General Discussion

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts) Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:30 AM Jun 2014

Just abolish the death penalty and put an end to this medieval barbarity.

Ohio's top court has agreed to hear arguments that the country's only survivor of a botched lethal injection would face cruel and unusual punishment and double jeopardy if the state again attempts to put him to death.

.....

His 2009 execution was stopped by then-Gov. Ted Strickland after an execution team tried for two hours to find a suitable vein. Broom has said he was stuck with needles at least 18 times, with pain so intense that he cried and screamed.

An hour into the execution, the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction recruited a part-time prison doctor with no experience or training with executions to try — again, unsuccessfully — to find a vein.

.....

Broom suffered more than inmates during "a normal execution," meaning a second attempt would punish him twice for the same offense, defense attorneys Tim Sweeney and Adele Shank told the state Supreme Court in a May 2012 filing. "Any effort to execute Broom a second time will necessarily repeat at least some part of the pain he has already endured, and that he can only be required to endure one time, thus punishing him twice for the same offense," they said.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ohio-court-weigh-repeat-execution-attempt-23973682

Yes, this guy's crime (rape and murder of a 14-year old girl) was horrible. And he undoubtedly deserves a worse fate than being stuck with needles multiple times in his body over a 2 hour period. But the point is that we are supposed to be better than him, and most of the civilized world long ago moved on from the "eye for an eye" approach. I just find it disgusting that the state of Ohio has attorneys arguing in court that this process should be repeated over again.

10 replies

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Highlight:

Just abolish the death penalty and put an end to this medieval barbarity. (Original Post) Nye Bevan Jun 2014 OP

We don't kill all of them, but those few we do have to be... TreasonousBastard Jun 2014 #1

Why would you deny our nation its bloodthirsty revenge porn? Orrex Jun 2014 #2

K&R redqueen Jun 2014 #3

We are the only developed country still using that barbaric, medieval practice today. sabrina 1 Jun 2014 #4

Japan isn't a developed country? (n/t) Spider Jerusalem Jun 2014 #10

my choice.. no capital punishment Leme Jun 2014 #5

I support the DP only in one circumstance Prophet 451 Jun 2014 #6

I'm all for abolishing rjj621 Jun 2014 #7

In Massachusetts the sentence for first degree murder is fixed by law at life without parole. Nye Bevan Jun 2014 #9

I keep on asking the question, SheilaT Jun 2014 #8

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)

1. We don't kill all of them, but those few we do have to be...

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:42 AM

Jun 2014

killed painlessly. And in private.

Ridiculous. Just stop killing them.

Orrex

(63,173 posts)

2. Why would you deny our nation its bloodthirsty revenge porn?

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:48 AM

Jun 2014

Surely the hallmark of any advanced civilization is the self-righteousness with which it gleefully kills its prisoners.

redqueen

(115,103 posts)

3. K&R

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:51 AM

Jun 2014

I wish at least more democrats agreed. We just arent a very progressive country

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)

4. We are the only developed country still using that barbaric, medieval practice today.

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 11:53 AM

Jun 2014

What was the saying about being careful not to become the monsters we are fighting?

But we are in the good company of many of our allies. The Saudis, eg.

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

10. Japan isn't a developed country? (n/t)

Reply to sabrina 1 (Reply #4)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 03:21 PM

Jun 2014

Leme

(1,092 posts)

5. my choice.. no capital punishment

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 12:08 PM

Jun 2014

unless a particular person was convicted. And Congress approved the death penalty of this one person, and the President, and the Supreme court, and 2/3 of the states in a referendum all agreed.

Prophet 451

(9,796 posts)

6. I support the DP only in one circumstance

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 01:30 PM

Jun 2014

That is, I support it when we have absolute proof of guilt (that is, the kind of plethora of conclusive evidence from multiple sources that convicted, say, Richard Rameirez). If there is even the slightest doubt, the DP should not be used. That said, the number of cases which achieve that level of certainty are so few that I would not shed a single tear if the US outlawed the DP.

I also think that once we master suspended animation, this debate goes away. Then we can just freeze the offender, warehouse the block of ice and, if it turns out we were wrong, we can thaw them out and apologise.

rjj621

(103 posts)

7. I'm all for abolishing

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 02:03 PM

Jun 2014

the death penalty but in cases where the death penalty is typically considered we need to make sure those convicted never get out of prison, I'm even for bringing back the chain gang. There is no rehabilitation for someone who would rape and murder a child or rape and bury alive. Personally I think an easy death compared to what they did to their victim is too good for them. Lock them up, put them to work to help pay for their incarceration.

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)

9. In Massachusetts the sentence for first degree murder is fixed by law at life without parole.

Reply to rjj621 (Reply #7)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 03:20 PM

Jun 2014

And there is no death penalty there.

I am generally opposed to mandatory minimum sentences (especially for drug cases) but I don't have a problem with this law.

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

8. I keep on asking the question,

Reply to Nye Bevan (Original post)

Tue Jun 3, 2014, 02:40 PM

Jun 2014

How is it nearly every other first world country manages without the death penalty? Surely, if the death penalty is a deterrent, then murder rates in countries without it must be sky high? No? How bizarre is that.

I believe Japan is the only other first world country that kills prisoners.

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