Could you watch an execution?

[Soubriquet]

Watching a film and there’s an execution and of course there’s people sitting behind the glass watching and it made me think, could I watch it?

I don’t think I could. Even if they murdered someone I loved very much, I’m not sure I could sit there and watch someone else die.

But then others say it can bring a sense of closure to them.

What about you?

No it's a barbaric practice,I would rather they served a whole tariff sentence.

No I don't think I would attend even if were punishment for a loved one of mine.

I can't even watch an operation on TV, so I doubt it!
ETA: I'm so sorry, for some reason I thought you meant an olden-times execution with a guillotine or something rather than a present day one.

I’ve never understood why people are allowed to watch them

No, and I am willing to bet that most of the pro DP mob on here would struggle with it too. It’s an ugly process.

Yes of course

Honestly - Yes, if they’d hurt someone I loved.

In fact I think I’d be willing and able to push the button/flick the switch or whatever is needed.

I remember a study from years back where they talked to the family members of murder victims after watching the executions of the murderers and they also talked to revenge killers, who killed the person who murdered their family member themselves.
It showed that when the state carries out the killing for you, you actually don’t get a full sense of justice but the revenge killers, despite being imprisoned for it, felt a sense of real righteous justice and relief. They felt like the murdered got what they deserved.

Based on that, I wouldn’t go watch. You’re likely not even going to feel that justice was really done because you didn’t do it yourself, and you have to deal with the trauma of watching this weirdly sterile situation which is actually a murder booth.

Large crowds used to go and watch hangings and beheadings hundreds of years ago.

Same

I don’t believe in the death penalty - except off course if it is someone close to me - my kids, or family- and then I would hammer the nails in myself. Happily.

Hundreds of year ago? The last public execution in Europe that I can think of was only in 1939, in France with the guillotine and there was a hefty crowd. People would have kept going en masse if executions remained public. Apparently the crowd at that one behaved in such an unruly way that France decided to do them privately until the 70s when they stopped.
I’m sure they’re are still public executions in other countries but I don’t know about those so wouldn’t want to guess!

No. It is barbaric and I don't fancy ptsd. The world is horrible enough. Don't need to add trauma.

I could if it were lethal injection or something similar, not for eg a hanging or something more brutal.

Me not. But neighbour across the road used to travel regularly to KSA. The office he used go to overlooks ‘chop chop’ square. The Saudi’s all used to look.

No not in the present day but I probably would have done it in olden times.

No. I’m a retired nurse and I have seen many many people die so death does not faze me, but I couldn’t watch someone be killed.

I would like to think we have moved on a bit since the days of the knitting hags at the guillotine.

Lethal injection is no less brutal in many cases.

I read an article recently about said method it really is a brutal process.
Forget about someone being injected and quietly slipping away it doesn't happen like that.
Also pharmaceutical companies don't want to supply because of potential backlash.

Executions are still public events in some countries. I worked in a college in China and half the PE department were taken to watch a public execution. I was told it was because their behaviour was so bad.

In the US, in states with the death penalty, certain designated officials have to attend. They are there are legal witnesses to be able to say on record that the execution took place.

I don’t think I could.

Absolutely not.

I would rather someone who hurt my loved one serve a long long sentence than die.

I hate the concept and it doesn’t sit well with me.

Even thinking of something cut and dried like someone like James Holmes who undoubtedly was responsible.. what’s the benefit of killing him vs him suffering for years?

No, I don’t think so. But I’m against the death penalty and grew up in a country where it’s illegal and certainly not seen as the norm. I guess if you’ve been brought up in a culture/ country where it’s a normal punishment maybe it doesn’t seem so barbaric.

Not quite the same but the thought of an open casket funeral is awful to me, I can’t imagine why anybody would want to show off a dead relative, but of course they’re quite normal in some countries and cultures. I guess our stomach for some things is very much determined by the culture we live in.