Where Does Our Death Penalty Passion Come From

[AtLast]

I support the death penalty for violent and sexual crimes of murder against children. "State sponsored murder" is meaningless to me as an argument against the death penalty. I do not accept cruel & unusual punishment arguments against the death penalty. Make it as painless as possible, but what was done to the victims in these cases was nice a painless or horrible death.

I also support the Innocence Project and using scientific evidence like DNA to exonerate anyone falsely charged or convicted and believes that any and all death penalty convicts should have the right to have these tests done to prove innocence and paid for by the state/locale they are incarcerated in. I don't want an innocent person put to death. But, death to me is just punishment for these types of crimes.

I do not support the death penalty for minors (at the time of the crime or otherwise), for developmentally delayed or mentally ill persons. Sociopaths do not fall under this distinction.

I do believe that POC are far more often and convicted of all crimes and that is just plain wrong. I also know that other people are adamantly against the death penalty. I respect your feelings, yet disagree. Presently, in CA, the death penalty cannot be administered. We have had several periods in which these were stopped and death penalty related measure to vote on.

In the past, I was against the death penalty. That all changed as I worked as a victim’s rights advocate for child sexual abuse and later as an expert witness. Of course, I have a bias.

Yes, have been the victim of violent crime and know others that have been personally. We all do come to personal conclusions based upon our life experiences.

[LaneyDoll]

Today is really not the day for me to answer this question. Earlier today, I read the story about a 10 year old boy whose parents punished him for wetting the bed, by holding all his liquids for 5 days in 100 degree plus Texas summer heat. His BROTHER (same age or close) watched it happen and even noted that when the poor child was fed peanut butter, the parents refused to allow him liquids. The same brother feared offering help b/c the parents may punish him too.

So, do I have objections to the death penalty? Hell no! In fact today, I wish the punishment was more fitting the crime.

[Gráinne]

No, not as our justice system is currently organized.

POC, poor, and the mentally deficient are convicted of capital crimes much more than non-POC and/or wealthy who can afford top council.

If we're going to have the death penalty at all, let's make it more immediate. If a criminal is finally executed 10-15 years later, that's meaningless. It's also horrifically expensive to go through appeal after appeal. I don't want my tax money going for that.

If it is a deterrent, what are the violent crime rates compared to other countries with no death penalty, adjusted for population? I don't think it is.

I'd rather see a complete reorganization and reform of the justice system, abolishing parole and release for "good behavior", and while we're at it, a much more humane way to deal with the mentally ill than prison. Still, I admit there's no answer for a sociopath.

[Reader]

Oh, my. This thread again.

[Luv]

My friends Lori and John were murdered in the 80's..2 men involed,,the one that did the rape and sodomy got a slap on the hand cause he testified against the guy that did it. My friends were beaten,burnt,duct taped ,raped,,sodomized in front of their 1 1/2 yr old and 6 day old children..these kids were left orphaned...death penalty,,hell yea,,and Id volunteer to do it,,they did nothing to deserve this,,the man that did it deserves to have done to him what he did to them

http://sloblogs.thetribunenews.com/s...nced-to-death/


http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/02...-to-death.html

[MissPriss]

What should I start with? First I have been a victim of a violent crime and have family that were victims to violent crime. When I was 17 years old my twin sister was murdered due to some stupid bitch bein drugged and having an a self-esteem problem. As a result my entire adult life has been spent in some type of law enforcement. I have seen many things, know many victims, know many ppl convicted of murder. Do I think that there are different types of murder? Yes, absolutely. My sister was gunned down by someone that didnt like the way her boyfriend looked at my sister! My sister didnt ask to be looked at nor did she pay him any mind, she was walking down the street talking to me at the time and never glanced in his direction. Would I love to see her killer fried, injected, hung? Any of those would do! However, because her killer suffered abuse from her boyfriend that she didnt want anyone looking at she took a plea and was sentenced to 20 years!!! Is that enough? Not by far!!! She was 25 years old when she shot my sister and that was 14 years ago. She only has 6 more to go and she will be 45 when she is released and still have plenty of her life to live. My sister missed out on lots of things that seem to simple to most of us that were able to have them....she didnt get to go to her senior prom, she didnt get to graduate, she didnt get to turn 18, she never celebrated her 21st bday, never fell in love. She had many decisions left to make and in an instant over petty bullshit someone else made every single decision for her!! Has her killer ever made any attempt to even show that she feels bad in any way? NO....ppl who can mindlessly murder someone can not feel bad, they can live out the rest of their days in prison, in a crazy hospital, whatever......and NEVER give what they have done another thought! .........also recently in LA a FATHER cut his sons head off and he was a disabled child! His life was ended by someone that was supposed to love and protect him! Should he get the needle...absolutely and I would like to think that I could give it to him and go to bed with a smile on my face! Justice is just that and if justice were given and I mean really given for those that are innocent victims the world would be a better place! When a judge give a death sentence what does that actually mean??? It means that the person sentenced gets to go to prison and exhaust every single appeal and every little detail that they can hang on to keep their ass breathing! All the while, the murder victim is DEAD...gone without any appeal they cant ask to come back! Children that are horribly abused and violated have to deal with the physical and emotional pain and scars left from those who attacked and violated them. Most of them so tormented that they end up taking their own lives while the predator pleas for his/hers and gets out of prison to do the same thing to another!! I am for the death penalty and Im proud of that! AT times I wish that I wasnt but nothing in me can be that forgiving. Now just so it doesnt look like Im just a pissed off sister that wants the blood of the woman that took my sister away. I will share something else. My best friend is on death row for the murder of his father. Yes he is still my very dearest friend!! Do I think he should die for that? Yes and No. Yes, because he took another life and never blinked an eye and he doesnt feel bad for it either. No, because he pushed that point! HE was abused and molested for the majority of his life! HE was taken out of his fathers home multiple times and sent back! His father was sentenced to 3 years in prison for child abuse when he was 12yrs old. His father was released from prison when he was almost 14, didnt even serve the full sentence. After being out 6 months and taking a few classes.....he was shoved right back in to his fathers home for the abuse and molestation to pick right back up. His father was investigated 5 times within the first year and he was removed from the home 2 of those times. Long story short that kept going on over and over until he was 16 and his father bought him a gun for his upcoming 17th birthday that was 2 days away! He waited till the sorry bastard went to sleep and put a bullet in his head. He is now on death row....because he took a life....he took a life because JUSTICE failed the VICTIM......He has to pay for what he done and that doesnt turn me against the death penalty....but that makes him a VICTIM X 2!