In 1968, an 18-year-old Jimmy Lee Gray strangled and cut the throat of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Elda Prince, then tossed her into a ditch. He was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years to life in Arizona, but was granted parole a mere six years later. He stayed clean for few years, but in 1976, he kidnapped, sodomized, and murdered three-year-old Deressa Seales. Lee was convicted in Mississippi and sentenced to death to become the first person executed in Mississippi after the death penalty was reinstated. However, if he had been given the death penalty beforehand, he would never have had the chance to murder the toddler. This story is not uncommon, around the world, many killers who are freed instead of executed go
“How the Death Penalty Saves Lives” According to DPIC (Death penalty information center), there are one thousand –four hundred thirty- eight executions in the United States since 1976. Currently, there are Two thousand –nine hundred –five inmates on death row, and the average length of time on death row is about fifteen years in the United States. The Capital punishment, which appears on the surface to the fitting conclusion to the life of a murder, in fact, a complicated issue that produces no clear resolution.; However, the article states it’s justice. In the article “How the Death Penalty Saves Lives” an author David B. Muhlhausen illustrates a story of Earl Ringo , Jr, brutal murder’s execution on September ,10,
“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle,” (John 19:17-18). Jesus Christ’s valiant life was terminated with a horrendous execution. Tom Robinson’s did as well. He lived his life in the name in the name of others, helping everyone that he could, going out of his way to save people, even Judas, who would betray him. Tom did this aswell, constantly assisting Mayella, she who would betray him in court. Jesus had followers who believed in his message, just as Tom had believers in his innocence. Jesus and his followers would face persecution, just as Tom and hisi believers would. The judgements and death sentences of Jesus and Tom would make them become martyrs. The Martyrdoms would be essential for their causes. Many aspects of Tom Robinson’s life and death
According to Oxford Living Dictionary the word “cult” is defined as a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or as imposing excessive control over members. Although, it might be more commonly known as Separatists, who are consumed by a certain belief, and the leader is someone who believes he or she is chosen by God or some other deity to lead those who are to follow him or her. In 1993 a standoff went viral, many lost their lives. Members and the leader of the Branch Davidians held their beliefs with them to death.
It was summertime when one of the bloodiest battles in United States history was fought. The year was 1863. The battle took place in Gettysburg, PA. July 1, 1863 was cloudy, a foreshadowing of what was to come. The northern Yankees and Southern Confederates were swiftly battling. The opposing sides were bitterly fighting over slavery. The conflict came to a climax on the fields of Gettysburg. Impressive Generals were at command for both sides. The North had Ulysses S. Grant, and the South had Robert E. Lee. One of Lee’s most trusted general’s was a 37 year old man named Ambrose Powell Hill. Perhaps Lee’s trust was misplaced in Hill. Ambrose Hill aspired to greatness, and hoped his performance at the Battle of Gettysburg would enhance his reputation as a general; however, Hill struggled to perform well.
Although the death penalty alone cannot bring back the life of those who have been murdered, it can serve as ultimate justice for the victims and their families. The deterrence of the death penalty can save lives. While opinions abound on both sides of the fence, in the use of the death penalty on juveniles, no one can argue with the fact that the voices of those murdered cannot be heard. Juveniles may not have fully developed brains, as Raeburn argues, but this is not an adequate excuse to dismiss the death penalty. American society cannot afford to babysit murderers, nor can they rehabilitate them. The end of the innocence begins when an innocent life is taken, and the sanctity of life is held defenseless.
In 1982, the state of Texas became the first jurisdiction in the world to carry out an execution by lethal injection. Leaving many in the US and around the world to voice their opinion of should the death penalty be a form of punishment for taking the life of someone. Individuals who are against the death penalty argue, that putting someone to death continues the cycle of senseless murdering. However, others who are for the death penalty argues that those who take a life should face the consequences of committing a murder. In the short story A Death in Texas, Steve Earle tells of the life, the murders committed and the execution of his friend Jonathan Noble on
In the Latin language, the word excelsior, translates to “ever upward.” This word is everywhere; from the New York State slogan to the movie Silver Linings Playbook. This word is also on the bedroom wall and dorm room of eighteen year old Jack Henderson. To him, excelsior means to always think positive and that there is always something greater happening.
In the early 1950’s, the number of executions sharply declined. Opponents of the death penalty claimed that it violated the Eighth Amendment, which forbids cruel and unusual punishment. Opponents also claimed the death penalty violated the Fourteenth Amendment, which states that all citizens are entitled to equal protection under the law. In early 1972, William Furman was convicted of burglary and murder. While Furman was burglarizing a home, a resident arrived at the scene. Startled, Furman tried to flee, but tripped and fell in the process. The gun Furman was carrying discharged, killing the resident in the process. Furman did not believe he deserved the death penalty. The constitutionality of capital punishment in this circumstance was considered in the supreme co...
Faced by recent protests and controversial events, memorials and monuments remembering Robert E. Lee and the Confederacy should be removed from public areas because they were not originally built to honor their roles in the army but rather to convey the message of white supremacy and continuing slavery, and into museums or archives, as well as because of the person Robert E. Lee was. Most of the statues were built in the early 1900’s, during a time of racial segregation and the implementation of the Jim Crow laws. It is no coincidence that most of these statues were built during this time, when whites felt and were indeed superior to blacks. The message was clear that they wanted to maintain white supremacy and subjugate blacks. Eric Zorn writes
Narration: The death penalty is irreversible, it cannot be undone. George Junius Stinney JR was executed in Columbia, South Carolina at the age of just 14…
The Death Penalty Should Be Enacted In Illinois Due to the recent releases of newly exonerated Death Row inmates, individuals and organizations are calling for a moratorium- a cooling off period for state executions. The cases of just a few inmates makes it apparent that this would be a necessary step to save innocent lives. After 17 years in prison, Illinois Death Row inmate Anthony Porter was released from jail after a judge threw out his murder conviction following the introduction of new evidence. This reversal of fortune came just two days before Porter was to be executed. As reported in USA Today, Porter's release was the result of investigative research as conducted by a Northwestern University professor and students. The evidence gathered suggested that Porter had been wrongly convicted. Were these new revelations and the subsequent release of Porter a lucky break or a freak occurrence? Not likely, reports DeWayne Wickham, also of USA Today. He points out that since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, of those sentenced to death, 490 people have been executed while 76 have been freed from Death Row. This calculates into one innocent person being released from Death Row for every six individuals that were executed. This figure correlates with the 1996 U.S. Department of Justice report that indicates that over a 7-year period, beginning in 1989, when DNA evidence in various cases was tested, 26% of primary suspects were exonerated. This has led some to conclude that a similar percentage of inmates presently serving time behind bars may have been wrongly convicted prior to the advent o...
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.
On April 29, a botched death penalty execution in Oklahoma shocked the nation. Clayton Lockett, a 38-year old man, convulsed, writhed, and groaned for an extended period of time as lethal injection was being administered. According to eyewitness accounts, Lockett died from a collapsed vein and a heart attack nearly an hour after the execution began. President Barack Obama even responded to this incident, describing it as “deeply troubling” and calling for a review of the death penalty’s application.
America is no stranger for juveniles being tried as adults. The first known case being in 1642; Thomas Granger, 16, who had sex with a mare, cow and some goats was hanged in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts.1 He was America's first documented execution of a child offender and the debut of the juvenile death penalty.1 The youngest girl to be executed was 12-year-old Hannah Ocuish who was hanged for killing a 6-year-old white child in 1786.1 Finally, James Echols, was the last execution in 1964 who was executed for rape two years later at the age of 19.1
For instance, the 1972 Furman V. Georgia case abolished the death penalty for four years on the grounds that capital punishment was extensive with racial inequalities (Latzer 21). Over twenty five years later, those inequalities are higher than ever. The statistics says that African Americans are twelve percent of the U.S. population, but are 43 percent of the prisoners on death row. Although blacks make up 50 percent of all murder victims, 83 percent of the victims in death penalty cases are white. Since 1976 only ten executions involved a white defendant who had killed a bl...