Texas kills fancy last meal requests on death row

[akhenaten]

Is it really? Think about it - you give a man a gun knowing that he is about to use it to kill someone. It makes you just as responsible for the death, IMO.

If you convict a man of a crime knowing with reasonable certainty that the result will be his death, it amounts to the same thing (with respect cause/effect).

The person who kills a prisoner on death row is not the man who "pulls the lever", it is the jury that put him in the "chair".

This is, of course, not a discussion of guilt or innocence - just the actual killing of the person found guilty.

with the extensive appeals process , I am not sure this is correct.

I don't know if I could sit on a jury that had such consequences... the one jury i was on in college had me questioning if I should/could pass judgement on another person..... Judge not...
However if I had to be judged I would want someone like me to do it... someone who could decide to convict but could not do so too easily...

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

with the extensive appeals process , I am not sure this is correct.

I don't know if I could sit on a jury that had such consequences... the one jury i was on in college had me questioning if I should/could pass judgement on another person..... Judge not...
However if I had to be judged I would want someone like me to do it... someone who could decide to convict but could not do so too easily...

A solid point, but I just do not trust our judicial system enough to sit on a jury with the death sentence as a possible outcome. In fact, I would be a guilty man's dream juror, so little do I trust the system.

 

[MIGrandma]

Why should they be given any kind of "last meal" at all? It's not like they're going to starve to death. The food, any food, shouldn't be wasted on them at that point.

They (prisoners) have way too many luxuries as it is. My DSIL is a corrections officer so I have learned a lot from him, and most of it angers me.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Like the post office.

Not really correct, they get some taxpayer support. But when you look at it, it is for services rendered. Around $96 million is budgeted annually by Congress for the "Postal Service Fund." These funds are used to compensate USPS for postage-free mailing for all legally blind persons and for mail-in election ballots sent from US citizens living overseas. A portion of the funds also pays USPS for providing address information to state and local child support enforcement agencies.

And if selected for a jury in a capital case voir dire (sp?) would eliminate those with an opposition to the death penalty while keep those willing to impose it if found guilty.

I also believe (and it has been a long time since I had a Poly Sci class so I might be wrong) that there has to be two separate juries in a capital case. One to determine guilt and a separate jury to determine punishment.

Let me ask you because I am curious. Knowing this, would you be willing to sit on the first jury knowing that the second might decide the convicted man will be put to death since you wouldn't actually be determining that yourself?

You are not correct. There may be two phases to the trial - a guilt/innocence phase and a penalty phase - but it is one jury (at least in TX and GA, the states in the news). Also, the deck is stacked because the jury must be "death qualified" - not categorically opposed to capital punishment.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

While the meal stated in the first post is excessive, I don't agree with eliminating the last meal for death row inmates. I am pro-death penalty, even though I have a friend sitting on death row waiting for an execution date. He repented and became a Christian about 3 years ago, and knows he has to take the punishment for the crimes he committed. He has joked that he wants to request a caramel macchiato as his last meal. He always enjoyed coffee, and for the last 20+ years, he has had Nescafe coffee concentrate mixed with powdered milk and water. I go see him every 3 months or so and one of the first things he asks me is to describe the cup of coffee I had that morning. I am very aware of the conditions of death row inmates (in Florida at least), and I do not feel bad about letting them enjoy a last meal of their choosing (within reason). No, the victims did not get a "last meal," but how many of us get a "last meal?" No one knows which meal will be their last. It could be the crackers and yogurt I had for lunch.

 

[FireDancer]

You are not correct. There may be two phases to the trial - a guilt/innocence phase and a penalty phase - but it is one jury (at least in TX and GA, the states in the news). Also, the deck is stacked because the jury must be "death qualified" - not categorically opposed to capital punishment.

I wasn't sure, thanks for the clarification. Like I said, it has been a while. I don't see it as stacking the deck though. A jury that has to consider the death penalty has to be willing to use it. Stacking the jury would mean putting either only people who insist on the death penalty in all cases or having people that wouldn't consider it in any cases.

It should have jurors that would be willing to sentence the guilty party to death if they deem that is the best punishment but also willing to sentence him to something else if they deem the crime isn't worthy of death.

ETA: Ok, I looked it up and it was the Gregg v. Geprgia case that I thought required 2 juries. I guess I misinterpreted it.

 

[Uncle Remus]

While the meal stated in the first post is excessive, I don't agree with eliminating the last meal for death row inmates. I am pro-death penalty, even though I have a friend sitting on death row waiting for an execution date. He repented and became a Christian about 3 years ago, and knows he has to take the punishment for the crimes he committed. He has joked that he wants to request a caramel macchiato as his last meal. He always enjoyed coffee, and for the last 20+ years, he has had Nescafe coffee concentrate mixed with powdered milk and water. I go see him every 3 months or so and one of the first things he asks me is to describe the cup of coffee I had that morning. I am very aware of the conditions of death row inmates (in Florida at least), and I do not feel bad about letting them enjoy a last meal of their choosing (within reason). No, the victims did not get a "last meal," but how many of us get a "last meal?" No one knows which meal will be their last. It could be the crackers and yogurt I had for lunch.

All the more reason why the death penalty shouldn't include last meal rights.

 

[Mkrop]

He must have thought that he was on the OLD Disney Dining Plan and had credits to use up.

now that is the funniest thing I have read all day

 

[DWGal210]

I'm going to try & sum up why I'm OK with the death penalty. I totally get the against it points of view; I struggle with those what ifs & we can't judge thoughts too. My view is this:

* What other punishment is sufficient for these folks? I look at cases like the man in Florida (pretty sure it was FL) who raped a little girl, then buried her alive. He said later he could hear her trying to free herself. I'm not sure of the outcome of his case but with horrific instances like this, what other punishment is appropriate?

* I also believe some people are born evil. Not saying every death row inmate fits this but I believe there is evil in our world. There's no rehab for those people & they are not at all remorseful for their crimes.

Again, I realize it's a VERY complex issue. I really can see both sides.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I'm going to try & sum up why I'm OK with the death penalty. I totally get the against it points of view; I struggle with those what ifs & we can't judge thoughts too. My view is this:

* What other punishment is sufficient for these folks? I look at cases like the man in Florida (pretty sure it was FL) who raped a little girl, then buried her alive. He said later he could hear her trying to free herself. I'm not sure of the outcome of his case but with horrific instances like this, what other punishment is appropriate?

* I also believe some people are born evil. Not saying every death row inmate fits this but I believe there is evil in our world. There's no rehab for those people & they are not at all remorseful for their crimes.

Again, I realize it's a VERY complex issue. I really can see both sides.

I agree it can be complicated. On one hand I would never wish the death penalty upon anyone. On the other hand, I do believe that death penalty should be applied in certain cases.

 

[MIGrandma]

I don't agree with the death penalty. I think the person who "flips the switch" or gives the lethal injection is guilty of murder, same as a criminal who is convicted of murder. Killing is killing, no matter how it's done. And then, even though they are probably rare, there are the cases where someone professes their innocence right up until they're dead, then later DNA testing proved the person actually was innocent.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I'm going to try & sum up why I'm OK with the death penalty. I totally get the against it points of view; I struggle with those what ifs & we can't judge thoughts too. My view is this:

* What other punishment is sufficient for these folks? I look at cases like the man in Florida (pretty sure it was FL) who raped a little girl, then buried her alive. He said later he could hear her trying to free herself. I'm not sure of the outcome of his case but with horrific instances like this, what other punishment is appropriate?
* I also believe some people are born evil. Not saying every death row inmate fits this but I believe there is evil in our world. There's no rehab for those people & they are not at all remorseful for their crimes.

Again, I realize it's a VERY complex issue. I really can see both sides.

Easy - life in prison serving hard labor while subsisting on meager sustenance and sleeping on a cement floor. Much more painful than life in prison as we know it, but with a way out if the conviction is later overturned.

Prison used to be so dreadful that people really tried to avoid it. It has become too comfortable. How often do you read stories of people who are released only to commit another crime so they can be sent back? That didn't happen when they were worked so hard that a 10 year sentence was a life sentence because of the nature of the improsonment and the associated labor.

 

[Gina]

Why should they be given any kind of "last meal" at all? It's not like they're going to starve to death. The food, any food, shouldn't be wasted on them at that point.

They (prisoners) have way too many luxuries as it is. My DSIL is a corrections officer so I have learned a lot from him, and most of it angers me.

Couldn't have said it better. Frankly, the whole "humane" execution of these scumbags is ridiculous... It boggles my mind how a criminal can hatchet up a whole family or something, but then he has to be put to death "humanely." That's not civilized -- it's guilt-ridden silliness. I would prefer we bring back Old Sparky.

And I think prison conditions should be the absolute minimum required to keep a person alive -- and barely. It's supposed to be a punishment and hopefully a deterrent... It's not supposed to be comfortable!

I don't think they should get a last meal at all. It serves no purpose, it can't be considered "inhumane" since they likely ate just hours before that, and as a bonus, the drugs will work faster and get him/her off our planet and off the taxpayers' dole that much quicker.


EDIT: MIGrandma ~ I know you specifically don't support the death penalty, and I respect that, I just agree very much that prison conditions are way too comfortable now.

 

[DWGal210]

That's an acceptable alternative. I'd be OK with that. I'd also add "as solitary as possible" to the list.

Easy - life in prison serving hard labor while subsisting on meager sustenance and sleeping on a cement floor. Much more painful than life in prison as we know it, but with a way out if the conviction is later overturned.

Prison used to be so dreadful that people really tried to avoid it. It has become too comfortable. How often do you read stories of people who are released only to commit another crime so they can be sent back? That didn't happen when they were worked so hard that a 10 year sentence was a life sentence because of the nature of the improsonment and the associated labor.

 

[Art 1]

Bread and water should be good enough. And then a bullet in the back of the head when the time comes.

 

[NotUrsula]

The death penalty wasn't really intended as a mortal punishment for a mortal crime. It was originally designed as an ETERNAL punishment for a mortal crime: the idea was that the prisoner was being sent to Hell to serve his punishment there -- forever.

As to "humane" executions ... the old methods were much harder on those who had to administer them as a daily job. Inflicting that much pain, no matter how well-deserved, isn't something that a sane person can make a career out of; sooner or later it will send you over the edge. It sounds satisfying in theory, but doing it over and over will twist a man very quickly. That's why firing squads were firing squads -- no one person had to live with the knowledge that he was the one to fire the fatal shot.

 

[cornflake]

There are states that put a cap - either monetary or otherwise (like some will only provide something that can be made with what's on hand in the prison kitchen, etc.) - on a last meal request.

Texas certainly could have just done that instead of killing the practice of a last meal altogether. As it's Texas, however...

 

[Acklander]

I don't agree with the death penalty. I think the person who "flips the switch" or gives the lethal injection is guilty of murder, same as a criminal who is convicted of murder. Killing is killing, no matter how it's done. And then, even though they are probably rare, there are the cases where someone professes their innocence right up until they're dead, then later DNA testing proved the person actually was innocent.

Since more than 250 prisoners have been released from death row due to DNA evidence, I wouldn't consider it that rare - and thats not counting the people who have been executed, that were later proven innocent.
It's one of those things that can't be undone.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Since more than 250 prisoners have been released from death row due to DNA evidence, I wouldn't consider it that rare - and thats not counting the people who have been executed, that were later proven innocent.
It's one of those things that can't be undone.

Amen.

 

[EmmaBrault]

I don't agree with the death penalty. I think the person who "flips the switch" or gives the lethal injection is guilty of murder, same as a criminal who is convicted of murder.

I actually am not a fan of the death penalty, but it's not murder. Murder is the unlawful taking of a life. Abortion isn't murder either for this same reason.