The simple reason executions are less frequent is because it's cheaper for the states to just keep these guys in jail for life than have to pay for all the appeals automatically given to a prisoner who receives a death sentence. It's the money, stupid.

Less frequent execution simply means we're getting caught up

From the article:

Concerns remain about: the disproportionate number of blacks executed; the statistical reality that the death penalty is more likely to be meted out if the victim is white; and the increasing number of death-row inmates exonerated by evidence of their innocence.

Some 129 inmates facing death have been released because they are innocent over the past 35 years, but the rate of exoneration has accelerated this decade.

These two paragraphs alone should give the most ardent death penalty supporter, reason to pause.

Only 10 states still doing executions. It's a good start, but that's 10 too many.

Hopefully, Texas can execute enough to make up for all the rest

These two paragraphs alone should give the most ardent death penalty supporter, reason to pause.

Not when it's a family member who was murdered or raped. There is nothing that will make them pause but justice, and justice is NOT life in prison. The death penalty should be an option, just like abortion should be.

There is nothing that will make them pause but justice, and justice is NOT life in prison.

ridiculous. In Europe, for example, there is no death penalty. Yet people don't go around killing each other in nearly the amounts seen in the US. What is stopping them?

In Europe, for example, there is no death penalty.

Why do you fucking liberals bring up the pants pissing capital of the world? We are NOT europe and we will never be. If you like it so much, dont let the fucking door hit you in the ass...

" The death penalty should be an option, just like abortion should be."

You can see why I feel ambivalence over this guy. Reproductive rights, sure. If offing the killer or rapist brings the victim back (even restores her chastity) I'd consider it. Executions are NOT justice, they're simple vengeance. Even this appalling supreme court says that even for appalling child rapists the appalling death penalty is too much. But I'm glad you're not a fetal rightist, Bro Bo. herm

OOPs. misread the post,Sorry Boaz.

despite what you lefties think, the death penalty is not about justice or rehabiltation or any feel good stuff you people insist on spouting, all that thinking does is get more people killed.It is about revenge and making absolutely sure this person never does anything like that again. The best way to ensure that is that they stop breathimg

OOPs. misread the post,Sorry Boaz.

????????????

What did you think it read? ROTFLMAO!!

I was getting ready for a good debate!

It is about revenge and making absolutely sure this person never does anything like that again. The best way to ensure that is that they stop breathimg

I would have to say you are correct billy..

Why do you fucking liberals bring up the pants pissing capital of the world?
Can't speak for the others, but I live there.

We are NOT europe and we will never be.
Avoiding the question, as all righties have to do in the end. WHY DONT WE KILL EACH OTHER LIKE YOU LOT?

pants pissing capital of the world?
*HA HA HA, look at you lot. A few dead in a terrorist attack, and Pampers has a field-day. Boo-hoo boo-hoo - we got killed.

Maybe we in europe 'piss our pants' at the thought of War, 'cos we know the effects more than the US ever can.

What did you think it read?

Er, the post is a bit ambivalent. Wasn't sure if the them means family of victim, or killer.

You know if those people that are charged with carrying out the executions were to perform the same execution without the State sanctioning them. They would face the same conviction as the one who they were charged to kill. Ironic Don'tcha think??

Larry

"Executions are NOT justice, they're simple vengeance"

Vengeance is also justice. Society evening the score.

You don't like it? Then commit your capital crime in a state with no death penalty. When human debris commits a heinous crime in Texas, or another DP state, they get what they are asking for --- next time rape and murder a child in Massachusetts, and you're set for life.

"but the rate of exoneration has accelerated this decade."

Amazing how so many on Death Row refuse the DNA tests that would prove their innocence. They will file appeals until the switch throws, but not take a test

Maybe we in europe 'piss our pants' at the thought of War, 'cos we know the effects more than the US ever can.

Besides the aussie's, you brits are the only european's with balls. That said, if the U.S. didnt know as much as it did about war, all of you would be speaking german now and saluting a big poster of hitler. Without war, the weak would not have a voice. The strong will always win. In our culture today, most of the world is weak, with someone else fighting their battles.

and you're set for life.

If it was solitary confinement and NutriLoaf I'd consider that punishment enough. But the poor darlings want red jello. I say why bother with coloring in any case. Why aren't they growing their own food. Do away with the exercise yard and give everyone of them a plot to grow food. Their own food. You could get some sweet talking horticulturist to teach classes so they'd all want to attend those lectures, and let her grade them so they'll want to please her, and - by the way - have something to eat.

They'd be the healthier for it. But lock down the sociopaths and let 'em go stir crazy for the harm they've done. It's a sure ticket to Hell.

That said, if the U.S. didnt know as much as it did about war, all of you would be speaking german now and saluting a big poster of hitler.

Imagine that, a righty forgetting who did the heavy lifting in the defeat of the Nazis.

Monday, May 9, brings us the sixtieth anniversary of the defeat of Nazism in Europe. I remember the first VE Day in 1945, sitting on my father's shoulders on the side of some London street, watching the tanks rumble by and a soldier in a tin hat popping up and down in the hatch.

Each time May 9 rolls around Americans have to be reminded who did most of the fighting and who bore most of the losses. In 1944 the Allied forces commanded by Eisenhower faced 53 German divisions in western Europe. The Red Army had to deal with 180 German divisions in the east. The US lost about 400,000 in its armed forces, Britain, 260,000. Historians have been revising upwards Soviet military deaths, to a level as high as 14 million and beyond, with estimates of civilian casualties ranging from 7 to 20 million.

You can say and many do that many among these millions died because Stalin's generals were willing to sacrifice division upon divisions in order to obey the schedules demanded by a psychotic tyrant. True no doubt, but that doesn't alter the sacrifice or the immensity of the numbers lost on the eastern front in the defeat of fascism, or the fact that it was the Soviet Union that played the prime role in defeating Hitler.

The Soviet's lost that many fighting for Russia. Germany had invaded Russia. I'm sure if someone invaded mainland USA, many millions would die defending her...

Get Bush and Gonzo back to Texas quick. They'll get the rate up again in no time. It's all either of them are any fucking use for. If you like executing people, that is, especially the mentally incompetent and those with drunk lawyers.

Why do you fucking liberals bring up the pants pissing capital of the world? We are NOT europe and we will never be.
Posted by boaz

Agreed. 110%.

Acts of violence by the mentally challenged and crimes of passion between citizens are not worthy of a death sentence. Serial killers like Ted Bundy excepted.

Acts of treason, like spying for a foriegn country (Walkers, Hanssen, et al), conspiring to overthrow a President (Prescott), trading missiles for hostages and cocaine for machine guns behind Carter and Congresses back (#41), killing 1 million Iraqis and 4300 Americans for no damn good reason (#43). These are capital offenses, unlike consensual sex.

"Amazing how so many on Death Row refuse the DNA tests that would prove their innocence"

How many Death Row inmates refused the test Vernon?

Could it be that someone who believes they were falsely convicted and sat on death row for 15 years or longer might not trust "the system".

Yep, those pesky needles are cruel and unusual punishment. No human should have to endear a needle in the arm.

crimes of passion between citizens are not worthy of a death sentence

I disagree. If a boyfriend of my daughter kills her because she is dating someone else, he deserves to die, by my hand or the state, whichever comes first...

The death penalty is actually a two-fer. It is both justice in the tradition of the Code of Hammurabi and a deterrent to others who would commit an act deserving of such penalty. The problem with the death penalty isn't that it is cruel, because the people executed do not deserve compassion. The problem is that IT ISN'T CRUEL ENOUGH. We should abandon the needles in favor of guillotines, firing squads, gallows and Old Sparky. Not only that, but it should be TELEVISED ON PAY-PER-VIEW. And shown in high school classes as a free service. Imagine the deterrent effect on some kid who's planning a gangland driveby that night of watching some other former banger getting his noggin lopped off. No cushy cell, no book deals, no TV specials, just a quick and vicious death without honor.
And for those of you who espouse the sunshiny goodness of Europe, turn your eyes to Saudi Arabia and see what the crime rate is there. Practically zero. Why? Thieves lose a hand, murderers lose their head. People are AFRAID to break the law. I'm not saying the Saudi's are pillars of morality by my standards, but they sure have justice figured out.

Any who feels that killing or war is a sign of "having balls" (to quote Boaz) is so immature and stupid that it defies credulity.

"And for those of you who espouse the sunshiny goodness of Europe, turn your eyes to Saudi Arabia and see what the crime rate is there."

Yeah. Good idea. Let's emulate Saudi Arabian gov't and legal traditions. It's how all the "patriots" seem to think this season. It's the new black.

Hey, we need to increase executions to reduce the carbon dioxide output (you know, that terrible gas that green plants (using chlorophyll) utilize to produce oxygen. Then again, the oxygen is bad because it is an 'oxidant'. Damn, no matter what we do it's bad. Best those so worried about the environment eliminate themselves to make things better for the rest of us - lol.

MSGT-
Since the international communications of US citizens can be wholesale monitored even retroactively without a warrant by the gov't, and the next president will have that power as well, have you ever wondered how many poster from overseas were involved in discussions on these boards?

Go 'W'!, MSGT

Boaz

Premeditated murder is not the same as a crime of passion. Crimes of passion incur regret and are rarely repeated. They do not constitute a threat to public health and safety, nor does execution right the wrong.

I wouldn't say the death penalty is never called for but it should never be carried out on flimsy evidence or for the sake of revenge. More often than not a life sentence is worse punishment, and cheaper too.

Besides the aussie's, you brits are the only european's with balls. That said, if the U.S. didnt know as much as it did about war, all of you would be speaking german now and saluting a big poster of hitler. Without war, the weak would not have a voice. The strong will always win. In our culture today, most of the world is weak, with someone else fighting their battles.
POSTED BY BOAZ

The Russian Red Army won against the Germans (with 10 million KIA),
The US military was of some help, not more. The Red Army would have won without any American involvement. But ok, if it makes you happy: The US military is the best, the US Americans are the bravest people in the world, we are all pussies compared to this ubermenschen.

"Besides the aussie's, you brits are the only european's with balls"

Since when are Aussies Europeans?

Since when are Aussies Europeans?

I never said the aussies were europeans, I said besides the aussies. But I think of austrailia being a british colony so that is where I get that from. Sorry...

Premeditated murder is not the same as a crime of passion.

And killing someone because they are dating someone else isnt a crime of passion? Finding out your girlfriend is dating someone else can lead to a crime of passion. Look, I am not going to get in definitions here, but if a family member of mine gets killed violently other than a car wreck, I want the option of the Death Penalty. That is justice for me. May not be for you, but we are different americans..

The big problem with the death 'penalty' is prisons are BIG BUSINESS. Run by corporations with lobbyists. We can't be killing lots of people who could be rotting in a cell earning the major shareholders a new yacht.

It's far more humane to put people down than keep them in a box until they die. We don't have the humanity to do what we'd do for a dog that bit the postman once too often. Would you lock the dog in a cage just big enough for the dog to lie down in for the rest of its natural life, or would you have it put down?

We could pick up the pace a bit by SWIFTLY executing the condemned. Say 30 days after the gavel strikes, you either die or join the regular prison population for life?

People who rape or kill in prison need to just be put down, too. No waiting, just move straight to the head of the line!

Three strikes law? Why not simply snuff 'em instead of dumping them in a prison 'forever'?

Illegal aliens who commit infamous crimes need to die. Period. Doesn't matter where you came from, if you commit murder, rape, kidnapping, arson, build a bomb, etc. you get a fair trial, and if you lose, then we kill you. You didn't bother to fill out the right form and wait in line before you came, we won't bother with any 'appeals'. Straight to the lethal injection table with you.

While we're at it, every single prison cell should come equipped with a functional noose securely attached to the ceiling. Some problems can take care of themselves.

As far as 'innocent' people, we all die someday. Even if exonerated, your life is basically done after you've been in prison. Want a job? Fill out this application! Once the prospective employer sees 'prison' on the form, you're out. Doesn't matter if you got a full pardon from the governor and Oprah gave you a big hug.

What with the Republicunts in the minority of course there are fewer executions. Those white guys spent their few days in the sun happily building prisons and executing people.

What is the purpose of eating the meal?

If it were me, I would be taking my last shit, and it wouldn't be pretty.

Not when it's a family member who was murdered or raped. There is nothing that will make them pause but justice, and justice is NOT life in prison.

Posted by boaz

We'll let you know when we want the most emotional and irrational among us making these important decisions you idiot.

But for now, we are trying to keep a lid on the most hysterical Americans.

This argument, 'What if it happened to your loved one?'-- is the perfect evidence that Capitol Punishment in nothing more than vindictive revenge. We are supposed to be more civilized than that, but with the likes of Boaz in society, we will never progress.

HEY: "Executions" are neither revenge nor justice. Executions are barbaric. Executions are murders of murderers (mostly) so that We The People in return become murderers. Surely any country that kills its captives will have no compunction about torturing them. herm

"Without war, the weak would not have a voice. The strong will always win. In our culture today, most of the world is weak, with someone else fighting their battles."

Not even Boa Ass, who does reveal certain - er - shortcomings in education, can seriously believe that anyone ever fights for the weak. WE, Bro Bo, fight AGAINST the weak and grab their oil. No one, anywhere, ever goes to war because someone else is picked on. I include American slaves of the 19th century. herm

"...the pants pissing capital of the world? We are NOT europe..."

Er, do you think "europe" is a city or a country?

"No human should have to endear a needle in the arm."

The Right is in fine rhetorical shape this morning." herm