idaho]

Personally I disagree with the death penalty, but I think we should have it in this country, as most people are in favour of it.

[ICantSpellDawg]

I oppose the death penalty, but would not characterize it as absurd.

The basic component is: the state does not need to deal out death to protect society -- removal of the threat to society from circulation suffices. Mind you, I'm not a big fan of early release either...

Exactly.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Sadly, it is true that innocent people have been convicted and likely killed.

I still think we should retain the death penalty, but very rarely, and only in cases where there is scientific and eyewitness evidence.

But the problem here isn't the death penalty but the handling of evidence and the legal system.

I'd also recommend the movie The Thin Blue Line, where the cops ignored the boasting ("I killed a cop!") of the real killer in order to get another man convicted.

CR

[rory_20_uk]

.... Or he would have been.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/7950303.stm





Just thought I would highlight it, for all those people who still don't believe it is a legitimate reason to think the death penalty is absurd. There are of course many other reasons, but this one seems as good as any.

A typical argument.

It could equally be applied to internment - or indeed punishment in any sense.

All it illustrates is that the justice system in the UK is flawed, not that the death penalty is absurd.

I'm in favour of the death penalty - but only in cases where there is no doubt - such as a premeditated stabbing leading to a death witnessed by several people.

[Hooahguy]

A typical argument.

It could equally be applied to internment - or indeed punishment in any sense.

All it illustrates is that the justice system in the UK is flawed, not that the death penalty is absurd.

I'm in favour of the death penalty - but only in cases where there is no doubt - such as a premeditated stabbing leading to a death witnessed by several people.

my thoughts exactly.

[tibilicus]

A typical argument.

It could equally be applied to internment - or indeed punishment in any sense.

All it illustrates is that the justice system in the UK is flawed, not that the death penalty is absurd.

I'm in favour of the death penalty - but only in cases where there is no doubt - such as a premeditated stabbing leading to a death witnessed by several people.

Death is an easy way out. Let them rot in a prison cell for the rest of their lives, that's a worse punishment than death.

[Hooahguy]

Death is an easy way out. Let them rot in a prison cell for the rest of their lives, that's a worse punishment than death.

but is that justice?

[HoreTore]

but is that justice?

Don't confuse vengeance with justice.

[Hooahguy]

Don't confuse vengeance with justice.

i know the difference.
but i truly do not believe that a serial murderer-who was prove beyond any doubt tha the was the one who committed them- should be allowed to live.