Death sentences

[usernamechanged1]

Saw on another thread a couple of “he should hang” type comments in respect to a man who has been convicted of murder. The victim was 9 (Olivia Pratt-Korbel).

I expect it’ll be a resounding no, but does anyone genuinely feel that there should be a death option for certain crimes?

Or are these throwaway comments people tend to make in response to particularly shocking/heinous crimes?

It isn't just flicking the switch though and it isn't just the executioner who is affected. Diana Dors starred in a brilliant film called Yield to the Night. It was very topical at the time as it bore similarities to the Ruth Ellis case although it was written before her case. It showed the prison guards with Diana Dors in the build up to the execution and I can't believe it doesn't harm everyone involved. The real women who worked with Ruth Ellis inthe build up to her death can't have been untouched by the experience.

If people don't believe how it can harm everyone involved this piece about Ruth Ellis's son (who committed suicide) from Wikipedia is interesting The trial judge, Sir Cecil Havers, had sent money every year for Andy's upkeep, and Christmas Humphreys, the prosecution counsel at Ruth's trial, paid for his funeral. Doesn't sound like the judge and prosecutor felt good about the outcome.

Imagine a ten year old boy (whose father was not involved in his life) knowing that his mother had been killed in cold blood. If you are happy to throw the switch how about sitting down with that little boy and telling him what you did. Still feel good about it?

Her daughter was 3 when her mother was executed, her father committed suicide 3 years later and she went into foster care.

I wonder what the outcome would have been if a "respectable" woman had been abused by men, suffered a miscarriage when the man she killed punched her in the stomach and had killed him. I think it might have been more compassionate.

Little wonder that the Ruth Ellis case is believed to have led to the end of the death penalty in the UK.

The death penalty also does nothing to deter criminals - look at America.

The death penalty has lots of issues but it's sole purpose isn't just as a deterrent. Nothing really deters crime, it will always happen.

US is a wild place where people can just carry guns around and there's all kinds of craziness. A shootout with police would be national news here but it's not over there. They have deep problems

True though that most death countries have issues

legal representation is much better these days

This prison currently holds innocent people who have been arrested without a warrant and denied access to a lawyer

A lot of them havent even been charged or had a trial.

This should not be what we are aiming for

In theory it sounds like a great idea IMO but as we see in the US it's not that simple unfortunately.

You can not be an EU member state and have capital punishment...oh wait.

I support death penalty. Thomas Hughes/Emma Tustin, Wayne Couzens etc

I also would like extremely long sentences for paedophiles,drunk drivers & animal abusers.

I'm with Tolkein on this one.

Many that live deserve death. And many that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.

Good luck to the guards who have to control that bunch of people with no hope of redemption - I think they'll need it!

No, I don't agree with execution as a form of punishment.

Who would the executioner be?

Anyone who enjoys slaughtering/torturing animals there would be many willing to perform the function.

In reality it would likely be performed by other trained prisoners, like it is in the U.S.

Bulgers killers for example - I imagine most people would quite happily administer a lethal injection.

I will never support the death penalty. Life without any means of parole and in solitary confinement is the way it should go.

Too much flippancy here....

Try working with these prisoners....AND their families

Try managing them and having that as your workplace.

In reality it would likely be performed by other trained prisoners, like it is in the U.S.

It's certainly not done by prisoners, it's done by guards and with lethal injection, the help of doctors, who are happy to violate the Hippocratic Oath.

^Bulgers killers for example - I imagine most people would quite happily administer a lethal injection.

Even the Saudis don't execute ten year old boys, even if they are horrible little psychopaths.

@echt I don't think people could actually do it, it's just a human reaction to say things like that - like a protective parents thing. I don't think many people could actually kill.

If you support the death penalty either you believe the justice system never makes mistakes (which historically has not been the case) or you are happy with the state killing innocent people

@Londonnight

I agree. Death penalty is too easy.

Essay questions, On the flip side, why let out criminals to then re offend ,if they then go on to murder, would the state be quilty of manslaughter ?

Essay questions,

How facile and flippant.

We're talking about the state locking up and killing its citizens. I cannot imagine many worse things that awaiting death in a prison while knowing I was innocent.

That's why I phrased it as an Essay question rather than a direct statement because then the answer is in academic research.

Plus what about the state protecting its citizens from killers ?

I believe that only God can give life and only God should take it away.

I was in favour of the death penalty eg for people like the Wests but then you can see that even though her husband Jung himself Rose isn’t happy being locked up so I suppose that is good.

To be honest what you could do is imprison them for ages (years) and then death penalty, like a two pronged sentence.

If people were executed it’d have to be “beyond all reasonable doubt” as in the case of Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s murderer. If there was doubt then they should simply be imprisoned.

Then life should mean just that. You die in there. You don’t walking out the front door of a prison after 8 years. That’s a miscarriage of justice.