Capital Punishment

This is another one of those sensitive issues that people generally feel very strongly one way or the other about.  I am curious however, given two situations that have been frequently in the news over the past few weeks, what is everyone’s opinion on the death penalty in general, and why do you feel that way?

Also, after reading the descriptions below do you believe the nature of the crime makes one more serious than the other?  Another question is, does one crime seem more diabolical than the other, and if yes, do you believe there are spiritual forces at work in such heinous crimes, or do you feel human kind alone is capable of such brutality?

The two incidents that got me to thinking about this are:

1. The recent decision by President Bush affirming the death penalty for Ronald Gray, a former Army cook convicted of multiple rapes and murders.

2. The July 31^st incident in Canada where a man stabs another man to death on a greyhound bus, decapitates him and then proceeds to cannibalize the victim’s body right there in front of everyone, including the police.

This is a good topic Diana. Like the post on prayer, we will all have out own opinions, and want to post them, but I do believe that we have all shown great respect for each others opinions, and I don't doubt that we will do the same here.

I am really in two minds about this issue, and here is the reason why.

1st, there are killers out there like this man on the Greyhound bus, whose crime was beyond comprehension. He was seen to commit the crime, he gloated over it when he dropped the poor young victims head at the feet of the bus and truck driver who were keeping him trapped in the bus. And in my opinion it really doesn't matter if it was premeditated, or if he was insane he deserves the death penalty. So, for me if a person has been seen to commit the murder, then he is of course guilty.

2nd. I sadly know of a man who, when a 16 year old lad murdered his girlfriends newborn child. The manner he choose to kill the child was also despicable. And now I don't know what to think of the death penalty because I've known this boy for many years (it was three years before he confessed to the crime), and knew him to be a wonder young lad, and of course I know his parents and siblings, all wonderful people. Of course I wouldn't want the death penalty for him ( and it wasn't possible either because he was a juvenile) because I know what a nice person he really is.

So you see, a double standard. one for people I know and one for people I don't.

But like Stephanie said, something really has to be done both in England and America where the jails are full and more need to be built.

So after all that I can only say that I do approve of the death penalty when it can be proved 100% that the person committed the crime. And I'm not too sure I agree with saving a person because they have a mental health issue. I'm sure we all remember (sadly one of many) of the case of the Texas woman who drowned all five of her children, I mean if I had done that in a moment of insanity I'd want to die.

Looking forward to others views on this subject.

When I hear of a little child being molested, raped, murdered I can't help but think the perpetrator should be done away with, but then again, I was molested for years as a little girl by a man who I should have loved and respected. I still love that man though I do not respect him but I would not have wished the death penalty for him. So there you have it, double standard again.

As I think about my earlier post about the young man I know who murdered, and the man who molested me, I can't help but think that I have the answer to my own dilemma on the death penalty. I just can't hold one standard up for someone I don't know and another for someone I do.

Still, some of the more heinous crimes, It really is a hard one Diana. 

'Life' sentence, that's laughable.

What was I reading in on the BBC News online just yesterday, some chap assisted by two young women murdered and cut up an innocent young girl. The man got life, 25 years, the girls about 10. DISGUSTING!

Sue, that is disgusting!  Where is the logic in that I ask?  10 years? 25 years?  What about the child they killed so brutally, will she get her life back in 10 or 25 years?  I don't understand the justice system in America or Britain when it comes to this type of reasoning.

It brings to mind a great movie staring Michael Douglas called, The Star Chamber, in which a secret organization of judges, disgusted with seeing criminals get off on legal technicalities, meet and hire a hitman to kill these criminals. I am not saying that is the answer but sometimes you think...maybe!

I agree with the death penalty in principle as long as it can be proved without doubt that it's the right person.  Barry George has been in jail now for eight years for killing Jill Dando but has now been released after an appeal.  As it's now established that he is not guilty, he has unfairly served eight years and will now be compensated, but if the death penalty was in existence his life would have ended eight years ago.

"They" should make prison sentences more of a punishment as a deterrent - it has been reported in the newspapers that the Government has spent over £240,000 on computers, playstations, X-boxes etc to keep prisoners happy!  That could have worked wonders for schools around the country.