Death Penalty-Can Someone Explain This?

[elegy]

A lot of the companies that produce the drug/combo of drugs that were used successfully for years (and are still used on animals) are based in Europe, and they won't sell it for executions anymore. Hence all of these recent executions with drug combinations that are in theory supposed to work quickly and humanely...but no one really knows for sure, until the night of, when the guy takes hours to die. [/delurking]

Ah. That makes sense. Welcome to the civilized world.

I wonder what toll executions take on the executioner, especially when things go poorly. Didn't they used to use firing squads so that no one would know whose bullet actually killed the person?

 

[Laurelin]

But wouldn't the karma be, you know, dying?

ETA that the victims appear to have been murdered more quickly than the prisoner was killed. If they did to him what he did to his victims it wouldn't have taken 2 hours to do it...

Well the one in Oklahoma at least actually buried his victim alive so...

I don't think we should torture people and should try to end it humanely if we're going to insist on continuing executions. But I don't have much sympathy for the people that were executed and it was botched....

 

[Dogdragoness]

Well the one in Oklahoma at least actually buried his victim alive so...

I don't think we should torture people and should try to end it humanely if we're going to insist on continuing executions. But I don't have much sympathy for the people that were executed and it was botched....

That's what I am saying, also. We all know there can't be a "punishment fits the crime" senario, but I am not going to cry for a scumbag who gets a botched execution.

 

[Bunny82]

I support the death penalty. For the most part I think the method should be quick and efficient to "get it over with." (I don't know if that's humane?)

Except for when the victim is a child. If someone hurts (including molestation) or kills a child not only do I think they should get the death penalty but I am all for the method being excessively cruel and unusual. In my eyes if you harm/kill a child you have lost all rights to any humane treatment.

 

[ruffiangirl]

I support the death penalty. For the most part I think the method should be quick and efficient to "get it over with." (I don't know if that's humane?)

Except for when the victim is a child. If someone hurts (including molestation) or kills a child not only do I think they should get the death penalty but I am all for the method being excessively cruel and unusual. In my eyes if you harm/kill a child you have lost all rights to any humane treatment.

Most of those who hurt children end up getting worse, other criminals have no sympathy for they either.

 

[Bunny82]

Most of those who hurt children end up getting worse, other criminals have no sympathy for they either.

Anyone who hurts a child does not deserve sympathy. I say death penalty because the body can only take so much torture before it gives out so the end result is death but I have no problems with it being a long and extremely painful sentence.

 

[Dekka]

Anyone who hurts a child does not deserve sympathy. I say death penalty because the body can only take so much torture before it gives out so the end result is death but I have no problems with it being a long and extremely painful sentence.

And what if you were wrong? What if this person that was just tortured didnt' do it? That makes the 'state' even worse than the original perp.

Why do people want to be just as horrible as the person who did it? I have thought on this before. Even if someone murdered my son I wouldn't want them tortured. It would do nothing to bring back my child. And it would make me as vile as they are.

 

[Bunny82]

And what if you were wrong? What if this person that was just tortured didnt' do it? That makes the 'state' even worse than the original perp.

Oh I do think before any death sentence is handed out it needs to be ensured the person is guilty. But in cases where the victim is a child and there is no question about who the guilty party is then I am all for them having to "pay."

Why do people want to be just as horrible as the person who did it? I have thought on this before. Even if someone murdered my son I wouldn't want them tortured. It would do nothing to bring back my child. And it would make me as vile as they are.

Is torturing a human being horrible? Absolutely. But I think that the second a person puts their hands on a child with the intent to do harm they are no longer a human being in my book and not deserving of any kind of mercy. It's not about bringing the victim back. Nothing in the world can do that. It's about sending a very clear message that crimes towards children will not be tolerated and the punishment will be severe.

I guess on the opposite end it confuses me that more compassion seems to be shown for the criminal than the victim and/or their families.

 

[ruffiangirl]

Delivering a torture sentence would make that judge no better then the criminal.

 

[RBark]

Because torture and death sentences are working so fabulously in countries that have them like Iraq and African countries. Oh wait. They don't work as a deterrent.

 

[Bunny82]

You're correct nothing is going to deter these monsters but the message at least needs to be clear that anyone convicted of these crimes will suffer. End of story. No chances for reduced sentences. No chances for parole. No mercy shown. Cut and dry, anyone convicted of hurting a child will be tortured.

I think far too much compassion is shown to these monsters and that it is incredibly inhumane and cruel to the victim and their families that the concern is placed on if the punishment is too mean and harsh on the criminals.

I am sorry think of me what you will. I realize my opinions on the subject are not "nice" but I will not pretend for one second that there is any part of me that thinks anyone that harms a child is deserving of any sort of humane treatment.

 

[release the hounds]

anyway, if the fact that a perpetrator suffers, is tortured, or not is really what is concerning to the victims family, there isn't much hope for them either. They're destined for what they ask for too I guess.

Torture doesn't do **** except to help appease those that wish to see people suffer. That makes them so much better than the criminals right? LOL. It doesn't make anybody more sorry. It doesn't fix victims, it doesn't make them feel better, take away pain or help them get past what happened. It doesn't help families, it doesn't help society in anyway

 

[~Jessie~]

I couldn't imagine living in a society where inmates on death row were tortured, or given the same punishment they doled out. Imagine the mental state of the executioner who has to torture/give the same punishment back to a canibal? No big deal, just going to eat this criminal one body part at a time. That's not going to cause mental issues or anything.

I think the death penalty is, in general, barbaric and a waste of money... And an easy way out for criminals. Life in prison would be much more of a punishment for me than death.

 

[Bunny82]

No nothing in the world is going to ever bring back a victim. Nothing will erase what they have gone through or make it okay for their families however I find it truly disgusting that people can commit these crimes and walk away with little more than a slap on the wrist because God forbid these monsters are given what they truly deserves.

However there is nothing else for me to say. I gave my opinion on the subject and I appreciated hearing the opinions of others. What I would like to see happen is never going to pass anyway.

 

[Dogdragoness]

I couldn't imagine living in a society where inmates on death row were tortured, or given the same punishment they doled out. Imagine the mental state of the executioner who has to torture/give the same punishment back to a canibal? No big deal, just going to eat this criminal one body part at a time. That's not going to cause mental issues or anything.

I think the death penalty is, in general, barbaric and a waste of money... And an easy way out for criminals. Life in prison would be much more of a punishment for me than death.

And where do you propose we get the space and money to pay for the construction of all those prisons to house all these lifers? Prisons are already bursting at the seams a as it is.

The cost of a life should always be a life, and kids who are molested, their life even though they aren't killed is over, many can never have a normal life or have normal relationships.

 

[~Jessie~]

And where do you propose we get the space and money to pay for the construction of all those prisons to house all these lifers? Prisons are already bursting at the seams a as it is.

The cost of a life should always be a life, and kids who are molested, their life even though they aren't killed is over, many can never have a normal life or have normal relationships.

It takes years and years and years for anyone to be put to death. For instance, the man in this article committed these crimes in 1989. That was 25 years ago. Think of all the money wasted on trials to put him on death row, not to mention the execution itself. Take a quick look on google to see how much more the death penalty costs us over housing an inmate for a life sentence.

 

[release the hounds]

And where do you propose we get the space and money to pay for the construction of all those prisons to house all these lifers? Prisons are already bursting at the seams a as it is.

The cost of a life should always be a life, and kids who are molested, their life even though they aren't killed is over, many can never have a normal life or have normal relationships.

check into how much money goes into prosecuting and then actually following thru with a death penalty conviction. Then come back and ask questions about where the money is going to come from.

and what if you get who took the first life wrong and kill an innocent man? Do we take the live's of everyone from the cops that got the wrong guy, to the DA that prosecuted the wrong man, and the Jury that got it wrong and sentenced and innocent man to die? Take the executioner and witnesses too, because they didn't stop it? You have enough faith in this system that they never get it wrong?

and plenty of people have the most horrific things imaginable happen to them and everyday many of those people are able to move past it and have full productive lives.

 

[Psyfalcon]

And where do you propose we get the space and money to pay for the construction of all those prisons to house all these lifers? Prisons are already bursting at the seams a as it is.

The cost of a life should always be a life, and kids who are molested, their life even though they aren't killed is over, many can never have a normal life or have normal relationships.

If we drop the drug war, they'll all be empty. They are overwhelmingly filled with black males on rather minor drug charges.

 

[Dekka]

Is torturing a human being horrible? Absolutely. But I think that the second a person puts their hands on a child with the intent to do harm they are no longer a human being in my book and not deserving of any kind of mercy.

I think torturing any living thing is horrible. Torturing a dog is just as horrible.

I guess on the opposite end it confuses me that more compassion seems to be shown for the criminal than the victim and/or their families.

I have loads of compassion for victims and their families. There are people who have said down the road they no longer wished horrible things upon the criminal and even forgave them. I don't think we should put them in a place they may regret either.

But if a dog mangled my child I also wouldn't want it tortured. Sick human, sick dogs should be taken out of society (and if there was a way to be humane to humans I would be ok with 'euthing' people). Would not torturing the dog be less compassionate to the victim?

Just because I am not blood thirsty at the thought of harm to a child, does not mean I condone it, or that I don't feel that the victims rights should be foremost. However the victim should not have the 'right' to do back to the perp.

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

 

[Snark]

It takes years and years and years for anyone to be put to death. For instance, the man in this article committed these crimes in 1989. That was 25 years ago. Think of all the money wasted on trials to put him on death row, not to mention the execution itself. Take a quick look on google to see how much more the death penalty costs us over housing an inmate for a life sentence.

That needs to be changed, it's ridiculous. IF there is NO doubt the murderer committed the crime, put him down in a week's time; otherwise, put a time limit, maybe ten years, in place for appeals.
The problem I have with life sentences is they aren't alway 'life' sentences, and it's tough on the victim's family. About twenty years ago, a young friend's grandmother was beaten to death by two teens in an attempted robbery at the store she and her husband owned. Her husband had hired those two a couple of months prior to work part-time at the store. They decided they wanted more and she had the bad luck to be at the store alone. The teens went to prison, and every other year, they come up for parole. Her family has to travel to the parole hearings and relive the horror so those two don't get paroled. How is that fair to the family? My friend would love to put it behind her, but she's terrified those two will be paroled one day and her father will hunt them down, then HE'LL be in prison.
How about John Lennon? HIS killer is OUT, despite Yoko showing up to testify every time he came up for parole. Was justice done there?
I don't agree with torture but I will not shed a tear if the execution doesn't go 'smoothly'.