On January 19th of this year Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger allowed the
first death sentence to be served in three years, and the first under
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. That is almost copied straight from a
news site (because honestly if I hadn’t, there’s no way I’d have been
able to spell Arnie’s name!)

Anyway, I recently caught an ad for a movie on Court TV called The
Exonerated. It’s based on true stories of several people who spent
years on death row for crimes they didn’t commit. The original version
was a play which inspired my interest in the subject of the death
penalty. I specifically remember one guy who spent something like 20
years on death row before finally being cleared.

Now before someone jumps all over me: I’m not saying that the guy who
was just executed in California was innocent. But does anyone think
it’s acceptable that even one innocent person could be executed? I
think it’s about time this country joins the rest of the civilized
world and adopts a more humane approach. For those of you still on the
fence on this issue, I’d check out this movie, because if it’s anything
like the play the personal stories will astound you. I think it airs on
January 27 (but check courttv.com just in case I’m wrong). And if you
have thoughts on this issue, I’d like to hear them.

Fr_Chuck

I would say that if that was your wife, sister or brother or father that was killed while they were lying on the floor begging for thier life, you may feel completely different.

Often we see the killer in his suit or sitting on a chair in his prison outfit and you can feel sorry for them. But if you often look at the victims pictures, look at the pictures of thier kids who were left with out afather or mother because of these killers

And really why should we judge our legal system by those of other nations, we started our nation to be free of thier rule.
We have our rules and laws, decided by the people of this nation.

If any person needed the death penalty it was this killer who never said he was sorry, never showed any remorse. And actually continued to be dangerous while in prison attacking many other inmates.

He was not the kind changed man that the media wanted everyone to see.

poseidon

Hello tflon,

I am replying to your post from my own personal point of view only.

'Legal' executions are an extremely emotive issue and from those I have discussed the subject with, very few are 'fence sitters'. Most are definitely in favour or, against. However, I suppose I must consider myself somewhat of a fence sitter though.

The last execution in the UK took place on 13 Aug 1964. This I believe was the simultaneous double hanging of Peter Anthony Allen and John Robson Walby. The hangings took place at 8.00 am, at Walton Prison, Liverpool and Strangeways Prison, Manchester respectively.

Although I believe the methods which are and have been used in executions, hanging, gassing and lethal injection are barbaric, I do believe that someone who takes the life of another without justification deserves to have their lives taken as punishment. However I wish a better method of execution could be found. I feel, though very bloody, Madame Guillotine is the most effective method as death is instantaneous.

I believe the majority of people are against capital punishment, but I feel I must consider those who have to suffer after someone is brutally murdered. The child left motherless and/or fatherless, the parents of a murdered child. The list is legion. These people are also victims and will never be able to recover, replace or forget what has happened to their loved ones. It would be interesting to know what those people feel about capital punishment as they are the most affected. I feel sure that those who are opposed to the death penalty would charge their minds if they were affected by the murder of a loved one. I am equally convinced that some who are for capital punishment would change their minds also.

Before passing the death penalty those passing it must be sure that the perpetrator was mentally capable that he/she was aware of what he/she was doing at the time the crime was committed.

It is very sad that the human race is fallible and do make mistakes. This is very evident in the number of people who have been legally executed only to be found innocent later. I do believe that this is the exception rather than the rule. Having said that, one execution of an innocent person is one too many. This is why I say I am sitting on the fence, but if every person given the death sentence is guilty, I have no hesitation in saying "You knew the punishment you were facing and still committed the crime, therefore it is your responsibility".

With the tremendous and ongoing advances in forensic science it is becoming far more unlikely that an innocent person will be executed, but is still likely to occur.

When capital punishment was legal in the UK, anyone having the death penalty passed on them were executed very quickly, normally within a few weeks. In the US however it can and does take many years between sentencing and execution. With such a lengthy appeals procedure etc in the US, I consider there is more time for the innocence of a convicted murderer to be established. Also, in the UK it was not for the different counties or countries to decide whether they will use the death penalty, it is a national law and must be obeyed by the whole of the UK. Unlike the US where the different states decide.

I believe that there is much evidence that suggests that the threat of execution of anyone convicted of murder does nothing to cut down the numbers of murders that are committed.

The world is becoming lawless and I feel there is precious little regard for human life anymore. Those who commit murder often show no remorse or care about the lives they have destroyed or the misery or heartbreak they have created.

Well, thats my two penny/cents worth.

Poseidon

DJ 'H'

The death penalty is definately a thing of the past. I don't agree with America and they way they still enforce it. America should move with the times and take a different approach. It's so very wrong and innocent people who are wrongly convicted would still have a chance to prove their innocence and still have some sort of a life.

I watch a British programme based of a real life story. The story goes back a fair few years now. But a family was wrongly convicted of being terrorists. They were all sent down - even the children.

By the time a women lawyer had looked into the case and proved their innocence, which was as a result of a hidden file. The Police knew they had arrested the wrong family but did not want to go back on it - so hid the files away. But by the time this lawyer found them the farther was dead, the children now adults. They had lost the best part of their lives - but they still had a chance to live their remaining years. The farther innocence never got proven but the family fought as hard as they could to clear his name. If the death penalty had been in force, just think how wrong it would have been to kill all of those innocent people. It would have been near on murder!!!

tyieka

Looking back through the history of Capital punishment so many mistakes have been made, The last man to hang here in the United Kingdom was a man called Evans, He had been charged with the murder of his wife and child, twelve good people sat on the jury and proclaimed him guilty, He still proclaimed he was inocent of this crime right up to when the rope was put round his neck, even the priest said at the time he felt they had just hung an inocent man. It was after hanging was abolished that a man called christie who was arrested for other murders confessed to murdering Evans family.
People make mistakes but these are mistakes that can not be rectified at least those living 20 years on death row and found to be inocent have walked out to freedom the best they could offer Evans was to have his body exhumed from within the prison walls and properly bury him in a graveyard.
There should be some sort of capital punishment but I think it should only be used if they are 100% that in years to come new evidence will not be brought that proves the person was inocent.

DJ 'H'

I just rated you. I agree with you totally. they need to abolish the death penalty to allow the innocent a chance of a life.