To be honest, my feelings about the death penalty have always been conflicted. There is only one man I ever really wanted to see suffer the death penalty, and that was Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. That still hurts today and that he evaded the sentence because of a changing political climate still haunts me. However, in all other regards, my feelings have never quite settled.
The biggest con is simply that I’m not God and God should be the only one to determine who lives and dies when. Murder to revenge murder doesn’t really make sense. The biggest pro is that if just one person doesn’t murder because they are afraid of receiving a death sentence themselves then that is worth it. That’s how it’s been in my mind for decades. Further, I don’t buy the stats that say it is not a deterrent. For one thing, just look at the convicts who make deals to avoid the death sentence. It happens time after time, so stats are meaningless. Besides, how can you really gauge that unknown aggressor who chooses not to commit a harsh crime because they are afraid of the death penalty? If they don’t do it, how do you really know how many have or have not made that decision?
Nowadays, though, there is more clarity about DNA and unfair tactics that have no doubt resulted in innocent people being convicted. There’s no doubt about that. I also think a lot of confessions are coerced. If more people could imagine how they would feel being interrogated for ten hours in a small room, they might understand that better. I actually feel that all cases where a convict still claims his/her innocence and where there is DNA available should require modern testing to confirm a conviction (or not). That should be required before any execution.
All of this said, one of my problems with the death penalty is that a prisoner can spend a lifetime on death row. The complexity of the legal system has spun out of control. If the death penalty is going to be on the books, then do it; otherwise, take it off and save us the money of death sentence appeals and the costs of maintaining a death row.
Further, what then bugs me is stuff like these prisoners getting their sentences stayed because of the source of the drug used in the injection. Oh for crying out loud! If the sentence is to put to death the murderer, then do it already. If they feel a bit of pain, so be it. I’m sure those they killed felt some pain. It’s not like they are being tortured. We’ve gone too far in the rights game.
I really don’t know how I’d vote if the death penalty came up for review again. I truly do believe a lot of innocent people are sitting in cells across the country for one reason or another, and one wrong death is enough to halt the program. That’s why I say that DNA should always be tested to confirm. There are too many advances in the technology not to ensure that the right people are suffering the punishment. No matter what, though, the loopholes and hoopla over a bit of pain or, geez, where a drug comes from, needs to stop. That’s just ridiculous in my view.
Love Those Rants and Raves 