I'll I've to say

[devoid]

The death penalty is a psychological neurotic displacement. The virtue of mankind most perverted.

[finnbow]

I'm not sure I completely follow your train of thought, but I'm mostly anti-death penalty if for no other reason than the political grandstanding that surrounds the issue. If a candidate expresses moral concerns with the death penalty (a fully defensible position), they're labelled as soft on crime and become unelectable. I think if a politician thought it would help him get elected, he'd invoke the death penalty for jaywalking.

A second issue for me is that it cheapens human life and may actually contribute to an excalation of violence within our culture (i.e., if it's acceptable under certain circumstances for the state to take a life, then there are similar circumstances where it's acceptable for the citizenry to take the law into their own hands and dole out similar punishments (e.g., abortion clinic murders)).

As for it being a deterrent to crime, that's unadulterated BS. Study after study have shown that it is the certainty of punishment as opposed to the severity that acts as a deterrent.

[piece-itpete]

So, you read those links?

Pete

[Grumpy]

This says it best

[BlueStreak]

I've always thought that the accused should sit, zip-tied to the chair in a bullet proof glass cubilce with plastic drop cloth placed on the floor of the court room during sentencing. When the judge says; "I sentence you to death.", the bailiff strolls over to the booth, sticks his gun through a hole in the glass and shoots the bastard until he stops twitching----que the cleaning ladies.

It's swift, it's final, and best of all it's very cheap. The cost of a few bullets, hazardous waste removal and you're done.

Or, better yet, you construct a large blender, big enough to hold, say...up to 300 lbs of puree', that sits in the courtroom.................

Regards,
Dave

[Zeke]

Except, of course, for our inability to be fully accurate in death convictions.

We've all seen it, are aware of it, we know it happens, and the entire idea of summary execution is animalistic.

Now, do no think me a weak soldier. I have been a state-level parole officer and worked within maximum custody prisons...

But once wrong, is once too many.

I dispute your model.

[merrylander]

It is hard not to want to see some sob who molests and murders a child not get the death penalty, but if you put them in with the regular prison population it gets done for you. Other than that there have been far too many wrong verdicts and innocent people have died, so I am against it.

[d-ray657]

I'll I've to say is that it is absolutely amazing that that the OP led to any substantive discussion.

BTW - we consider it murder when a person, with cold calculation, takes the life of another. That, however, is what executions are. They are not self defense, which only applies in the case of an imminent risk of serious harm or death.

Regards,

D-Ray

[noonereal]

Originally Posted by merrylander

It is hard not to want to see some sob who molests and murders a child not get the death penalty, but if you put them in with the regular prison population it gets done for you. Other than that there have been far too many wrong verdicts and innocent people have died, so I am against it.

prison in and of itself is cruel and unusual punishment, hence I agree with you Rob

[Combwork]

Originally Posted by merrylander

It is hard not to want to see some sob who molests and murders a child not get the death penalty, but if you put them in with the regular prison population it gets done for you. Other than that there have been far too many wrong verdicts and innocent people have died, so I am against it.

I think you're right, but isn't it kind of hypocritical for a country that does not believe in capital punishment to knowingly put the guilty in a situation where they're almost certain to be killed?