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The Way Capital Punishment is Presented in Dead Man Walking and Let Him Have It Introduction For our GCSE Coursework we have been watching two films, "Dead Man Walking" and "Let Him Have It". They were both based on true stories. 'Dead Man Walking' was about a man called Matthew Poncelet who supposedly raped and killed a girl. After six years had gone by, he was given the death penalty by lethal injection. 'Let Him Have It' was about a young man, Derek Bentley, who has mental disabilities and suffers from epilepsy. After spending years at home, he goes out and gets dragged into the antics of a sixteen year old Christopher Craig. After the murder of a police officer, Derek gets to death by hanging. I feel that both Matthew Poncelet and Derek Bentley are in the same, sad situation. Matthew has committed a murder and is given the death penalty, where as Derek, although did receive the death penalty, his case was different because it seemed that all of his life was bad luck due to his mental disabilities. Section 1 At the start of the film, Poncelet acted as if he shouldn't be messed with in prison using a tough voice. During the film, Sister Prejean was trying to help Poncelet hoping that if he pleads for forgiveness, then he might be released from Death Row. During this time, you could tell and see the different types of emotions that Poncelet had inside him. When he was sitting with Sister Prejean you could see his soft side, caring and thoughtful. But when he was by himself you saw the side of him that was, a monster, no shame, nor remorse and self-centred. The music used in this film is harsh, no -western music and discordant, it also clashes making the audience feel uncomfortable. The most effective times this style of music was used was in the occasional scene of Sister Prejean thinking by herself about what she should prey for, this symbolizes how uncomfortable she is. I think that the actor who played the part of Poncelet (Sean Penn) was
There are arguments that are for the death penalty and those against it. One of the
Dead Man Walking is a great book that deals with one of our nations most controversial issues: capital punishment. The books narrator, Sister Helen Prejean, discusses her personal views on capital punishment. She was a spiritual advisor and friend to two death row inmates; Elmo Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie. From her experiences, she developed views on the death penalty. She believed it was morally wrong and spoke openly about it. Sister Helen successfully defends her views on capital punishment while stating that capital punishment should be illegal. Her experiences have taught her that although these criminals were dangerous and deadly, and that their crimes were inexcusable, a death sentence should not be the answer.
In the book “Dead Man Walking”, written by Sister Helen Prejean, is about the un-justifying laws of the death penalty. It features Patrick Sonnier, a criminal, who is sentenced to death because of the crime he has committed. The death penalty had been around for years and is arguable on the subject if it should be abolished or not. I stand with Prejean on her beliefs about how the death penalty is evil and unjust. For the purpose of this essay, I have chosen a poster which represents my thoughts and beliefs on what I feel strongly about the death penalty.
about the death penalty are brought about in different ways in the film and in
It is the firm belief and position here that committing such a crime as murder is punishable by death. Americans should take a position for anyone on death row, to be executed sooner rather than later.
The thing that stands out the most about “Dead Man Walking” is the story. The film is about the death penalty, and the tragic events that lead to it. The story follows Poncelot, a convicted killer, and Helen, a nun, who meet during Poncelot’s death row period, and they both change each other. Poncelot is accused of killing a young couple, and is placed on death row. He writes to Sister Helen, who agrees to come to the prison and visit him. Poncelot immediately says he did not commit the crime, and Helen believes the prisoner. Helen gets Poncelot an attorney, but the attorney fails and Poncelot is sure to be executed by the government. The film does not state a clear bias for the death penalty, but it gives the viewer the chance to decide if capital punishment is right or wrong. At the beginning of the film, the viewer is lead to believe that maybe Poncelot did not actually commit the crime, so someone might believe that his execution would be unfair. During the course of the film, the viewer sees the affects of the victim’s family and the community reactions, and whoever is watching probably feels that whoever actually committed the crime should definitely be punished as harshly as possible. When Poncelot tells Helen that he did indeed commit the crime, the viewer’s feelings about him receiving the death penalty probably change again, but there is so much emotion going on in the scene that one can not help but feel sorry.
Is the death penalty fair? Is it humane? Does it deter crime? The answers to these questions vary depending on who answers them. The issue of capital punishment raises many debates. These same questions troubled Americans just as much in the day of the Salem witch trials as now in the say of Timothy McVeigh. During the time of the Salem witchcraft trials they had the same problem as present society faces. Twenty innocent people had been sentenced to death. It was too late to reverse the decision and the jurors admitted to their mistake. The execution of innocent people is still a major concern for American citizens today.
...hould need to know more. The argument of justice is so strong and decisive that this one argument is enough to introduce the death penalty (Anderson 26).” The movie Dead Man Walking portrays the life of a man living on death row. However, I disagree with some of the concepts the movie presents. I believe that the death penalty has great advantages in which the movie disagrees with. All in all the death penalty eliminates the harmful people in our world and saves the innocent.
In America, we no longer feel that crime should go without harsh punishment. Tim Robbins’ film, “Dead Man Walking” is a movie about a man named Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) who is on death row, and the different things he goes through as he counts down his final days until execution. The movie is based on a true story. Through the movie, I was able to see the different the steps that a death row inmate goes through leading up to execution. I cannot really say that the movie was pro or anti death penalty because I think it covered both sides well. In “Dead Man Walking” the justice system was right, and they executed the right man. However, in reality our system isn’t always right and sometimes mistakes are made. Although I don’t think that capital punishment is the perfect solution to our crime problem, I do think that it is necessary. I support the death penalty because it saves our government money, I believe it’s what our founding fathers wanted, it prevents murderers from killing again, and because of it’s deterrent effects.
Does taking another’s life actually avenge that of another? The disciplinary act of capital punishment, punishment through death, has been a major debate in the United States for years. Those in support of capital punishment believe that it is an end to the reoccurrence of a repeat murderer. The public has, for many years, been in favor of this few and pro-death penalty. Yet as time goes on, records show a decrease in the public and the state’s support of the continuation of capital punishment. Those against capital punishment believe it is an immoral, spends taxpayers’ money improperly, and does not enforce a way to rehabilitate criminals and/or warn off future crimes.
One of the major problems many have with capital punishment is the cost. Death penalty trials are very complicated with many important parts, and as a result the death penalty is extremely expensive. Studies have shown that a “death-penalty trial costs $1 million more than one in which prosecutors seek life without parole (Barnes 1 of 2).” Duke University studied North Carolina’s death penalty and found that the state spent more, $2.1 million dollars more, on a death penalty case than a case seeking a life sentence (Barnes 1 of 2). Between 1995 and 2004, New York spent over $170 million dollars without executing a single prisoner (Costs 3 of 5). Death row prisoners are deemed dangerous to society and other prisoners, and so they are classified as maximum custody. This means that they are kept in a cell by themselves. Keeping prisoners on death row costs $90,000 more per year than regular confinement due to single cell housing and the extra guards that are needed in those prisons (Barnes 2 of 2). Security for the death row inmates is greatly increased which adds about 100,000 dollars to the cost of incarcerating each death row prisoner (Williams 1 of 2). California’s 714 capital prisoners cost $184 million more per year than those sentenced to life without parole. Capital crime cases have many aspects which increases the cost. Qualified lawyers are needed to work on these cases, and due to the limited amount of capable attorneys, the prisoners are forced to wait to have an attorney assigned to their case (Williams 2 of 2). These special state appointed attorneys cost the state up to $300,000 to represent each death row inmate on appeal (Williams 1 of 2). The long wait drives up the cost of the case along with the increase of time ...
Everyone has an opinion on capital punishment and the death penalty. However, most people never have to think about the person being executed or the circumstances that put them on death row. The movie Dead Man Walking allows the average person to peek into this often hidden world. Although, I can say my view on the death penalty has not been altered, I cannot say that this movie and its presentation of capital punishment did not move me emotionally.
The death penalty is a punishment of execution, administered to someone legally for committing a capital crime. There are many ways in which someone can receive the punishment, such as, lethal injections, hanging, the electric chair, firing squad, beheading, and crucifixion. Some methods are more common than others. Many people have debated whether or not there should be a death penalty for criminals. Some believe that if there is a death penalty, then there will be less murders, rapes and other horrible crimes. People also say that the death penalty will decrease overcrowding in prisons. Others believe that there shouldn’t be a death penalty because they think people should have the right whether or not to live or die. In some cases, innocent people have been falsely convicted and then sentenced the death penalty. In Truman Capote’s novel, In Cold Blood, both Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith were sentenced to death by hanging for the murders of the Clutter family. Perry
Americans have argued over the death penalty since the early days of our country. In the United States only 38 states have capital punishment statutes. As of year ended in 1999, in Texas, the state had executed 496 prisoners since 1930. The laws in the United States have change drastically in regards to capital punishment. An example of this would be the years from 1968 to 1977 due to the nearly 10 year moratorium. During those years, the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment violated the Eight Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. However, this ended in 1976, when the Supreme Court reversed the ruling. They stated that the punishment of sentencing one to death does not perpetually infringe the Constitution. Richard Nixon said, “Contrary to the views of some social theorists, I am convinced that the death penalty can be an effective deterrent against specific crimes.”1 Whether the case be morally, monetarily, or just pure disagreement, citizens have argued the benefits of capital punishment. While we may all want murders off the street, the problem we come to face is that is capital punishment being used for vengeance or as a deterrent.
The Ethics of Capital Punishment Ethics is "the study of standards of right and wrong. " philosophy dealing with moral conduct, duty and judgement. ' [1] Capital Punishment is the death penalty for a crime. The word "capital" in "capital punishment" refers to a person's head as in the past. people were often executed by severing their heads from their bodies.