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?

How that leaves a sense of peace is beyond me.

I’m a nurse so have been with a lot of people when they died, but no, I couldn’t watch an execution and am against the death penalty.

I had therapy because there is a video of a friend online being murdered by terrorists on the internet, I’ve never seen it and never will, but I’ve never slept the same since, I imagine I’d make an exception for the people who did that.

And me

I'm strongly against the death penalty so probably not...but, hard to say as I've never been in that position. I've heard of victims' families bringing notes to show the person being executed saying they forgive them and things. It doesn't all have to be people getting some sort of kick out of watching them die or whatever, which I would find totally barbaric.

Also, if it was someone I really loved being executed I think I might prefer to be there so they saw a friendly face. Depending on the crime obviously, as some things would be difficult to reconcile myself with even if they were being executed.

That horrible case where a very mentally unwell woman was executed for a really awful crime, but her history was just so sad. If she was my sister for example, I'd have wanted to be there for her, even though the crime she committed was absolutely terrible.

Phone posted twice by accident

I used to work in an old prison . The thought of knowing you were doing your job and someone was being hung nearby must have been awful , I'm not sure I could have done it .
I was walking with a senior officer once and he pointed out to me the area where they were buried , I don't know if it was true , but he said they were buried face down in a lime pit , no headstones and the family had to buy the body if they wanted them buried elsewhere .

A hanging (done properly with a proper hangman who knows his baths and physics) is far far less brutal than the lethal injection being used in the states.

It will only be up to the victims’ families.

Was that in response to my post?

Yes, but I come from a country where they still have the death penalty in some areas, and they do sometimes have the prisoners' family members there too.

The question was "could I watch it", my response was that not usually, but I may prefer to if it was a loved one being executed, depending on the circumstances. I made no comment on whether or not I would expect to be allowed to. All totally hypothetical anyway and I hope I never know anyone who is executed or is the victim of a crime where the death penalty is an option.

The people prosecuting Luca Mangione are hoping for the death penalty (as sick as that is). If I was LM's mother or sibling, I'd prefer to be there. I'd hope the family of the man he shot would allow it too, but who can say?

I wouldn’t watch it as a viewer, I can’t say with certainty I wouldn’t want to be there with someone close to me. In Irish culture it’s quite important to be with someone at the time of their passing. I have been beside 3 people while they passed away and found it quite comforting.

No i couldn't watch it.

“Happily” watching someone being sentenced to death out of glee or vindication and finding happiness in it suggests you have the same mental abnormality to the killer you’re watching.

If someone killed my child? I’d go with a bag of popcorn.

Are you OP? Did I quote you unknowingly?

No, you didn't quote anyone and it wasn't clear who you were responding to. As my post was just above yours I wondered if you were responding to me 🤷‍♀️

I would rather someone who deliberately hurt my loved ones were locked up for life but that doesn't tend to happen so a death sentence would be preferable. I could watch it, I think it depends on the circumstances and see how some can get closure, eg knowing their attacker will never be "free" again and they can stop looking over their shoulder.

“Happily” watching someone being sentenced to death out of glee or vindication and finding happiness in it suggests you have the same mental abnormality to the killer you’re watching.

I don't think it's true

No, because I'm not a psychopath.

@lunar1 I'm sorry, that's awful. I
don't understand why people upload that stuff.

Thanks! I thought I somehow quoted you without knowing. No, I was answering to OP.

I think only the victims’ families get to decide whether they should want to watch or not. Without actually experiencing the tragedies of loved ones being murdered by other human beings, it is impossible to understand. When one cannot understand, it often leads to prejudice and misperceptions.

I think the OP is talking about just watching some random person be executed.

I wouldn't watch that

Without actually experiencing the tragedies of loved ones being murdered by other human beings, it is impossible to understand. When one cannot understand, it often leads to prejudice and misperceptions

agree

I also work in the same place…. With living prisoners

no way would I be involved. Most people would leave the prison service I think, if it ever came back here to uk

ive heard the same regarding burials. I think it was some kind of Victorian prison ‘law’ to bury them in the grounds

Lol. I don't understand why people lie about that. There are no offices near there, and beheading took place on Fridays - no offices are open on Fridays.

A loved one who'd been working in the justice system in the days of hanging in the UK told me when I was a child that it wasn't the prisoner that was his central concern, it was what he saw happen to the police and prison staff who had to be involved. In those days it wasn't talked about and they were just expected to get on with it, but the harm to them and their families through the trauma of participating and witnessing, and in some cases eventual suicide, just added more victims to the existing list.