Do you believe in Capitol Punishment?
115039
9 years ago 2 men murdered my younger brother. He had met them through 2 young girls that had come to my brother looking for help. They were hungry and had no money, so my brother gave them some food. The following day he brought them some more food and the 2 men were visiting the 2 girls. As soon as my brother left after meeting the 2 men and giving the 2 girls the food, they started planning my brother's murder. They used the youngest girl to go to my brother's apartment and steal his extra key that they had noticed hanging by his door. She used some excuse to get my brother to let her in and when he wasn't looking she stole his extra key. When they knew my brother would be asleep, they used the key to get into my brother's apartment, stab him 4 times, while he was sleeping, steal his things and left him to die. Fortunately they were caught and we went through 2 years of court sessions and a trial. The D.A. didn't go for the Death Penalty (California) because it is hard to get a conviction when it would end up with a death penalty. They were both sentenced to Life + 1 year. We all thought that would be good, but 7 years later, we still have them trying to use their appeals to get away with murder (one of them admitted at the sentencing that they were the ones that murdered my brother, plus the police found my brother's things in their homes and the one was wearing my brother's football jersey when he was arrested). I resent the fact that they can still see their families, they can still breathe, they can still laugh, and try to get out by using their appeals. Capitol Punishment isn't a deterrent, but neither is prison or any other form of punishment. I don't care whether it is a deterrent or not. They killed my brother! He will never be able to get married, have children, spend time with his family, laugh, love or anything else, because they sentenced him to death. They killed a part of all of my family and left us all as victims of their crime. We can't ever see my brother again, he can't share in our family get togethers and holiday celebrations. I will never hear his voice again or get a hug from him. He won't get to meet my other brother's new baby that is due this coming April. We all lost so much when they sentenced my brother to death. They don't have the right to live as far as I am concerned. I think it is very easy to sit there and say that Capitol Punishment is wrong, and that we don't have the right to play God, but if it were your parent, sibling, spouse, child, grandchild, or even yourself that was brutally murdered,and have to sit through a trial where the crime scene photos are displayed, and seeing your loved one brutally murdered and their life blood everywhere, then maybe you wouldn't feel so holier than thou about the issue of Capitol Punishment. Sorry for writing a book, but this is a subject that hits home for me. =-(
236586
I'm one of those people who you would probably want to move along (and aside from this issue and a few others, I'm very conservative), but I ackowledge that this is a Democracy and I am in the extreme minority on this issue in America, so I sort of accept the death penalty. Personally, if I did a heinous crime, I'd want to die instead of rot in prison, so in my eyes, "Lock the door, throw away the key" is worse than "fry the b_stard". But in spite of my opposition to the death penalty, I don't get worked up about someone who committed a terrible crime being put to death. So given that, these are the crimes I think warrant the worst penalty we dish out:\n\n- Murder (substantiated by either strong evidence- multiple witnesses, confession, video, or DNA).\n- Rape (1st offense for strong case).\n- Selling or distributing drugs to minors (2nd offense). If you distribute to an adult, I don't consider that a crime. If you distribute to a child, that's a serious offense.\n- Any kind of terrorism plotting.\n- Treason.\n- Any sexual activity with a child(below 13 would be a good age).\n- Any violent crime involving a weapon- first offense. None of this "three strikes, you're out" b s.
416989
I am for the death penalty, and for expanding the number of crimes eligible for the death penalty.\n\nI am also for corporal punishment. Caning or whipping can cure a lot of criminal tendencies.\n\nIt is called punishment. There is nothing immoral about harsh punishments. But there is something wrong with failure to punish wrongdoers. Leniency towards evil-doers is surely as immoral as the crimes themselves.
837329
The Death Penalty is a harsh sentence, the harshest that society can give, but I support it.\n\nIf a person killed 15 people then how can his one death pay back that crime?  Why don’t we kill him 15 times!  You can medically induce a heart attack and then bring them back with a defibrillator.  Of course this would be cruel and unusual punishment and it would be illegal according to the 5th amendment.  The Death Penalty has been challenged several times in the Supreme Court on the grounds of it being cruel and unusual punishment, it has been upheld each time.\n\nI have mixed feelings about the Death Penalty.  People claim that it isn’t a determent to crime; people still murder each other.  I also think that that it is used too often, my state is famous for it.\n\nHowever, the Death Penalty does have some advantages.  It is the ultimate determent for the murder.  John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer, will never kill anyone again.  Even if he was given a life term for each person that we know he killed, he would still be a threat to his guards and other prisoners.  What’s to stop him from committing murder in prison?  Are you going to give him another life term?  That wouldn’t be a determent.  And if he should escape then he will go back to murdering people again.  However, if the Death Penalty was a possibility then he might think twice about committing another murder.  We can’t ask him if this is so, because he is dead, and I think that is a good thing.\n\nCharles Manson is as crazy as ever.  He built a “family” and inspired them to go on a killing spree.  Charles Manson wants to do nothing more than to incite hate and violence.  To that end he has had a tattoo or brand of the Nazi symbol placed on his forehead.  If he escapes from prison there is no doubt what he will do.  He will start another “family” and send it too off on a killing spree.  Manson has even said he will do this.  If he were dead, killed by the Death Penalty, then that wouldn’t be a threat.  As it is we have to keep him locked up for the rest of his natural life.  He is a threat to his guards, other prisoners, and a continuing threat to society itself.  We can’t kill him though because he didn’t go on the killing spree himself, he only inspired it.  Meanwhile I have to spend my tax money to help support him for the rest of his natural life.\n\nThe Death Penalty has its advantages.  It is something to hold over prisoners.  If they murder another prisoner then they could have to face it.  It also prevents us from supporting a prisoner for the rest of his life.  That’s a cruel fact, but true.  It will also prevent a murderer from ever killing again.\n\nWhen the Death Penalty is applied it should be done so only as a last resort and under special circumstances.\n--  First a higher standard of guilt should be met.  The jury must be sure, beyond a SHADOW of doubt that the accused is actually guilty.  A murderer can be convicted if beyond a REASONABLE doubt the jury considers him guilty.  A higher standard should be held for the application of the death penalty.  Just how stringent that standard should be is up to the Judge’s instructions, and the jury.  Also our legal system is based on the idea that we would rather not convict 100 people, if that means convicting 1 innocent person.\n--  Second the person should be considered a continuing threat to society.  A man who finds out his wife is cheating on him and then kills her, may not be a continuing threat to society (unless he gets married again).  He may be unstable and should be sentenced to a long prison term, but I don’t think he should be subject to the Death Penalty.  The ultimate penalty should only be applied only to people who are likely to murder again; preferable only to people who have committed multiple murders and proved that they will kill again, if given the chance.\nIn some states there is another condition that can cause the Death Penalty to apply.  In New York it is call
122002
I think hanging is an appropriate form af exacution for certain types of crime (murder, rape, torture, child molestation), but not publicly.  That sort of thing should be done in private behind closed doors with only court appointd whittness there to veiw and document the exacution.  If death by hanging were to be made available it would become a specticale, nothing more than entertainment (which is partly why it was banned in the first place).  It would do little to intimedate potential felons and only create a demand for "capitol offenders" to sate the public thirst for blood.
304215
I haven't checked out the site, because my opinion is firmly developed on this subject.\n\nThose deemed guilty of a crime against society, especially a violent crime, in this day and age, are only punished by lack of freedom.  That is not sufficient penalty, in my opinion.  I believe that convicted criminals should be subject to any and all heavy labor deemed relevant to their 'repayment of society'.  \n\nIf imprisonment is to be a true deterrant to crime, it must be 'beyond horrible'.  That's not to say that we should torture, or abuse criminals, but by golly, developing a farmiliarity to HARD WORK can only help them when they get out of prison.\n\nAnd, as an example, I find it personally objectionable as a taxpayer to be paying for cable t.v. service for inmates.  Or to be providing vegetables and grains for prison consumption.  Veggies and grains should be produced by prisoners in prison farms.  \n\nInmates lifting weights all day, or earning a law degree is simply not O.K., if it's done on the backs of their law abiding fellow citizens.  Just my opinion!
24795
No.  However it can seem harsh for certain types of crime such as drug smuggling, and therfore its application is a little extreme. Unfortunatley the pendulum has swung a little to far with respect to the application of the death penalty in Singapore. Other countries, such as Canada, that do not have the death penalty should consider it for murder and attempted murder. Here the pendulum has swung to far in the other direction. There has to be a balance so that a justice system, in any given country, is just. Meaning that the appropriate punishment is given for the crime.  Unfortunately, opponents of the death penalty fail to understand this simple principle.
577993
Depends on the crime. \n\nIf a 35 year old man raped your 11 year old child, and beat her to death with a tire iron, does he deserve death or life in prison? I say death.\n\nIf an 18 year old man kills a store clerk for 20 bucks in the cash register, does he deserve death or life in prison? For that I say life in prison.\n\nI'm a US citizen and have a deep respect for Australia, I love your country, but as far as Capitol Punishment, the crime itself needs to determine the punishment. So I say, bring it back for certain crimes.
42465
Yes.  However, we need to be certain of the condemned man's guilt.  The "reasonable doubt" bit is ok to send him to jail, but not to kill him.  \nLife without parole?  OK fair enough, but to put a 30 year old man in a cage and tell him we'll never let him out is just cruel....I think it's actually merciful to put him to death.
996467
YES!! The judgment is that we are all guilty.\nThe penalty for this crime is our very lives (eternal death).\nBUT...\n A man walked into our courtroom and paid that fine, took our place and DIED IN OUR PLACE.\nThat man was Jesus.\n\nRepent and trust Him to save you.
810914
The most christian way to carry out capitol punishment would be not to carry it out. If you are christian then the bible says that only god can judge and punish
991502
No But I do think that overcrowding in prisons is related to the pervasive attitudes of "do whatever you want" and "as long as it's what you want to do".\n\nOf course those things are taught by all kinds of religions like Christianity...  oh no, wait a minute, that's not right...  those attitudes are taught by the religions of atheists and agnostics....  hmmm.....
938991
First question - Yes. It is a greater crime to send innocent people to jail - or worse.\n\nWe are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties.\nJames Madison \n\nI believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.\nJames Madison
325072
Yes! Now the rest of us that aren't christian Think that convicts should be held accountable...
278775
Once convicted and sentenced they should be sent to the 'hard core' prisons, not the 'country club' prisons that most who have been sent away go to. That certainly would set a terrific example to any politician contemplating\ncorruption.
644514
yes, they are.  if you are ignorant of it, well theres really no reason to punish right?
648688
Well, the person punished won't do it again.\n\nSeriously, capital punishment doesn't work as a deterrent for the simple reason of politics.  When a person is sentenced for capital punishment, there are endless appeals, retrials and whatnot to delay the punishment. On average, a person on death row will more likely have their sentence converted to "life imprisonment" then be executed. Added is that the prisoner is kept warm, dry, fed and clothed at taxpayer expense.  So, if someone was contemplating a capital crime, they're looking at two options...\n\n1) They get away with it.\n2) They get caught, and spend the rest of their life no longer in the rat race of daily society for food, clothing and shelter.\n\nWhat's the deterrent? \n\nIf the government wants capital punishment to work as a deterrent, they need to be decisive and carry out the sentence as soon as it is proven beyond reasonable doubt of innocence.  If you know the person is guilty, why let them linger on for years?  If they're guilty (either admitted it or similar), get it over with.  Then capital punishment will have teeth again.