Capital Punishment

Lauren Killian
Death Penalty
Mr. spoth
PIG

The death penalty is an extreme eternal punishment to a often debatable crime. This
fence between life and death has been argued time and time again. Ive always had
indecisive thoughts on the death penalty. First, I thought it was acceptable and Just
depending on the situation. I believed it was ok primarily because I never really gave it
thought. Now that I look into it and analyze what they do, I often question the
government and my country. To think that someone was actually hanged, or put in a
electric chair, makes me uneasy. I understand in some cases like mass murderers and
terrorists who pose a threat to the country, but some things are taken to far. With
research and analyzation, I have came to the conclusion that this punishment is far too
risky and permanent to be in use regardless of the circumstances and variables. Some
people disagree and believe the death penalty is absolutely necessary and should be
used. Nevertheless, there is a difference between killing and torture. So my views on
the death penalty will never change, this a punishment far too permanent to exist.
The death penalty is capital punishment or execution. This method has been used
throughout our history. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital
offences. It was restored in 1976, 34 states have performed executions. In 2014, 35
inmates were on death row. States such as Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, Ohio,
Virginia, Georgia, and Arizona execute convicted murderers. In 2015, 28 inmates were
executed by 6 U.S. States (Florida: 2, Georgia: 5, Missouri: 6, Oklahoma: 1, Texas: 13
[including one volunteer], Virginia: 1), and 2,984 were on death row. Proponents who
are facing the penalty present five justifications for implementation (1) Reducing
chances to zero that this individual will return to society; (2) Closure for the victims

family; (3) Deterrence against future violations by other offenders; (4) This is the
appropriate punishment for the offender of such a serious crime; and (5) Rightful
societal vengeance (often cited as an eye for an eye). All of these are reasons behind
why these criminals are being put to death, but what if they are not criminals? Since the
reinstatement of the death penalty in the US in 1976, 138 innocent men and women
have been released on death row, including some who came within hours of execution.
An example of that would be Joseph Green Brown, charges were dropped after the 11th
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the prosecution had knowingly allowed false
testimony to be introduced at trial. Brown came within 13 hours of execution (According
to deathpenalty.org). The history of this execution dates as far back as the 18th century
B.C. in the code of hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25
different crimes. Death sentences during these times were crucifixions, drownings,
being beat to death, burning alive, and impalement. With these conclusions, it's safe to
say the death penalty was much more gruesome and horrific years ago. In the tenth
century A.D., hanging became the regular method of execution in britain. Some of the
methods of execution at that time in britain were boiling, burning at the stake, hanging,
beheading, and drawing and quartering. Executions were carried out for such capital
offenses as marrying a Jew, not confessing to a crime, and treason. This death penalty
trend has varied yet has still been in use for some time now. The number of capital
crimes in Britain began to skyrocket throughout the next two centuries. Around the
1700s, 222 crimes were now punishable by death in Britain, including stealing, cutting
down a tree, and robbing a rabbit warren which is a overcrowded residential area. Due
to the severity of the crime , juries won't convict the defendant if the offense was

considered to be of such seriousness. This sparked the need for reforms in britain.
From 1823 to 1837, the death penalty was eliminated for over 100 of the 222 crimes
punishable by death. This elimination was a realization that this punishment had
become too permanent for such petty offences. Its funny how our history can truly seem
to predict our future.

There are pros and cons to everything so some individuals choose to side with what
they believe to be good about the death penalty. Bruce Fein, A Constitutional Lawyer
and General Counsel to the Center for Law and Accountability stated that " The crimes
of rape, torture, treason, kidnapping, murder, larceny, and perjury pivot on a moral code
that escapes apodictic [indisputably true] proof by expert testimony or otherwise . He
then went on to say how the death penalty honors human dignity by treating the
defendant as a free moral actor able to control his own destiny whether it be for good or
for ill. This is the type of thinking that goes on in the heads of those who support capital
punishment and execution. They believe more on facts and not faith essentially. In a
case in 2008, Baze v. Rees, A lawyer was told to have said that Throughout our history
whenever a method of execution has been challenged in this Court as cruel and
unusual, the Court has rejected the challenge. Our society has nonetheless steadily
moved to more humane methods of carrying out capital punishment." So due to the
many complaints about this punishment, they were forced to change methods it in
hopes that they would make it more humane. Some people believe this punishment to
be barbaric and very incentive, but imagine how the loved ones of the people killed by
insane or just malicious motivated criminals. Im sure they would be very upset and quite
hurt to see their loved one's murderer be given just a few years in prison or even some

rehabilitation classes as a punishment and correction effort. Many believe the death
penalty is revenge while supporters of it, rather believe it is a matter of putting an end to
a life that has no value for other human lives. Sentencing a murderer to death is in fact
a favor to the society for supporters. Getting rid of these criminals is doing our society
and nation a favor. Anti-death penalty supporters stress and want the public to
understand that the government executing killing people is not ok. Death penalty
supporters rather, want the public to understand that people and criminals going around
killing innocents is not ok and need to be dealt with immediately.

Death penalty supporters dont discriminate, they believe anybody who commits
crimes deserve to meet the same fate even if that means death. Our society throughout
our existence has used death or crucial punishments to discourage criminal like
behavior, but should there be limitations on the efforts by our government today? This is
the main argument with death penalty supporters. They believe that the death penalty
discourages and will prevent future murders and crimes. If murderers are sentenced to
death and executed, potential murderers will think twice before killing for fear of losing
their own life. This effort provides a deterrence within motivated killers and criminals.
Another argument for death penalty supporters is that any just society requires the
death penalty for the taking a life. The theory within this conclusion is that when a life is
taken, our society becomes unbalanced or uneven. Unless this balance is restored, the
society succumbs to violence. Only taking the life of the killer has the capability of
restoring this imbalance. This Retribution like conclusion has its basis in religious
values, which has maintained its proper thinking of taking an "eye for an eye" and a life
for a life. Robert Macy, District Attorney of Oklahoma City, described his concept of the

need for retribution in one case: "In 1991, a young mother was rendered helpless and
made to watch as her baby was executed by a killer. The mother was then mutilated
and killed. The killer should not lie in some prison with three meals a day, clean sheets,
cable TV, family visits and endless appeals. For justice to prevail, some killers just need
to die." This response is a response that supporters truly can rely and depend on but
many anti-death penalty supporters believe the risk of executing the innocent should
rule out the death penalty. Once a person is executed there is nothing we can do. Since
1973, at least 88 people have been released from death row after evidence of their
innocence was come across. During the same period of time, over 650 people have
been executed according http://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/. This is truly a risky effort by
far in my opinion but not enough for supporters to eliminate the death penalty.
Supporters say, executing the innocent is a rare but acceptable risk of the death penalty.
They say imprisoning innocent people is wrong as well, but we cannot empty the
prisons because of that small risk. A criminal's case being overturned and a prosecutor
deciding to not retry the case does not make someone innocent. It is said that most
claims of innocence are usually just delaying tactics to put off the execution for as long
as they can. If the death penalty was in use in every state today, I believe that most of
our loved ones would be dead for often debatable and unfairly sentenced crimes. I
believe we would rely on the death penalty to often. The law and the task force has
been known to abuse the power they have. Just take a look at our history, Rodney King,
Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin. These are just a few cases where people have been
subdued by forces that say they are supposed to serve and protect and here we are,
trying to justify the death penalty. Seeing this history and reality of the world we live in,

we should take precaution in issues concerning life. Am I wrong for questioning the
death of americas people, regardless of the crimes committed? Without questions,
there is no increase but to death penalty supporters, this conclusion concerning life and
death is invalid. It is said that supporters say that for justice to prevail, some killers just
need to die and to the people against this capital punishment they believe this is
necessary.

Martin Luther King once said Capital punishment is against the best of judgement of
modern criminology and, above all, against the highest expression of love in the nature
of god. Death is the end of life in all aspects in a human, and that is what our
government is handing out to people freely for often disputable crimes. The nation we
live in has become insensible in terms of death. The death penalty provides a negative
alternative to imprisonment and a totalitarian way of thinking in the minds of execution
supporters. Ever since this capital punishment has been in operation, this government
has been relentless when it comes to putting people to death. In the supreme court
case Atkins v. Virginia, Atkins and his accomplice were put to death for capital murder
even after atkins school records and IQ of 59 had been shown which revealed signs of
mental retardation. It was reviewed and came to the conclusion that death is not
suitable for mentally retarded criminals. In another court case Furman v. Georgia,
furman was found burglarizing a home, when trying to escape his gun went off killing a
resident in the house. After being sentenced to death, the US supreme court later
concluded that the death penalty was a cruel and unusual punishment and violated
Constitutional rights. To me, this court cases decision says everything we need to know
about this form of execution. That it is cruel and unusual. These are words that come

straight from the most powerful court in the world yet we still put people to death. These
two Supreme court cases have involved convicted criminals who had to die in order for
change to be brought about. So I ask you, how many more people have to die in order
for reforms to be made concerning capital punishment? The biggest argument Death
penalty opposers have is that this punishment puts innocent lives at risk. Since the
reinstatement of the death penalty in the US in 1976, 138 innocent men and women
have been released from death row, including individuals who came within minutes of
execution. Cameron todd Willingham was convicted of arson murder where his 3 kids
were killed in a intentionally set fire. Later results found that he was innocent and that
the fire was a true accident. Ruben Cantu, a 17 year old convicted of capital murder
was found innocent of his charges 12 years later. In fact he was nowhere around when
the crime took place. Carlos Deluna was convicted of stabbing a convenience store
clerk and was executed for it. Almost 20 years later, evidence was found revealing his
innocence. This same very evidence showed Carlos Hernandez, a man who confessed
to the crime many times, was indeed the real killer. These are just a few of the many
very sorrowful stories of innocent people being killed. Death penalty supporters often
say an eye for an eye or tooth for a tooth or murderers should face the same fate
they unleash unto their victims. So I ask you, where is the justice for these innocent
men and women killed? Should executioner's face the same fate for the innocent men
and women they killed? Or should we just offer them a sorry and send our condolences.
What type of government kills innocent teens and young adults and faces no penalty.
Instead of death penalty supporters worrying about the criminals who fortunately
werent issued this capital punishment, they need to focus on the people and individuals

who were blamelessly killed. The death penalty seems real cool and legit until your the
next innocent up for execution. For every eight people executed, we have found one
person on death row who never should have been convicted. Innocent people being
killed alone should be enough for the capital punishment to be terminated, but if that's
not enough. What is? Another reason the death penalty should be terminated is
because it is much more expensive to execute someone than it is to issue them life
without parole. Issuing criminals or possibly innocent people life without parole is
actually millions less. The money saved could be spent on programs that actually
improve the communities in which we live. It is people in poverty, starving, homeless, in
abandoned and broken homes, sleeping in their cars, and we are spending millions to
kill innocent people. They are trying to justifying killing innocent people by
complimenting it with the criminals who were actually guilty. This is not the nation and
land of the free that many people believe we are. With our government killing innocent
people and putting them to death is truly torture in its worst degree. Even the American
Civil Liberties Union believes the death penalty inherently violates the constitutional ban
of cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is a waste of taxpayer money and
funds and has no public safety benefit. We should not be trying to scare potential
murderers by killing and executing convicted ones in an attempt to stop their motivation.
The biggest and most unacceptable issue concerning this topic is that no civilians job
should include killing another person. How does it sound if I said My job is to kill
criminals for the government. Then we exclaim how much we stand for justice. Does
that sound just to you? I could go on for days on why the death penalty should be

eliminated but to tell the truth, if innocent people dying and being killed without any
remorse or sincere recognition from our government. I dont know what is.

Over the course of our lives, many innocent lives have been lost under the law of the
death penalty. This eternal punishment that dates back in our history for centuries has
truly changed the way we live for the good in some, and for the complete worst for
others. Regardless of all the concentrated and hard views toward the death penalty.
There is no question and no argument when it comes to the blameless lives lost in our
government's efforts to distribute justice. It is sad and disappointing that in our efforts to
allocate equity, we have actually done the complete opposite. So my views of the death
penalty will certainly not change but the real question is, what do you think?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/

http://www.oadp.org/

http://deathpenalty.procon.org/

http://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/

http://nakedlaw.avvo.com/crime

http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=001769