Crime and Punishment: Capital Punishment

[North Texan]

New Study

[bigbulls]

Image that.

Carrying out executions reduces murders. Not only are the dead convicts not able to get out of prison and kill again but the would be murderers still on the streets actually think twice about killing when they see their fellow scum bags getting the needle (although I think a bullet would suffice).

Who'd a thunk it?

[falcon]

i think that executions for murder are the way to go. Yes, it does deter others. However, the guy must be found guilty beyond any doubt. Since the advent of DNA, quite a few death row inmates have been released because they did not do the crime.

One high profile case happened in Oklahoma. Two guys
were railroaded onto death row based on sorry police work, an overzealous prosecutor, sorry forensic work by the OK crime lab, and a jail house snitch who was a darling of the prosecutor. The jailhouse snitch had testified against another guy who went to death row.

Then Barry Schect and his Innocence Project came to town. The prosecutor fought against testing the DNA from the victim. Finally, when it was proven by DNA evidence that the two guys did not do the crime, the prosecutor refused to prosecute the guy who raped and murdered the lady; as proven by DNA evidence.

One of the guys who were sentenced to death was a real scumbag who probably raped several women; however, he was not not guilty of that murder.

When the dust cleared the city and county had to float two bond issues to pay off the civil suit.

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

As of January 21, 2010, 249 defendants previously convicted of serious crimes in the United States had been exonerated by DNA testing. Almost all of these convictions involved some form of sexual assault and approximately 25% involved murder.[4]

Read: Innocent Man.

[Fieldmouse]

Since the advent of DNA, quite a few death row inmates have been released because they did not do the crime.

Though, they have yet to find a single person put to death that didn't do the crime (FYI not without trying).

[kevin1]

The same DNA that has the power to exclude a suspect can equally convict one. Our system revolves not around "no doubt" but "reasonable doubt", so it's entirely possible to build a solid case for capital punishment solely on circunstantial evidence alone without undue risk of error, it's been done more than once. Considering the advanced state of modern forensics the probability of error is miniscule at best. With this in mind it wouldn't be inappropriate to streamline the appeals process, the real reason why capital punishment costs more than life imprisonment. If you can't provide reasonable doubt with a single appeal then what makes you think you'll have any better luck with a second try in this age of forensic science? Ok, maybe two tries is reasonable, but anything more than that is just wishful thinking.

[etothepii]

Anti-death penalty advocates have claimed for years that it is no deterrent. I wonder what this will do to their argument.

[cr422]

I'm not opposed to the death penalty and I'll grant you that it eliminates recidivism. But I don't buy the deterrant factor. If the possibility of the death penalty were a consideration, guys like Ted Bundy would have committed their crimes in Michigan which has no death penalty.

It's not a deterrant to the guy who loses his temper and kills someone in a fit of rage. And it's not a deterrant to the guy who plans his crime because getting caught isn't part of the plan.

[NJheadhunter71]

Originally Posted by cr422

I'm not opposed to the death penalty and I'll grant you that it eliminates recidivism. But I don't buy the deterrant factor. If the possibility of the death penalty were a consideration, guys like Ted Bundy would have committed their crimes in Michigan which has no death penalty.

It's not a deterrant to the guy who loses his temper and kills someone in a fit of rage. And it's not a deterrant to the guy who plans his crime because getting caught isn't part of the plan.

I agree but who cares. Lets make up some numbers and stuff and get on with it.

[The Rev]

Originally Posted by etothepii

Anti-death penalty advocates have claimed for years that it is no deterrent. I wonder what this will do to their argument.

Who cares if it's a deterrent! The family of the victims should be the ones to decide who gets life or meets his maker.

Personally I'd like to have a killer spend the rest of his life in solitary confinement. With absolutely no commutation with anyone inside or outside except for guards.

[North Texan]

These ads are getting annoying.

My original post now has a "Stop the execution of Troy Davis" ad on it. Will the powers that be please get rid of that thing!