AIBU to ask whether the death penalty should apply for certain crimes in the UK?

[PenelopeJoanSterling]

Because the topics got mixed up on my previous thread i thought id ask here, for certain types of crime in the uk, would you be either for or against the death penalty for certain crimes and why ?

and thank you for your comment

You're welcome.

Tempting, especially when we hear some of the despicable animalistic crimes people commit, but no.

The state should never fall to the same sewer-like levels as the criminals.

But there are some people who should never be released. Whole life terms for the very worst crimes should stand, if only for public protection.

Wrongful executions still happen, though. Because most of the people on death row can’t afford to pay decent lawyers to defend them.

No.

1. It's morally wrong to kill another human being - no matter what.
2. It doesn't deter serious crimes
3. Too many miscarriages of justice

Countries with the death penalty have higher rates of recidivism than we do. It's not a deterrent

Short of asking them outright, nobody has any idea what those people think..

It's also invariably the case that people who are desperate to see the reintroduction of Capital punishment, and cite "think about the victims' parents", themselves are oblivious to the fact they are agitating for yet one more set of parents to be made childless. In short, it's mindless vindictiveness and reiterates precisely why there is no place for it in any credible system of Justice.

Some people may not know that it's not necessarily easy to get hold of the drugs needed to put someone to death. The pharmaceutical companies refuse to allow the drugs they manufacture to be used for executions. I learned this when studying the death penalty for my degree. Not only this, but the death penalty isn't an effective deterrent. People have always committed terrible crimes and the potential consequence of death hasn't stopped them.

As a Christian, it is against my religion.

What about if a law is brought in that you do not agree with, punishable by the death penalty?

Either killing a human is wrong, or it isn't. It isn't OK just because it's the state doing it.

Sometimes innocent people are convicted.

The death penalty is not a deterrent.

I think the death penalty is utterly abhorrent.

”tech and forensics” are still operated by humans …

who are fallible

who are vulnerable to blackmail and threats

who are bribeable

do you see where I’m going with this?

but how can a god stand by and let his flock get destroyed by criminals ?

What about the effect on those involved in an execution? The prison governor, who must be present, the warders who have to accompany the condemned from the condemned cell to the execution cell. The lawyers who have unsuccessfully tried to get their client a stay of execution or a reprieve. The children of the condemned who thought innocent now have to live with the shame that their parent was executed. If you support the death penalty, have a look at what happened to Ruth Ellis's son. Would you as a juror, convict in a murder case, knowing that a guilty verdict might lead to a death sentence?

yes its fair points

So you think autism means you can be as an adult male, a violent agressive murderer of little girls, but still whinge and whine?

God in my understanding and faith has given us free will. He gave His Son who told us to love one another. The Cross speaks of forgiveness and the promise of renewal.

Plenty of Christians past and present would disagree.

I am on the fence myself but I'd say that, on balance, in the US it is Christians more than atheists who favourite the DP.

As has been pointed out, the Southport killer was a minor so wouldn’t have been executed anyway.

Really. I disagree!
Preston Davey. The death penalty for his abusers would absolutely be justifiable! Waste of oxygen the pair of them!

I would say they are Chrisian in name but pagan by values.

Ruth Ellis's son was Clare Andrea "Andy" Neilson (sometimes known as Andre). Born in 1944 to an already married Canadian soldier, he was 10 years old when his mother was executed in 1955. Heavily traumatized by the event, he struggled with depression and tragically died by suicide in 1982 at age 37.

Heresy is a thing and so is error...

I think when people invoke such tragedies as this, it’s done in bad faith. You know that nobody will sit here and say “well he deserves another chance”, thus essentially shutting down the argument.

But for every Southport there’s a Letby, who has serious questions around her guilt. There are miscarriages of justice everyday and humans are fallible. That alone is enough to convince anyone that the death penalty is wrong. If new evidence emerges after the death, then what? Someone else’s life has been taken unlawfully.

Never mind the logistics and legal issues involved.

Which is why it is up to-the justice system and not the victims. The death penalty is wrong - pure & simple.
As a family, we’ve an experience that directly would fall within the people you’d want to kill for their crimes. We still wouldn’t condone the death penalty. Ever!