Yet Another Death Penalty Thread

Given the advancement of DNA testing and the subsequent exonerations of numerous death row inmates, my once broad support for the death penalty has been narrowed to support for only those cases which are no-brainer, open-and-shut, air-tight cases. Some of you don't support the death penalty in any instance, and I respect your opinion. However, in my view, if ever anyone deserves it it's this guy:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-garslayings_24met.ART0.State.Edition1.4d7bf79.html

Two dollars. That's how much Demarius Cummings said he found in the pockets of two Christian-music producers whom his cousin James Broadnax, speaking in a separate jailhouse interview, admitted gunning down early Thursday in (Dallas suburb) Garland.

"I murdered both of them," said Mr. Broadnax, of Texarkana, Ark., referring to Matthew Butler, 28, and Stephen Swan, 26. "No hesitation or nothing." The motive, both men said, was money.

On Wednesday evening, the cousins took a train from Dallas to downtown Garland looking for people to rob, they said. "Let's just say, I was in a bind," Mr. Broadnax said. "I needed money. I needed a car. They were in the wrong spot at the wrong (expletive) time," he said of the victims. "They should have had their (expletive) at home."

Mr. Broadnax said he began the night expecting to take a life. "Somebody was going to get hit any way it went," he said. He scoffed when asked if he was sorry. "Do it look like I got remorse?" he said.

More at the link

Truly a senseless crime. At least one of them feels remorse. Mr. Broadnax, however, is a worthless piece of garbage. They got $2 and a 1995 Crown Victoria. They gave these interviews from jail on camera to the local news. I'm sure their public defenders were thrilled when they learned about that.

doubt works for me.

Insufferable asshole Mr. Broadnax may be, but I say he can remain a guest of the state for a long time.

It's all too easy to take a position on an issue and stick with it come hell or high water; to be able to evaluate your own views and to realize that, sometimes, they demand a reconsideration, is a hallmark of progressive thinking, even moreso than any particular position on an issue.

I would still go one step further and assert that capital punishment is wrong in every instance, no matter how dearly the individual may seem to deserve it. Even the despicable human being whom you describe.

If a person is removed from society and has been rendered incapable of causing further harm, then we have no justification for his or her execution.

Re: "If a person is removed from society and has been rendered incapable of causing further harm, then we have no justification for his or her execution."

My only caveat there comes when I hear about the possibility of someone who was sentenced to life in prison possibly being released from prison. The most recent example of this is Sharon Tate of the Manson family. There were more than a few http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3351572">DUers who had the attitude that she's no longer a threat to society, so we should release her from prison in her dying days. I find that view to be extremely disrespectful of victims' friends and family. If I could be certain that those sentenced to life in prison would truly serve a life sentence, I might be okay with abolishing the death penalty.

And, alas, it's the nearly invincible argument against my position on the issue.

Absent the use of capital punishment, it seems to me that any crime that would have carry a sentence of death should carry a sentence of life without parole (barring mitigating or exonerating evidence found at a later date, of course).

But as long as "life without parole" can turn into "a decade or so, and then you're out," it's just about impossible to argue for the abolition of state executions.

and the hell that prison life is.

Punishment is living in a military state, with few rights. Every waking moment, you look over your shoulder. You're tense every second waiting to be targeted for one thing or another. Even in your sleep there's no real rest. You have few choices and very, very few pleasures.

Prison is punishment.

I'm not finding fault with it.

in other words, is it beyond a reasonable doubt, or beyond ALL doubt? And how would you define that?

The fact is that for every case that is "open and shut", and involves the death penalty, there are plenty more people who were convicted on circumstantial evidence, unreliable witness testimony, etc. Just because one guy is absolutely known to be guilty doesn't negate the fact that most people on death row weren't convicted with that type of certainty.

Reasonable doubt to find guilt.
No doubt to sentence to death.

Notable names of those eligible:
David Berkowitz
Ted Bundy
Jeffery Dahmer
John Wayne Gacy
Henry Lee Lucas
Danny Rolling
Wayne Williams
Aileen Wuornos


Side note: In Brazil you can sentenced for no more than 30 years. No matter the crime. WOW!!!

nor is the strength of such evidence actually used, usually its the nature of the crime, any past offenses the accused has committed in the past and other circumstances that determine sentencing.

ON EDIT: Note this is what is "Generally" true, some states actually don't allow the death penalty in when circumstantial cases are heard, but this is generally rare.

Yes, they will do horrible and unspeakably bad things. That's a given. It has always been thus.

What are *our* standards about taking lives? My feeling is that it should be that we don't lower ourselves to it.