I think (4) is by itself more than enough to justify axing the death penalty.
Rather than trying to argue for why it might be a bad idea, how about coming up with good reasons for having the death penalty? I don't know of any, offhand.
that's the problemstephentyroneApril 3 2004, 16:33:34 UTC
I can't think of any truly good arguments pro or con. All of the common arguments on both sides seem to be pretty flawed to me. (4) seems convincing, but regardless of the penalty, it will always be possible for new evidence to come up after a sentence has been carried out. Evidence could show my innocence 100 years after I died in prison. Maybe this is a bit cynical of a viewpoint, but I remain unconvinced that this example is objectively different from the case where new evidence is turned up after a death sentence has been carried out.
I'd just like to hear one really good argument from one of the sides of the debate.
I read an article in the new yorker about a powerful prison "mafia" that sprang out of a white supremacist gang. They systematically murder and rape other inmates and have connections outside of prison walls that enable them to traffic drugs and even threaten the families of other inmates or former prisoners. It was fucking scary. Authorities haven't really done anything; a leading prosecuting lawyer is trying to take out the top leaders in an effort to cripple the gang; "he is seeking the death penalty even though it's unpopular" [paraphrased, not a direct quote]. Anyway why don't I just find the article. Ok I can't find it in my stack of old magazines. The article was called "The Brand
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Here's some choice excerpts from the interview that cuts to the heart of what you're getting at:
...authorities have tried to keep the Brand in check and then have found it hard to stop people who seem to have nothing to lose and are willing to kill with little hesitation in order to achieve their ends. Even in isolation they have been able to rely on codes to communicate and issue their orders to kill.
...there are instances where individuals come in as bank robbers or drug dealers and, after being socialized in the violent, apartheid world of prisons and the gangs there, are transformed into conscienceless killers.
Q: Assistant U. S. Attorney Gregory Jessner is seeking the death penalty for twenty-three of the forty people he indicted. How effective is the death penalty in deterring convicted killers who
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Comments 4
Rather than trying to argue for why it might be a bad idea, how about coming up with good reasons for having the death penalty? I don't know of any, offhand.
Reply
I'd just like to hear one really good argument from one of the sides of the debate.
Reply
Reply
Here's some choice excerpts from the interview that cuts to the heart of what you're getting at:
...authorities have tried to keep the Brand in check and then have found it hard to stop people who seem to have nothing to lose and are willing to kill with little hesitation in order to achieve their ends. Even in isolation they have been able to rely on codes to communicate and issue their orders to kill.
...there are instances where individuals come in as bank robbers or drug dealers and, after being socialized in the violent, apartheid world of prisons and the gangs there, are transformed into conscienceless killers.
Q: Assistant U. S. Attorney Gregory Jessner is seeking the death penalty for twenty-three of the forty people he indicted. How effective is the death penalty in deterring convicted killers who ( ... )
Reply
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