----- Original Message ----- From: "Erik Reuter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 3:45 PM Subject: Re: Scouted: Okay to execute innocent?
> On Tue, Aug 12, 2003 at 01:14:44PM -0400, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > I should think this one was a gimme: a SINGLE innocent person executed is an > > affront to standards of decency at any time, any place. I'd like to hear > > someone try to argue the opposite. > > While I tend to agree with you, Tom, due to lack of convincing evidence > of death-penalty deterrent power, I have heard people make a reasonable > argument. It it along the lines I just suggested -- the death penalty > acts as a deterrent to homicide and thus saves the lives of a certain > number of innocent people; if this number of lives saved is greater than > the number of innocent people executed, then there is a net gain in > innocent lives saved. > > However, as I said, I haven't seen any convincing data of the deterrent > power of the death penalty. In contrast, we know for certain that if > we abolish the death penalty, WE will not be directly responsible for > killing innocent people. To me, it is a matter of extremely sketchy > data that the death penalty might possibly be beneficial, compared to > certainty that we can prevent some innocent people being killed by > abolishing the death penalty. > > As an aside, life in jail with out the possibility of parole actually > seems more abhorrent to me than a lethal injection. > I have to agree with Erik. Has anyone seen any of the footage of Richard Speck and his life in prison? The guy knew what other prisoners do to men who rape and kill women. So he had hormone injections in order to grow breasts, spending the balance of his life as a sex toy for "Big Bubba". People Like Speck or Manson are probably the exception to my general agreement. I think there is a point where mercy becomes dehumanizing, as in the case of Speck. I found it kind of disgusting to see a flabby old man showing off his boobs at the orders of other prisoners. ( Though I don't think it could be said that he had actually sunk lower than his original crimes.) xponent We Did This Maru rob _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
