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Public opinion death penalty
Public opinion death penalty
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Why I changed my mind on the death penalty” (Summary and response 6 paragraphs) once believed in capital punishment. The thought of viscous or menacing crime desired capital penalty in his eyes. As he had taken the time to think about the reasons and possibilities of killing the wrong person he changed his mind. Is capital punishment ever acceptable? In Arkansas Christina Marie Riggs, a nurse and a single mother, killed her two children by giving them injections of potassium chloride and then smothering them with a pillow. In the eyes of the law she had already chose her fate. Christina Riggs was sentenced to death by lethal injection in the state of Texas. Was death what Christina wanted out of this? By sentencing her to capital punishment
The sound of the gavel arose in the courtroom. Ranch hands of Tyler barn was sitting behind Candy. "Because you murder a human, according to Penal Code 189 you are sentenced three years in jail and 500 dollar fine." ordered Judge.
prisoner with her entire family and was executed 8 months after her husband had been executed.
One of the controversial elements of the case was the use of “inhumane” methods. When using a consequentialist theory it’s important to endorse that the ends justify the means. It’s also important to have a gauge of how inhumane the actions, because if too inhumane, then the ends are not justified. In strict regards to utilitarianism the measure of this is the maximum amount of happiness, if the means cause unhappiness greater than what the ends produce then it is considered too inhumane. To apply this to the case, Cassandra was not too inhumanely treated in that the result of her death would cause much more unhappiness to a general public and immediate family than the failure to acquiesce to her will. This contradicts the non-consequentialist in that it is inhumane not by a gauge, but it’s intrinsic value. The utilitarian theory is better in this case because rather than giving arbitrary intrinsic value, an indicative gauge is given in order to weigh whether inhumanity was justified. Inhumane measures are necessary when the judgement of a minor is clouded by fear of poison to her body, especially when the alternative is greater than the poison. This leads to another point of utilitarianism’s strength in this case. Cassandra was so irrational that she could not see that not only was the treatment going to produce the most happiness for everyone, but also for her as an individual. This throws non-consequentialist in a paradoxical circle as a difficult question resounds from this. Is it intrinsically good to let her pursue her wants, and realistically suffer a much more painful, strenuous death or is it intrinsically good to do what leads to intrinsic
Arias and her lawyers told the judge that she was receiving threatening mail with death threats from inmates. By having the courtroom open to the public during her penalty phase, she didn’t feel like she could freely speak her mind about her actions that day. She would have to limit her testimony because of the deadly threats she was receiving from her future cellmates. Although the public believed Arias was innocent, the inmates thought she should be sentenced to death and the media only brought attention to her because of the sexual evidence that was brought up to court, Arias still partook a big role in society because no one agreed on whether she was innocent or guilty. It is argued that the reason she was not sentenced to death was because she was an attractive female. Her looks and gender played a major role because if it had been a guy the sentencing phase would have been settled in one trial and there would have been no need for a mistrial. The judicial system WAS originally made for men to treat men in the system. Society has made a turn and women are now being included in the judicial system but are given less severe punishment than the
On July 27, 2006, the New York Times published an article on the findings of the retrial of Andrea Yates and her not guilty due to insanity over the drowning deaths of her five children. (Woman Not Guilty, 2006). The court decided to commit her to a state mental hospital until medical experts decide she is not a threat to herself or anyone else. In 2002, an earlier jury rejected her claims she was psychotic and found her guilty. Yates alleged by murdering her children she actually saved them. (Woman Not Guilty, 2006). The appeals court overturned the decision because of “erroneous testimony from a prosecution witness.” (Woman Not Guilty, 2006). Yate’s lead lawyer, George Parnham, remarked that the verdict was a “watershed for mental illness and the criminal justice system.”(Woman Not Guilty, 2006). Yate’s first conviction promoted debate over whether Texas’ legal standard for mental illness was overly severe and whether the courts viewed postpartum depression with a serious viewpoint. Yate’s lawyer stated she suffered from severe postpartum psychosis and in a delusional mindset when she committed the murders. Yates drowned her children believing Satan lived inside her and believed murdering children saved them from hell. (Woman Not Guilty, 2006).
...ed United States. U.S. Government Accounting Office. Capital Punishment. Washington: GPO, 1994 Cheatwood, Derral and Keith Harries. The Geography of Execution: The Capital Punishment Quagmire in America. Rowman, 1996 NAACP Legal Defense Fund . Death Row. New York: Hein, 1996 "Ex-Death Row Inmate Cleared of Charges." USA Today 11 Mar. 1999: 2A "Fatal Flaws: Innocence and the Death Penalty." Amnesty International. 10 Oct. 1999 23 Oct. 1999 Gest, Ted. "House Without a Blue Print." US News and World Report 8 Jul. 1996: 41 Stevens, Michelle. "Unfairness in Life and Death." Chicago Sun-Times 7 Feb. 1999: 23A American Bar Association. The Task Ahead: Reconciling Justice with Politics. 1997 United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Report. Washington: GPO, 1994 Wickham, DeWayne. "Call for a Death Penalty Moratorium." USA Today 8 Feb. 1999: 17A ILKMURPHY
In any justice system that is flawed and allows bias in certain cases, the death penalty should not be used as a means of punishment because of its irrevocable nature. When I came across Sarah Hawkins’ article regarding the case of Karla Faye Tucker, I was surprised to see the manifestation
Recently on February 27, 2014, there has been evidence of a possible execution of an innocent man in Texas. Todd Willingham was convicted of setting his home on fire and murdering family members in 1991 and was executed in 2004. Jailhouse informant Johnny Webb, states in his testimony that this case, “was really based on a deal and misrepresentation …the system cannot be regulated... You cannot prevent the execution of an innocent person”. Willingham’s stepmother is “thrilled that all this has come to light… [and is] not asking for compensation” but for “justice” (Schwartz 1). Cases like these have caused mixed controversies when it comes to capital punishment.
The death penalty has been a part of the United States since the colonial era. From the 16th century till our current century, the death penalty has been an enforced capital punishment for those who commit capital crimes which may include: hanging, electrocution, gas inhalation, firing squad, and many more. The death penalty is a controversial issue in America because people disagree about whether or not it is a just punishment for capital crimes.
The death penalty is a punishment of execution given to someone who has legally been convicted of a horrible crime. In the United States, the death penalty has been one of the most hotly debated issues. Some people believe that the death penalty is not effective in reducing crime, costs a whole lot more than life in prison, and risks executions of innocent people. While others believe that the death penalty is a punishment that should be served to every human being who committed a serious crime.
Capital Punishment should be kept because it has been around for a long time and it takes the philosophy “a life for a life” which means that if a person kills another person, then they shall suffer the same faith. Novel guide states that “if someone commits a crime heinous and violent enough, that this is the only acceptable way to be punished”. Novel Guide also stated that most supporters of the death penalty feel that offenders should be punished for their crimes: also that it doesn’t matter if it deters the crime rate or not”. A lot of people feel this way about Capital Punishment. Another source, Robert Macy, who is District Attorney of Oklahoma City explained that “in 1991, there was a case of a young mother who had to watch her baby get executed by criminals”. He also stated that “the killer should not lie in some prison with three meals a day, clean sheets, cable TV, family visits, and other endless appeals. He ended this with a strong statement saying “some killers just need to die”.
Many people say that the death penalty is wrong and crucial. The death penalty is a discipline of death. I support the death penalty in many different ways. First of all, I think that if you kill someone you should be killed for the safety of others. Another reason I support the death penalty is because I don’t think going to jail for a crime is a punishment. Lastly, the death penalty honors God.
The use of capital punishment has been a forceful being throughout the history of the United States. In the very beginning of our country, the use of public executions was fairly prevalent. Over time public feeling towards the act of executions began to decrease as the concepts of basic human rights started to be created over the years. At one point in time the Supreme Court ruled that the use of the death penalty is illegal. Eventually the Supreme Court reversed its decision making, it legal for states to start reinstating the law, the use of the penalty is used in 31 states. There are several reasons the death penalty should be abolished. Firstly, the uses of the death penalty have long been held to be fundamentally unjust. This
I intend to focus on approving the change in the death penalty in a way where it is enforced, and for it could be more cost effective. One way the change will benefit society is that can allow families to sleep at night knowing they had justice. Having the absence of capital punishment is synonymous with the crime rate increase, we must put a stop to criminals who might strike again. There are instances where criminals (such and serial killers) have been sentenced to life imprisonment escape from captivity and wind up in society surrounded by hundreds of innocent people where they continue to commit their heinous crimes. Having this change would make it so that the crime rate is reduce, for example, capital crimes( rape, treason, murder, terrorism,
“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” is how the saying goes. Coined by the infamous Hammurabi’s Code around 1700 BC, this ancient expression has become the basis of a great political debate over the past several decades – the death penalty. While the conflict can be whittled down to a matter of morals, a more pragmatic approach shows defendable points that are far more evidence backed. Supporters of the death penalty advocate that it deters crime, provides closure, and is a just punishment for those who choose to take a human life. Those against the death penalty argue that execution is a betrayal of basic human rights, an ineffective crime deterrent, an economically wasteful option, and an outdated method. The debate has experienced varying levels of attention over the years, but has always kept in the eye of the public. While many still advocate for the continued use of capital punishment, the process is not the most cost effective, efficient, consistent, or up-to-date means of punishment that America could be using today.