Interesting fact (Capital punishment)

Member Name: cat44

Product:	Capital punishment
Date:	17/10/02 (98 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: gives right wing zealots among others a reason to be happy

Disadvantages: someone is being killed

Firstly I would like to say that I am opposed to capital punishment under any circumstances, and that it's a strange law that allows another person to kill someone. What might be the repercussions for that person, what guilt might they feel?

Anyway, a little history first. Please bear with me. There was a case that happened when capital punishment was still legal in the UK of a couple who framed a man for murder knowing that if found guilty he would be hung for the crime. He was found guilty and hung, and it wasn't until later that the couple were found out. They were charged with the murder of this innocent man, because in effect they had deliberately caused him to be killed.

Anyway, I always had this idea that if you are a country like the USA that practices capital punishment, then you should put your money were your mouth is. If you are going to kill a person because he has committed a crime then you should be wiiling to stand by the veracity of that verdict. The person who is ultimately responsible for the persons execution, the states' governor, should put his or her money where there mouth is and be personally responsible for the death of any innocent person. After all, if you are taking another persons life to dispense justice, you should be sure enough of their guilt that you would bet your life on it.

I can't help but think that they would be a lot more careful about who they executed if they personally had responsibility for it. This is a life after all, it can't be given back or compensated in any way.

Unfortunately though, this is unlikely to happen as it is part of constitutional law that it is not illegal to execute an innocent person in the USA, as long as they can be said to have had a fair trial. Lucky for the governor, huh?

Summary: