[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by dougjb

Only barbarians seek the death penalty. It is a punishment that has been banned almost universally by the civilized countries of the world. That includes all of Western Europe and almost every 1st world country. Who still has it..besides some of the states of the US...Iran...Saudi Arabia...China... Are those the countries you wish to be associated with?

One commentator here says that a conviction based upon an eye witness account should be enough to execute the person. Yet, studies after studies have concluded that eye witness testimony is among the most unreliable "proof" that exists. In the excitement of the moment, people swear to things that simply did not occur!

As for lawyers making lots of money out of this, that argument is specious. Those states that have capital punishment attorneys (i.e. lawyers paid by the state) for appeals, these lawyers are among the worst paid. Most of the appellate attorneys work pro bono for large firms that wish to make sure that the accused has gotten a fair trial before allowing society to put a person to death! As for trial attorneys representing accused murderers, they are often unqualified (e.g. they have never handled a capital murder case before), incompetent (drunk) and even in the best of circumstances, underfunded. Nothing can match the investigatory powers of the state. They have unlimited funds, resources and manpower. Capital murder atttorneys, in some instances, may get less than $1000 to represent an accused murdered...out of which that attorney must conduct an investigation.

Before blaming the attorney or the court system, please keep in mind that putting a person to death is a BIG thing. For those of you that seek prison justice, please be aware justice is meeted out by our judicial system not by the barbaric pecking order that is in effect in many prisons.

Well then -- I guess I'm a barbarian! I resent the fact that he has been given four life sentences. I resent the fact that Americans have to pay for those like him to eat, watch TV, have a library and game room, exercise room, etc, etc., etc. I totally resent the fact that he has been given a chance to live, regardless of what horrific issues he will face while in prison.

I am a believer in a life for a life. For those who are given life sentences with no hope of parole they should be used for medical science and testing and save the beagles, monkeys, rabbits, etc., from further torture in laboratories. A televised public hanging could also work for others who might be thinking of committing a fatal crime, OR . . . what about the old guillotine beheading technique being held on a raised platform so everyone could see???

Yeah. I thought you would agree!