Sometimes, I favor the death penalty

[CockySOB]

Damn right.

Yeah, but my definition of "life at hard labor" makes all the historical descriptions of slavery pale by comparison.

[diuretic]

Yeah, but my definition of "life at hard labor" makes all the historical descriptions of slavery pale by comparison.

I bet it's all been done before though

[SassyLady]

Life at hard labor.

good until some do-gooder liberal comes along and redefines "hard labor".


It's hard to redefine "death".

[diuretic]

good until some do-gooder liberal comes along and redefines "hard labor".


It's hard to redefine "death".

Damn hard to reverse it too.

[SassyLady]

Damn hard to reverse it too.

Yep!

I wonder how many people who have been put to death have been proven innocent after the fact, as opposed to how many guilty are still sitting on death row, or have been released? Seems to me like the numbers are far from equal.

[Gunny]

But when you see the number of innocent people who have been convicted of various crimes you understand why the death penalty is inherently unjust.

The death penalty is not inherently unjust. The inconsistent application of the death penalty is unjust.

[Gunny]

Damn hard to reverse it too.

I believe the death penalty is just punishment for 1st degree murder, and a few other equally heinious crimes.

Having said that, I also believe that no one should be convicted to death based solely on circumstantial evidence unless it is so overwhelming it leaves ZERO doubt of guilt.

[LiberalNation]

Yeah, but my definition of "life at hard labor" makes all the historical descriptions of slavery pale by comparison.

Good idea but would it pass the cruel and unusual smell test? I'm thinking probably not. Didn't the french have system like this with devils Island and whatnot.

[diuretic]

Yep!

I wonder how many people who have been put to death have been proven innocent after the fact, as opposed to how many guilty are still sitting on death row, or have been released? Seems to me like the numbers are far from equal.

Would you like to be the volunteer who is executed but innocent? That's my rather colourful way of saying, one innocent person executed is one too many.

[diuretic]

The death penalty is not inherently unjust. The inconsistent application of the death penalty is unjust.

You're right, I made an error in suggesting the death penalty was "inhertently unjust". That was sloppy. The death penalty is inherently unjust simply because of the possibility that an innocent person can be executed. That's better. I did need to explain my reasoning otherwise the statement just stands there without any backup.

[diuretic]

I believe the death penalty is just punishment for 1st degree murder, and a few other equally heinious crimes.

Having said that, I also believe that no one should be convicted to death based solely on circumstantial evidence unless it is so overwhelming it leaves ZERO doubt of guilt.

And that's why I oppose it. There is no way on this Earth that a proof at that level will be reached in a court of law. The whole trial process is just an exercise in probabilities.

[SassyLady]

Would you like to be the volunteer who is executed but innocent? That's my rather colourful way of saying, one innocent person executed is one too many.

Sure, I have no problem with being executed, if it means the timely application of the system overall so that a majority of those who are guilty are executed.

[lily]

And that's why I oppose it. There is no way on this Earth that a proof at that level will be reached in a court of law. The whole trial process is just an exercise in probabilities.

You would still oppose it if DNA proved without a shadow of a doubt that a person did it?