Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?

[robertsmom]

If the evidence is 100% confirmed of guilt and the crime was blatantly premeditated or extreme, then absolutely - strike the gavel, take them out back, and put a bullet in their heads. Much faster, much cheaper, saves the tax payers all kinds of dollars. Alas, most death row inmates spend years if not decads waiting and waiting.

I'm sick and tired of criminals receiving better treatment than their victims.

Amen to that! And to all the people who say "well could you push the button, throw the switch, do whatever" YES I WOULD and gladly too.

 

[EMom]

For it. I don't care that it's not perfectly administered. I've lost friends and relatives to murder and I wanted their killers dead, period.

Years ago, a young man I had gown up with since elementary school was murdered, along with 3 other young men. I believe the killers (4 of them) got less than $200. The manner in which they murdered my friend and the others was gruesome, to put it mildly. The last thing they did to 3 of them was to slit their throats. They didn't do that to my friend and we all think we know why. Rumors filtered out to the same effect, so maybe it was even true.

He was a good person. In fact, that is what his life was dedicated to. He was majoring in religious studies and planning to become a youth minister. He would have spent his life helping countless young people and adding so much goodness to the world. We believed, and the rumors among those close to the family indicated that he kept praying aloud and the killers could not or would not slit his throat as they had the other victims. So they finished him off some other way.

I can still see him at school, at football games playing in the band, at church, at hayrides and school dances. I can also remember the utter devastation his family suffered and how his poor mother has never been the same, sometimes spending hours on end at his grave. Why do I take this time to write about him? Because he deserves to be remembered.

I promise you I would have readily pulled the switch on every one of those four murderers. Their four lives added together weren't worth one of my friend. At least one has been executed, maybe two. One was a juvenile and escaped the death penalty. I have lost track of the fourth.

Don't bother with the "If your friend was such a good Christian, he would have forgiven them" stuff. Yes, we forgive. But you still have to face your punishment. And around here, that's the death penalty. It took too long for it to be carried out, however.

 

[lillielil]

100% against. It doesn't work as an effective deterrant and there are many things worse than death, and I think that prison should be one of them for violent offenders. Rewarding murder with more murder doesn't solve anything.

It also really bothers me that the average IQ of people executed is so low. Clearly a lot of them aren't capable of experiencing the world the same way as the rest of us. That doesn't make what they've done excusable - it means that they often cannot understand the concept of their actions resulting in their death. What's the point then?

Did anyone here watch Oz?

 

[N.Bailey]

For it. I don't care that it's not perfectly administered. I've lost friends and relatives to murder and I wanted their killers dead, period.

Years ago, a young man I had gown up with since elementary school was murdered, along with 3 other young men. I believe the killers (4 of them) got less than $200. The manner in which they murdered my friend and the others was gruesome, to put it mildly. The last thing they did to 3 of them was to slit their throats. They didn't do that to my friend and we all think we know why. Rumors filtered out to the same effect, so maybe it was even true.

He was a good person. In fact, that is what his life was dedicated to. He was majoring in religious studies and planning to become a youth minister. He would have spent his life helping countless young people and adding so much goodness to the world. We believed, and the rumors among those close to the family indicated that he kept praying aloud and the killers could not or would not slit his throat as they had the other victims. So they finished him off some other way.

I can still see him at school, at football games playing in the band, at church, at hayrides and school dances. I can also remember the utter devastation his family suffered and how his poor mother has never been the same, sometimes spending hours on end at his grave. Why do I take this time to write about him? Because he deserves to be remembered.

I promise you I would have readily pulled the switch on every one of those four murderers. Their four lives added together weren't worth one of my friend. At least one has been executed, maybe two. One was a juvenile and escaped the death penalty. I have lost track of the fourth.

Don't bother with the "If your friend was such a good Christian, he would have forgiven them" stuff. Yes, we forgive. But you still have to face your punishment. And around here, that's the death penalty. It took too long for it to be carried out, however.

I am so sorry to hear of this boy young boy. I agree that he deserves to be remembered. I find it sad that we can remember the killer's names more than the victims (in high profile cases).

I personally wish they'd execute everyone who has committed 1st degree (premeditated) murder (but I do want there to be no doubt of guilt). They do not deserve to live among us, IMO. The expense is the only thing that I don't like. If we did that, every state in this nation would be bankrupt.

And, while many may selectively choose parts of the Bible to fit their opinion, the Bible is crystal clear that anyone who murders (Bible originally said murder, man would later change it to kill and there is a HUGE difference between the 2), God clearly says they deserve to be executed. As a matter of fact, the Bible also says one should be executed for rape, too. I guess it's because rape can kill the soul (if not the body). Now I know we'll not be jumping on that bandwagon anytime soon, but the Bible is clear.

For your dear friend.

 

[N.Bailey]

100% against. It doesn't work as an effective deterrant and there are many things worse than death, and I think that prison should be one of them for violent offenders. Rewarding murder with more murder doesn't solve anything.

It also really bothers me that the average IQ of people executed is so low. Clearly a lot of them aren't capable of experiencing the world the same way as the rest of us. That doesn't make what they've done excusable - it means that they often cannot understand the concept of their actions resulting in their death. What's the point then?

Did anyone here watch Oz?

Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but the death penalty isn't about deterring (though it's effective in that the person executed won't kill again).

It's about punishment and punishment only.

Do you have children? If not, try to imagine that you do. If you told your child not to do something, but he/she knew they weren't going to be punished for upward to 20 years, do you really believe it would deter them? IMO, it's silly to say that it doesn't deter when it's likely death won't be sought for the most part, and even if it is, might not be handed down, and if it is, will be 10 to 20 years till it's carried out. That wouldn't deter me in the least.

I don't think it's a reward, either.

Other than that though, I do agree that many aren't very intelligent. I've always said education and poverty are heavy contributors in producing criminals and till these issues are addressed, we're just going to see more of the same.

I can assure you though that even someone as unintelligent as say, John Evander Couey, he knew his actions were wrong. I think most understand this basic concept. The only ones I don't believe grasp it would be those suffering from severe mental illness. For states that even have the insanity defense, it's mighty difficult to prove though (and the burden of proof does indeed shift to the defense if one pleads insanity).

 

[PixieDust32]

Anybody that kills, or rapes an inocent child deserves to die, i don't care if they're sane or insane, they don't deserve to live. And God forgive me if someone ever touch one of my children, I'll kill them my self.
Thank you!

 

[shortbun]

I voted against. I would never be able to choose 'for' on a jury. There are definitely criminals I think would be better off dead but it's not going to be me making that decision and I think it should be off the table anyway because all humans are so flawed.

 

[EMom]

I am so sorry to hear of this boy young boy. I agree that he deserves to be remembered. I find it sad that we can remember the killer's names more than the victims (in high profile cases).

I personally wish they'd execute everyone who has committed 1st degree (premeditated) murder (but I do want there to be no doubt of guilt). They do not deserve to live among us, IMO. The expense is the only thing that I don't like. If we did that, every state in this nation would be bankrupt.

For your dear friend.

Thank you. He really was a very kind person. In all the years I knew him...probably 15 or so....I cannot remember him ever being mean to anyone. He wasn't a saint or anything, but just a guy who was raised by a family with decent values, was good-natured and was someone you could count on. No one ever had a bad word to say about him. Such a waste.......

 

[preshi]

this is why i am so on the fence with the whole dem/rep thing. I am for this in most cases of murder and all cases that involve children.

 

[piratehannelore]

Maybe its just me, but over the years I've figured there are far more worse things than death. Now if the justice system in our fair country would use those things for the worst of the worst, then people may be less inclined to commit heinious (?) crimes. Thats just my opinion though. I can think of twenty things worse than getting the death penalty. Maybe their crime done unto them for starters (if not murderers)

 

[Andy B]

Against for more than one reason.

If society puts people to death then it's only a matter of justification, the murderer feels they have justification to kill society is just saying they got the reason wrong not that killing is wrong in its self.

Also there have been too many miscarriages of justice which would then result in an innocent person being executed.

 

[Acklander]

Absolutely No. There have been too many people who sat for too long on death row only to find out with DNA that they were innocent. Each of these people have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt to be guilty. I agree with a life sentence without the possibility of parole. This removes the person from society so they can't hurt anyone else, yet leaves the door open in case they are later found to be innocent.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Other....

I am in favor of taking everyone's DNA that is arrested. Then when there is a murder and on the victims body you find evidence of the killer via DNA, you match it to your database.

So my rule is based on DNA.

You get 1 appeal, and that is it.

Eyewitness accounts are not a reason to convict, I need hard evidence.

 

[MassJester]

I cannot reconcile the death penalty with Christian teaching, and so I cannot support it.

Thou shalt not kill.

Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord.

 

[poohandwendy]

For capital crimes, yes. I think rape and torture of children should be considered capital crimes.

OT: The changes I would really like to see is less jail time for non-violent offenses, fines and/or house arrest instead. And I would like to see violent offenders get true life sentences, no possibility of parole for any reason.

 

[JimFitz]

Yes and No. This is not a black and white topic, there are shades of gray.

 

[leafette]

I am against the death penalty and feel it has no place in a civilized society.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Quote:
Do you have children? If not, try to imagine that you do. If you told your child not to do something, but he/she knew they weren't going to be punished for upward to 20 years, do you really believe it would deter them? IMO, it's silly to say that it doesn't deter when it's likely death won't be sought for the most part, and even if it is, might not be handed down, and if it is, will be 10 to 20 years till it's carried out. That wouldn't deter me in the least

I don't punish my children at all (or didn't, they are adults now). I don't consider the threat of punishment (or the offer of rewards for that matter) to be a good reason for behaving appropriately. Let me ask you this: have you ever murdered someone? If not, why not? Was it only because you were afraid of being caught and put in jail or sentenced to death? Would you murder someone if you KNEW, for certain, that you wouldn't get caught? Because I wouldn't. And it is not because I am religious, either, and think God will punish me for it, because I'm not. It's because I have concern and compassion for other people and don't want to harm them. That's also why I don't steal or commit other crimes - not out of fear of being punished, but out of a desire not to harm other people.

And that's also why I am opposed to the death penalty. Someone posted that we shouldn't treat the criminals better than the victims were treated - I think exactly the opposite! If we treat the criminal as badly as he treated the victim, then we (as a society) are as bad as the criminal!

Teresa

 

[MoniqueU]

I picked other. While I am in favor of it I sometimes think life in prison might be a tougher sentence for them so I can see how some juries would pick that. Sometimes the DP to me seems like an easy way out for the scum of the earth. I think prosecuters need to take into account what the family of the victim would like when deciding whether to seek it or not as well.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am against the death penalty and feel it has no place in a civilized society.

That is the problem, isn't it? We are not a civilized society.