If you believe in the death penalty, could you do the job.

[HCM856]

I do believe in the death penalty in certain cases. When there is zero doubt and for certain crimes. As an example, Rose West and Wayne Couzens, wouldn’t be against them getting the death penalty.
I couldn’t be the one to kill them though, mainly because of the idea that there is a heaven/hell.. I’m not sure, I murdered someone but it was my job to do so would matter, I’d just be judged as a murderer.

Yes for certain people. And yes I could do it. I could not get violent or hang them or shoot them or something but I could calmly administer a lethal dose yes.

unless they did something to one of mine. Then I could do it with violence.

Surely if there is an afterlife, you're judged on intention, though? As in if you support a killing, or try but fail to kill someone, that's worse than if you accidentally kill someone (say you fall down stairs, knock someone over and they die of a head injury)? So supporting the death penalty but not getting your own hands dirty (which was once supported by most Christians, and others for that matter) would be the equivalent of eating meat but refusing to be a butcher?

I believe in the death penalty under very strictly controlled circumstances. And yes, I would do it if there was no doubt and no “mitigation”.

A couple that spring to mind, that I would do today if asked are Couzens and Rudabukana.

An example I wouldn’t actually press the trigger on is Lucy Letby (doubt exists, however small - would instead have whole of life for her).

Essentially I’d want the burden of proof to be higher
than the criminal conviction. And no significant mitigation to be present.

I’m not sure I can think of any other jobs that would ‘take their toll’ quite to the extent that being an executioner would do.

I’m sorry you were the victim of an appalling violent crime, but I’m glad you did not get PTSD.

I think they would. But then maybe that’s just my family. My Grandfather committed suicide by shooting himself in the head when he found out he had terminal cancer. (They all live in Georgia, the Deep South, where guns etc are normalised). So perhaps my thinking is skewed by that. I know that’s not the same thing but I think guns, violence, death penalties etc all get lumped in together there.

I’m sorry to hear that.

A lot of it is automated now isn't it?

Or do you mean the taking in/strapping down stuff.

There will always be someone willing ... especially if they read the details of the crime.

You realise that most doctors and certainly all surgeons and all military personnel could do this yes?
You just need to compartmentalise.
Could all of them do it in a non humane way ? No probably not. There's no excuse for botching the death penalty. Just as there's no excuse for stoning to death and being hung drawn and quartered.

"I am a psychopath".

Yes and yes.

I can see what you’re saying re military, but not seeing the logic re Drs and surgeons. Trying to save or prolong people’s lives is at the heart of what they do. What makes you think they would happily try to do the exact opposite? It goes against their Hippocratic Oath.

Of course not, but I honestly really do not believe it would affect me personally.

Thank you. I have had trauma symptoms for something that was objectively far, far less stereotypically traumatic, I am not emotionless. But for some reason that's beyond my comprehension even as a MH professional, that incident did not prove symptomatic of trauma at all. Other than an annoying long-term injury, I am fine!

Most surgeons and doctors are very very moral. They are also often quite psychopathic. (Not psychopath per se, just tendencies) So present them with someone who they feel is an abomination and they wouldn't have any compunction.
Murderers often are given different names (eg their middle name instead) and you aren't allowed to know what they've done etc because the care they receive is different. Eg they will wait longer for pain relief - at the end of the round. Staff won't talk to them, there will be no comfort given. Eg let me get you a pillow, is your back sore. None of that. The ones who try the charm are usually the most dangerous.

So present them with someone who they feel is an abomination and they wouldn’t have any compunction.

What if you present them with someone who they don’t feel is an abomination, but who has been sentenced to death? What if the Dr or surgeon is opposed to the death penalty (if they’re ’very moral’ this is quite likely).

Depends on the pay. Also, can I choose the method? Would prefer the guillotine. A nice clean cut.

I certainly couldn't do it,but I'm sure there'd be no shortage of people who could and would.

I certainly couldn't do it,but I'm sure there'd be no shortage of people who could and would.

This is the problem isn’t it. I know I’ve given as an example Rose West as a person I think would be deserving of the death penalty but… There are probably prison workers who have been around her for years who have got to know her so she becomes a human, not just the monster.
I do think it’s insane that (don’t know how accurate google is) that Rose West costs £100,000 per year to keep in prison.
I’d rather that money went to the families of the women she killed/lured to there death or to her surviving children.
I know it’s hypocritical but again I couldn’t kill her myself but I’d have no problem if somebody else got paid to as a job.

Oh I’d happily do it

Yeah, it costs a lot to keep people locked up for their whole lives @HCM856 . But it costs more to execute them.

You’re also ‘putting them out of their misery’. Some of them aren’t miserable, I’m sure. But I expect for the majority of them, decades spent incarcerated (often with other inmates targeting them with violence if their crime was particularly heinous and/or involved children) is a fate worse than death.

Absolutely yes.

The death penalty costs a lot too.

There are many people I think absolutely deserve to be culled. I am not saying Rose West absolutely does not however women manipulated by men are people I would need a good amount of time to mull over before the decision was made was I put in charge. And she is one of them.

I read something years ago that was an interview with an executioner who was actually opposed to the death penalty.

As in, opposed to it but still doing the job?
Or no longer doing the job because their views had changed?

Yes, if it was well-paid. I'm not squeamish about death, and much like putting down dogs that are a danger, in principle, I'm not against the idea of removing people who are a danger from society (although I'm wary of giving the government the right to do that in actuality).

I could see there being a certain grim job satisfaction in giving a clean, quick, and painless death to people who need removing from society.