The Death Penalty

wolfamongwolves · March 2014

DEATH PENALTY AND MENTAL DISABILITIES

International standards on the use of the death penalty state that the death penalty should not be imposed against people with mental disabilities. This safeguard continues to be ignored in the USA.

Florida executed John Ferguson on 5 August, despite his decades-long history of mental illness which pre-dated his crimes. He was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1971. In 1975 a court-appointed psychiatrist concluded that Ferguson’s severe mental illness rendered him dangerous and meant that he “should not be released under any circumstances” from a maximum security mental hospital. He was, however, discharged, and within three years was on death row for eight murders. The diagnoses of serious mental illness, including by prison doctors, continued on death row.

On 21 August, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found Texas death row prisoner Scott Panetti competent for execution and rejected the claim that he had been incompetent to represent himself at his 1995 trial. Scott Panetti was sentenced to death for murdering his parents-in-law in 1992, several years after he was first diagnosed with schizophrenia. He had been hospitalized for mental illness, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, on a number of occasions prior to the crime.

Warren Hill’s execution was stopped three hours before it was due to be carried out on 19 July in Georgia, in connection with litigation on the state’s lethal injection protocol. Despite all seven experts to have assessed Warren Hill stating that he had “mental retardation”, the execution was not stopped on these grounds. The execution of those with “mental retardation” has been prohibited in the USA since 2002, but concerns remain about implementation of this US Supreme Court ruling.

A year earlier, on 17 July 2012, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary extrajudicial executions had urged the US authorities to stop the execution of Warren Hill. He voiced “particular concern that Georgia is now the only US state that requires proof of what it calls ‘mental retardation beyond reasonable doubt,’ rather than a preponderance of the evidence as in other jurisdictions.”

Ganjaplease · March 2014

its simple. the day they executed the wrong man was the day capital punishment should have been 86'd.

JonnyPistachio · March 2014

Ganjaplease said:
its simple. the day they executed the wrong man was the day capital punishment should have been 86'd.

That sentence should put a nail on this coffin. Well said ganja.

PJ_Soul · March 2014

Ganjaplease said:
its simple. the day they executed the wrong man was the day capital punishment should have been 86'd.

Yup.
But we know for a fact that it's happened to as many as 1200 people since 1976. And people still support it. They obviously don't care about innocent people being killed. They are too busy focusing on revenge.

Byrnzie · May 2014

A little time out with George Carlin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDO6HV6xTmI

Thirty Bills Unpaid · May 2014

Dip a guy in batter just for a goof (in the boiling oil method).

Dip a guy in brown gravy and lock him in a room with a wolverine high on angel dust. There's a guy who won't be fuckin' with kids at the bus stop for a while.

Take a small tactical nuclear weapon and stuff it up his ass (or that little small hole at the end of a guy's dick).

Funny clip.

Thirty Bills Unpaid · June 2014

Ex-soldier apologizes for killing five-year-old daughter, asks jury to let him live.

Essentially, between sniffles and long dramatic pauses... the guy says, "Sorry" for beating his 5 year old daughter to death on a military base in Hawaii. He explains that he was very frustrated and that is why he beat her to death. This explanation for his motivation seems to make sense, I guess?

He also wants the chance to be a better father to his two other children, an 11-year-old son who lives in Georgia and a nine-year-old daughter who lives in Tennessee.

I guess he's not only asking for people to spare his life... he wants the freedom to try being a dad again?

Incredulously, his crime isn't near as horrific as some child murderer's crimes (although a child's death at the hands of her father bears some grimacing). As such- being I'm becoming more and more desensitized to these acts- I'm indifferent to what our response should be... just so long as he doesn't get the chance to 'play dad' again.

http://www.canada.com/life/soldier+apologizes+killing+five+year+daughter+asks+jury+live/9908325/story.html

Thirty Bills Unpaid · July 2014

This guy can go.

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/courtroom-drama-texas-slaughter-suspect-collapses-before-judge

It's not going to happen though. He's got some really good courtroom theatrics going on (collapsing before the judge)... and he's got a crafty attorney using the oldest one in the book (going for the old 'not guilty plea by reason of insanity'). Guaranteed there'll be some idiots falling hook, line and sinker for these shenanigans. They'll overlook the fact that he was on a cross country tour in pursuit of his ex-wife.

It's interesting how he got a little weak-kneed confronted by his obscenity, but stood strong when he fatally shot Stephen and Katie Stay, and their four children, ages 4 to 14, in the back of their heads.

Fuckin' loser.

callen · July 2014

He was calculating. I doubt hell get insanity in this county. Lock him up forever. But don't kill as he has done.

Peace TB.

Thirty Bills Unpaid · July 2014

callen said:
He was calculating. I doubt hell get insanity in this county. Lock him up forever. But don't kill as he has done.

Peace TB.

Peace to you, friend.

Spartanacus · July 2014

Against...only due to the massive waste of time and money it takes to kill them. Let them build license plates until they die old and grey.

dignin · September 2014

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/henry-mccollum-leon-brown-declared-innocent-after-30-years-in-prison-1.2753737

Henry McCollum, Leon Brown declared innocent after 30 years in prison
None of the DNA collected at the scene was linked to Brown or McCollum

callen · September 2014

dignin said:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/henry-mccollum-leon-brown-declared-innocent-after-30-years-in-prison-1.2753737

Henry McCollum, Leon Brown declared innocent after 30 years in prison
None of the DNA collected at the scene was linked to Brown or McCollum

Sure they where Evil doers and deserved to die anyway. Bastards. And so what if a few innocents get thrown in with the baddies so I can feel good about someone dying.

Thirty Bills Unpaid · September 2014

callen said:

dignin said:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/henry-mccollum-leon-brown-declared-innocent-after-30-years-in-prison-1.2753737

Henry McCollum, Leon Brown declared innocent after 30 years in prison
None of the DNA collected at the scene was linked to Brown or McCollum
Sure they where Evil doers and deserved to die anyway. Bastards. And so what if a few innocents get thrown in with the baddies so I can feel good about someone dying.

I disagree. I think it's tragic that these two wasted 30 years of their life behind bars falsely accused and convicted.

The fact that these two innocent people were falsely convicted doesn't change my opinion that Clifford Olson deserved death for kidnapping, torturing and killing a dozen of our province's children though. Maybe if he hadn't nailed spikes into their heads while they were still alive I'd feel differently? I don't know.

lukin2006 · September 2014

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

callen said:

dignin said:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/henry-mccollum-leon-brown-declared-innocent-after-30-years-in-prison-1.2753737

Henry McCollum, Leon Brown declared innocent after 30 years in prison
None of the DNA collected at the scene was linked to Brown or McCollum
Sure they where Evil doers and deserved to die anyway. Bastards. And so what if a few innocents get thrown in with the baddies so I can feel good about someone dying.
I disagree. I think it's tragic that these two wasted 30 years of their life behind bars falsely accused and convicted.

The fact that these two innocent people were falsely convicted doesn't change my opinion that Clifford Olson deserved death for kidnapping, torturing and killing a dozen of our province's children though. Maybe if he hadn't nailed spikes into their heads while they were still alive I'd feel differently? I don't know.

Agree ... I have no problem with DP in cases like that where its clear that are guilty ...

rr165892 · September 2014

I have only two problems with the Death Penalty.1.it takes too long to get to the punishment part of the sentence.2.The way we do it.
Firing squad would be quicker,and more humane.Not that I care about the last part.

JonnyPistachio · September 2014

rr165892 said:
I have only two problems with the Death Penalty.1.it takes too long to get to the punishment part of the sentence.2.The way we do it.
Firing squad would be quicker,and more humane.Not that I care about the last part.

It only takes that long because they are allowed certain amounts of appeals to be sure we got he right guy. If it was sped up, we'd have murdered an excessive amount of innocent people.

rr165892 · September 2014

JonnyPistachio said:

rr165892 said:
I have only two problems with the Death Penalty.1.it takes too long to get to the punishment part of the sentence.2.The way we do it.
Firing squad would be quicker,and more humane.Not that I care about the last part.
It only takes that long because they are allowed certain amounts of appeals to be sure we got he right guy. If it was sped up, we'd have murdered an excessive amount of innocent people.

Jonny,I'm talking about after they have been convicted,and as stated earlier if DNA matches or video evidence are available.Those endless appeals trying to get off on technicalities is the problem.

rgambs · September 2014

rr165892 said:

JonnyPistachio said:

rr165892 said:
I have only two problems with the Death Penalty.1.it takes too long to get to the punishment part of the sentence.2.The way we do it.
Firing squad would be quicker,and more humane.Not that I care about the last part.
It only takes that long because they are allowed certain amounts of appeals to be sure we got he right guy. If it was sped up, we'd have murdered an excessive amount of innocent people.
Jonny,I'm talking about after they have been convicted,and as stated earlier if DNA matches or video evidence are available.Those endless appeals trying to get off on technicalities is the problem.

It may sound crazy but neither video or DNA matches are always conclusive proof. If you and I get into an altercation caught on video at a gas station and I end up dead that afternoon is this proof? It may well be enough for a conviction, but it's hardly proof. Let's say I have a one night stand with a girl and when I leave, her BF murders her, is my DNA at the crime scene proof? Again, it's enough for a conviction but not to prove beyond reasonable doubt. Neither of these scenarios is far-fetched. I know of a case where a man was convicted of murder for "satanic" comics he had drawn. Art. Proof? No but enough to convince a jury. Hence the appeals process. We all get the same rights, not just those who SEEM more savory.

PJ_Soul · September 2014

rgambs said:

rr165892 said:

JonnyPistachio said:

rr165892 said:
I have only two problems with the Death Penalty.1.it takes too long to get to the punishment part of the sentence.2.The way we do it.
Firing squad would be quicker,and more humane.Not that I care about the last part.
It only takes that long because they are allowed certain amounts of appeals to be sure we got he right guy. If it was sped up, we'd have murdered an excessive amount of innocent people.
Jonny,I'm talking about after they have been convicted,and as stated earlier if DNA matches or video evidence are available.Those endless appeals trying to get off on technicalities is the problem.
It may sound crazy but neither video or DNA matches are always conclusive proof. If you and I get into an altercation caught on video at a gas station and I end up dead that afternoon is this proof? It may well be enough for a conviction, but it's hardly proof. Let's say I have a one night stand with a girl and when I leave, her BF murders her, is my DNA at the crime scene proof? Again, it's enough for a conviction but not to prove beyond reasonable doubt. Neither of these scenarios is far-fetched. I know of a case where a man was convicted of murder for "satanic" comics he had drawn. Art. Proof? No but enough to convince a jury. Hence the appeals process. We all get the same rights, not just those who SEEM more savory.

I agree that DNA evidence isn't enough proof, and no, the kind of video evidence you mention isn't proof either. Video proof in my book would be clear video of the person actually committing the crime.
But even then, don't punish murder with murder. And don't give your government permission to commit murder of a citizen in your own country under any circumstances.

The Death Penalty

Comments

Categories