If one argument for the death penalty is to deter crime, what

[hedgehog]

does it mean if an innocent man was executed while the killer walks free?

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. I don't think the death penalty is much of a deterent. It's essentially a get out of jail card.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. People who are planning to commit a crime aren't going to think about punishment.

They are too hellbent on getting whatever resolution from the commission of the crime that punishment or consequences aren't at the forefront of their brains.

The death penalty is not a deterrent.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. This

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. A travesty of justice.

How are we supposed to stop bullying when we murder people based on flawed (and later recanted) eyewitness testimony alone?

On another note, there is another reason for the death penalty - those who are unrepentant murderers and hate crime perpetrators who proudly defend their actions and state repeatedly that they would do it again in a heartbeat given the chance. Hell, other prisoners are in danger from these types.

Maybe we stop the insane 'war on drugs' and quit imprisoning people for pot, we can refocus the attention of the justice system on actual criminal charges.

[jdlh8894]

9. Questions

These "recanters" - Did they lie under oath during the trial?
If so, why aren't they being charged with perjury?

Just wondering.........

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Apparently later and for the parole board

I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that no appeal was ever heard.

In addition, 3 of the jurors stated that they would have never voted for the death penalty if they knew then what they know now (undisputed) about the case.

Why this is such a travesty. This case should have NEVER been swept under the rug of inconvenience/insignificance as it was in the blood lust to avenge a "cop killer".

On edit - of the 9, it is my understanding 7 recanted, 1 is since died and the 9th is Redd Coles, who was on the scene at the murder of the officer and has bragged off and on over the last 20 years about being the actual killer - and Mr Coles words WERE presented to the parole/pardons board to no avail.

[jdlh8894]

19. My question is

did these recanters commit perjury during the trial.
And if so,should they be tried?

[Ruby the Liberal]

25. No clue how that works.

I wonder if the lack of an appeal has anything to do with it? (Reversing testimony while on the stand, under oath).

Maybe someone with some legal knowledge will see this and comment.

[jdlh8894]

26. Don't think they reversed their testimony while on the stand

They recanted some years after the trial.
So, IMO , they committed perjury and should be tried.JMO

[immoderate]

29. Don't stop there. Was their testimony coerced? Who prepped them?

Are the people who extorted the witnesses going to be charged? :shrug:

--imm

[MarianJack]

5. The Death Penalty Has Much More To Do With...

...revenge than justice.

PEACE!

[qb]

6. Deterrence is a fake argument. The death penalty is all about blood lust.

People want to see someone... anyone... pay for the crime.

[Lost-in-FL]

10. "anyone"

I find that to be immoral. Pretty much like when the FL audience cheered Perry for the amount of executions.

[Ruby the Liberal]

17. (Califormia - Florida cheered the "let the uninsured die")

Can't *wait* to see what crawls out from under the nearest rock tonight from these assholes.

[gratuitous]

7. If it did deter crime, Texas would be crime-free

But they keep executing people, so maybe that argument is . . . flawed.

[Lost-in-FL]

8. INGRATE 11!!!!!11!11

WHY DO YOU HATE 'MERIKA!!!!!111!!

WELL… SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE BAD LUCK… BUT THE POLICE IS TRING KEEPIN YOU IN SAFSTY!!!11

[Riftaxe]

12. I am unaware of anyone that has been executed

who has gone on to commit another crime (including murder), the same cannot be said of those sentenced to life in prison, even in those few states where a life sentence actually means life.

So in that sense, it is the ultimate deterrent.

[LanternWaste]

18. If we accept the legal and criminal law definition

If we accept the legal and criminal law definition (and in this context, it's not merely apropos, but rather the specific definition to be used), e.g., "Its primary goal is to discourage the collective members of society from committing criminal acts out of fear of punishment....", then it is in fact, not an "ultimate" deterrent as we may rest confidently assured more murders will indeed take place.

[KansDem]

24. I'll bet cutting off a person's hands will deter that person from stealing again.

I believe this rationale is practiced in other parts of the world...

[dmallind]

13. Deterrence data is not conclusive either way

Any possible effect is weak either way.

There is only one solid argument for the DP, but it's one I've never seen seriously challenged let alone surmounted.

Recidivism.

Nothing else has ever stopped all future murders by those sentenced to it. Certainly never come close to stopping all other crimes by them.

Execution always has and always must stop any future offending.

[hedgehog]

14. It'll deter the hell out of you whether you're guilty or innocent

[Ruby the Liberal]

15. That is the only reason I don't want it abolished.

And I stand behind it. While the death of Bundy won't bring back his victims (or likely even provide closure for their families), he will never have the opportunity again as a free man or against his fellow inmates.

[ZombieHorde]

21. Executions only stop the criminal if the actual criminal is executed.

If someone other than the criminal is executed, which does occasionally happen, then the criminal is free to continue his or her ways.

So the Recidivism rates are not perfect.

[Ben Gay]

16. There will continue to be wide support for the death penalty as long as things like

this http://www.newson6.com/story/15505846/oru-community-grapples-with-hicks-park-murders

go on. I'm just observing how the public reacts, not necessarily defending the DP in general but I
absolutely favor it in some cases like the one in the link above. It's not about deterrence, it's about
prevention of repeat crimes. I would gleefully pull the switch on these 2 guys.

[ZombieHorde]

22. Pull the switch for what benefit? Executing people costs more than life imprisonment.

Why not spend those extra resources on helping people? Helping people improves our society, while killing people already in cages does not help society.

[Ben Gay]

30. I agree we spend way too much on executions. A 59 cent bullet would be

much more efficient and cost effective...and there would be thousands of willing volunteers to do it free.
Please don't try to make me defend thugs, I will not do it.

[ZombieHorde]

31. The actual execution is not where the high monetary price comes from.

The high price comes from all of the appeals capital cases get. There are a lot of people, such as lawyers, working on these cases, and if we cut the costs, even more mistakes will be made.

[d_r]

20. is spanking stops misbehavior,

how come they have to keep spanking them?

[kwolf68]

23. The argument has been debunked

Pro-Capital punishment people no longer really care if the death penalty deters crime or not. They maintain that death is the form of punishment for certain crimes and it's ability to deter 'future crimes' of the same magnitude are not relevant.

[seabeyond]

27. studies has shown states with death penalty has higher crime. complete opposite of the argument. nt

[Obamanaut]

28. I think the death penalty is a punishment for a crime, not a deterrent.

The *fear* or *prospect* of that punishment being imposed (if caught) might be a deterrent, but the penalty being imposed is a punishment.

Incarceration is a punishment, *fear* of incarceration is a deterrent for many, if not most. The number of persons currently incarcerated as punishment is a testament to the idea that many overcame that *fear* and the prospect of incarceration was no longer a deterrent.