Author Topic: Thoughts anyone? (Read 461 times)

SaburoS · « **on:** January 11, 2003, 05:26:27 PM »

Republican Gov. Ryan clears Illinois' Death Row

Wow, a Republican Governor against the Death Penalty? (checking outside to see if any farm animals are flying around)

Thoughts anyone? If a similar situation happened in your state, would you be for or against your Governor?

Curval · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2003, 05:41:51 PM »

Given all the recent advances in DNA analysis and the fact that finger print evidence is being called into question I think that the politicians are all being careful now who they allow to die during their term.

Looks bad on the old resume if you put an innocent person to death. It also might cost the state a pretty penny or two.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2003, 05:58:28 PM »

thry've found that a huge percentage of these conictions are just plain wrong. it's the only sane thing to do.

that's one of the big problems with the death penalty, it's pretty much impossible to fix your mistakes.

Airhead · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2003, 06:06:18 PM »

SaburoS, maybe logic outweighs politics occasionally. As long as the requirements for conviction of a capital crime are set as guilt beyond a REASONABLE doubt instead of guilt beyond a SHADOW OF a doubt mistakes will be made.

Logic would dictate that, in light of the possibility of condemning an innocent person, we simply abolish the death penalty. Life in prison- ESPECIALLY a prison where William Shatner's Greatest Hits are played on the intercom 24 hours a day- can be much worse than death anyway.

Kieran · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2003, 06:07:34 PM »

Fry the convict, burn the records. No lawsuits.

Tarmac · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2003, 06:38:38 PM »

We touch on a lot of death penalty issues in my criminal justice classes, and we've been following these issues since Ryan issued a moratorium on executions in Illinois pending investigation of the system. We'll definately be talking about this in class on Monday.

Like Airhead said, the standard of proof in a criminal case is "beyond a reasonable doubt," not without doubt. As long as this is the case, I can't support a death sentance that isn't 100% sure it's got the right person. Even if the standard of proof were "without a doubt," I don't know if I'd believe that the system was getting guilty, evil people every time.

I commend the governor for standing up and doing what he believes is morally right.

"It is better to risk saving a guilty man than to condemn an innocent one." - Voltaire

whgates3 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2003, 08:54:50 PM »

criminals going free is the price paid for allowing police to act outside the law - in this case they're not going free, just switched sentence to life w/out parole. they must be jumping for joy. now they get years of torture followed by death from what passes for natural causes inside a prison

Holden McGroin · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2003, 07:51:37 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by whgates3
criminals going free is the price paid for allowing police to act outside the law - in this case they're not going free, just switched sentence to life w/out parole. they must be jumping for joy. now they get years of torture followed by death from what passes for natural causes inside a prison

Death by Bunga Bunga

funkedup · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2003, 08:12:24 AM »

Death Penalty is great.
Killing innocent people sucks.

lord dolf vader · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2003, 08:22:09 AM »

the system is screwed originaly it was a good idea. now its a conglomeration of stupid actions leading to often random result.

needs to be rethought. law is just weird now and i dont believe it was intended to be that way. in fact im shure it wasent.

Gunthr · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2003, 10:09:17 AM »

Governor Ryan threw out the baby with the bathwater...

Tarmac · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2003, 12:12:53 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Holden McGroin
Death by Bunga Bunga

Wow, haven't heard that one in ages. LMAO.

Ping · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2003, 01:29:39 PM »

Stupid Canadian joins the fray:

Ryan has just forced the issue of reforms for a system he has been trying to deal with for some time.
Doesn't look like he threw the baby out. Seems hes just done something to save the critically ill patient.

Eagler · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2003, 03:31:46 PM »

he must have located their Minority Reports