This week ive been hearing on the news that the first of the "Texas 7" are to be executed. (Google "Texas 7" if you dont know what I am talking about) They were found guilty of assaulting and killing an officer outside of a store that they were currently robbing. As a matter of fact, I think one of the 7 has already been executed. So my question to you, is capital punishment (execution) justice or murder?

As for my opinion, I think that capital punishment or sentencing a person to death is WRONG. We or those who sentence people to death because of a crime they have been found guilty of, are no better than the criminal being sentenced to death for murdering a person. I can understand that the family members of the officer who was killed were/are angry and emotionally hurt but, we do not have the right to end a persons life, ESPECIALLY when we are actually sitting in the same room, watching the criminal slowing losing his life. What I cant wrap my mind around is that because a police officer gets murdered, 7 people have to die. People get murdered everyday and the murderers are still breathing and sleeping in jail but, when a police officer gets murdered, people start getting injected with lethal chemicals. So an officers life is more valuable than a normal citizens life?! The officer was at a higher risk to lose his life because of the profession he/she CHOSE. I consider those who have the power to send people to get executed are murderers too. I believe the worst punishment we can give a criminal is life in prison and/or solitaire for life. What do you think?

Perhaps solitary confinement would be feasible for those guilty of truly horrendous diseases ... but here we have people protesting that that is 'inhumane'. Perhaps so, but how they slaughtered children, etc was surely inhumane as well? We put down 'rapid dogs' - somehow I can't help but think there are humans just as 'rabid' as the 4 legged-critters.

Although I don't agree with the Execution of these People which is a bit extreme, they don't deserve to be treated equally either and as such should be put in Prison for Life in my Opnion.

I see no excuse at all for the Murder of anyone, it's an absolute disgrace if anyone does that and People like that deserve everything that is coming to them apart from being Executed because doing that just lowers us to their level.

I honestly do see what you are saying ... but can't help but think that putting down a rabid human is not much worse than putting down a rabid animal.

I say this because 'rabid' things are, and always will be, a danger to everyone around them ... and since solitary confinement seems to be too 'cruel' in our justice system, keeping these scary 2 legged creatures warm and fed and entertained 'forever' seems too good. Know this must sound cruel but while I once felt just like you do, woodyblade, I'm sadly too old now to think that evil can't walk on two legs.

I honestly do see what you are saying ... but can't help but think that putting down a rabid human is not much worse than putting down a rabid animal.

I say this because 'rabid' things are, and always will be, a danger to everyone around them ... and since solitary confinement seems to be too 'cruel' in our justice system, keeping these scary 2 legged creatures warm and fed and entertained 'forever' seems too good. Know this must sound cruel but while I once felt just like you do, woodyblade, I'm sadly too old now to think that evil can't walk on two legs.

I used to be for Capital Punishment, until they started doing Lethal Injections. Now I'm for Life in Prison with no chance of ever getting out.

In my opinion, if someone knew they were going to die, then Lethal Injection is the way to go. Maybe that's why there's so much crime!

Hard Labor & Bread and Water for these low-lifes.

Poppy

If I'm Reading Your Post Right You Think They Should Be Executed?

I still don't think it is right to do that, Life In Prison is enough for them taking their Freedom away and as Poppy said Hard Labor as well but obviously they would have to eat more than Bread, Water would suffice.

Only in the most extreme cases would I think it is right, e.g. Cruel Leaders in terms of Saddam Hussein.

Yes, I'm afraid you are reading it right - I am now for 'Capital Punishment' in select cases.

But also agree with Poppy that 'lethal injection' may not be the way the condemned should die. I used to think many of the old traditions were truly awful (and they still are - gentle smile) but surely having one's head lopped off or hanging is at least instant versus the lethal injection or dod forbid electrocution.

I'm sure that prison is not 'fun' - but then again, it's not meant to be. Bread and water with solitary confinement added to 'hard labour' seems to be beyond our well-intended 'do gooders' sadly. Gotta wonder though ... if it was their mother, father, child that died a horrific death with the killer showing no remorse, would they feel the same way.

And people like Saddam Hussein deserve to die - as does one who rapes and murders children. In my opinion - gentle smile.

p.s. Our 'life sentence' here in Canada is far from 'rest of natural life', sadly.

Oh well I suppose it's your Opinion, I have to Respect that although it isn't to my taste.

Same here our Justice System is way too Soft, I think both ours are basically the same. They call the UK Life Sentence 25 years, eh whats that about that isn't a Life Sentence.

The US in my Opinion has got it Spot on with Jail Sentences apart from ways of Executing, although as I said only in Extreme Cases would I want to see someone be "Put Down" in your words.

It sometimes depends on the Case and how much Hatred you could feel towards someone, but in the terms of the Family of the Officer I really wouldn't know and most likely shouldn't comment.

We have not the power to give life, so we should not take it.


but even if you do believe that the death penalty is ok, i hope that most people realize that it is in need of a massive overhaul. it does not take more than a google search to realize that, in the usa, we have wrongfully executed prisoners, only to find out they were innocent after it was too late. can you live with that? not me. it amazes me how that is just brushed off, like murder by jury is not murder. only in the united states will life be paused for presidential sex scandals, but not unjust and undo punishment


i realize some feel very strongly about this, especially those backwoods wanna be their own country texans, but, if we are going to execute people, can we at least make sure they are guilty? and don't respond with something like,"thats the idea," or ,"thats what we try to do." because we obviously are not trying hard enough

Yes, I think that has been the program thoughout the ages - innocents die.

For myself, as I said above, it's 'select' cases where the death penalty can apply - and sadly we have people who are both caught in the act and feel absolutely no remorse.

The justice system itself, although obviously part of whether a death penalty is given or even if someone is judged 'innocent' or not, it alone is a bit frightening - and I'm the first to admit it. While I could be wrong, it often seems that those with fame or fortune stand a far, far better chance of 'getting off' than those with limited resources. (Yes, I'm thinking of a certain person in the States who, although found 'not guilty' seems to have been set free from a number of administrative errors, rather than true innocence itself perhaps).

I am definitely against it in all cases.

I believe killing someone for a crime they have committed is way too extreme. Life Imprisonment with Rehabilitation classes is the way to go.

I also believe they should have the right to appeal for release every 5 or so years.

Take this example, a 22 year old killed a man which is of course the worst form of crime, he is after all 22, maybe his background was poor so he had nothing to live for, maybe his background was good but lacked discipline. Anyways I believe, if found undeniably guilty then Life Imprisonment is in order but when he is 27 I believe he would be rehabilitated and the chance of a reoffence would be very low.

Whereas say he was put to death, he would never be given a second chance, he would die in pride of what he has done or die a martyr (like terrorists) giving them what they want. If say he was aware of the damage he had done to the people related to the man he killed, how he had ruined there lives forever, maybe then he would change.

If he is never given the chance, we would never know.

many murder out of passion of the moment, or are sociopaths that care about nothing except themselves. these people cannot be rehabilitated and released back into the public population, its just not fair for the rest of us who care about others and restrain ourselves.

when i was a child, i hit someone out of anger. it hasnt happened again. i still feel bad about it, and ask myself, " how could i do that?" but i could not imagine killing someone. anyone who does this in a calculating manner should not be released, ever.

Hi

I'm going to sit on the fence with this one. Having said that, I think that if prison is to be the ultimate punishment for any crime, then it has to a whole lot tougher than it is here in the UK.
With some of the facilities that modern prisons have, life can be more comfortable for the perpitrator than the victim.
Prisoners should have to earn the nicer things in life like the rest of us. Prison is, after all, supposed to be a form of punishment rather than a holiday camp.

I agree with you totally our Justice System is way too Lenient and they get too much stuff given to them. They should be way Harsher but I really doubt it will happen.

Yes, sadly our society often focuses more on the 'poor' attacker than his dead victim and they family.

Millions of people have horrible childhoods - so personally I can't accept blaming a lousy childhood on the reason these sickies kill and then often feel no remorse whatsoever. We, each of us, have the ability to control our own emotions or let our emotions control us. It's a choice.

And as cruel as this may sound, while not all that petition the Courts to make sentences light or prisons nicer are what I think of as 'do gooders', some surely are. I've said it before but if it was their child that was raped, tortured and finally slaughtered ... would they stand outside the courtrooms/prison waving placards and saying, "Oh dear, poor man must have had a lousy childhood". Hmmm.

Slightly aside perhaps ... but a few years ago we watched a tv news cast where some nasty kids had killed a donkey. And hundreds turned out to protest this cruelty to an animal. Do we turn out in the same number (or at all) when a little child is slaughtered? Perhaps this in itself says something about our society - and gives me the shudders. Gentle sigh.

I don't believe in lethal injection or execution for ANY crime. You kill criminals to show people that killing other people is wrong. To me, that doesn't make sense. I believe in the idea of life in prison without the possibly of parole.

yes, it would be better to lok the horrible criminals in a 10x10 cell and letting them know ,"you r never coming out." but somehow a bunch of people think that is inhumane. so they just kill them instead. what geniuses

How about some critical thinking on this issue? It is way more costly to give someone the death penalty as the appeals are paid for by the taxpayer. The better deal is life in prison.

As for what sort of treatment prisoners in general should get: Yes, yes, I understand these are 'bad' people as compared to non-prisoners in our society. And this gets emotions going, because we want fair, after all, eh?

Fair does not exist in nature or science. It is an emotional construct. Decisions such as these should be based on facts, not feelings. So, the sad fact is that the worse we treat prisoners the worse society fairs in general. One day many of them will be released, in worse shape than when they started. And don't forget that innocent people are executed also. Perhaps it's inevitable the broad net of justice will catch some feckless strays. If one accepts that idea, then one is inconsistent when one says the following:
"I am not doing anything wrong, so I don't have to fear 'justice'."