Why does killing someone for murder have to be "painless"?

People, usually strangers that the crime does not affect, tend to forget the reason why a person is on death row. Three injections or one--if it's cheaper-okay; if it's not and it's a switch in order to be "more humane"...well, I'm tired of being even "humane" to the "inhumane"!

I say the inmate should suffer the same fate as the victim. Put them to death the same way they killed the victim.

One .45 slug at point-blank range to the back of the head is painless and cheap.

a sledge hammer to the head is cheaper as you could reuse the hammer.

A large dose of herion is painless, and more humane, and very simple. Drug overdose deaths are common and also cheap. If worried about pain, a herion overdose will submit extreme pleasure before death.

A large dose of herion is painless, and more humane, and very simple. Drug overdose deaths are common and also cheap. If worried about pain, a herion overdose will submit extreme pleasure before death.

The issue that face Ohioans is the cost for such a punishment. 28 million per convict to execute versus 7 milion for life without parole. Ohioans should look away from feeding the appeals process and think of a better way to use that 21 million for making their community better. Some counties in Ohio cannot afford to even prosecute a death penalty case (and taxes have been raised in some Texas towns over the decision to seek death penalty).

I do not see the value of death penalty. Once the murderer is in prison for life without parole, that person is out of society forever (and my tax dollars are better used).

I think the ancient Chinese had it right. Death by 1000 cuts. Maybe the fear of a horrific forced death will cut down on homicides throughout the country

Actually,the price of rope is quite reasonable,
and there is no secret to a swift, effective
hanging. I should like to see it televised. There
is no shame in displaying the final act of justice.Plus, the condemned have no right to die
with any pretense of dignity. I, for one, will
happily pay for the rope.

The condemned has no right to die with dignity.
A proper hanging, preferably televised, should
solve the problem easily. After all, rope is
cheap, and I volunteer to buy the first one.

The humane shelter here uses "Starting Fluid" (Ether)to put stray animals to sleep, its an anesthetic thats painless and calms the animal into a deep sleep that they don't wake up from.

I'd be willing to donate a couple of cases to the corrections department if asked............

Hang them high...

.38 bullet. 12.00 cardboard box. 100.00 to dig hole. Total cost = $112.38. Who gives a shit if they feel pain! Their victims must have felt extreame pain while dying!!!

The comments above lead me to conclude that we no longer live in a civilized society. Yes, murderers, rapists, child molesters, and the like are all reprehensible monsters at best. But salivating over the thought of taking their lives accomplishes nothing more than lowering ourselves to their level.

yes make the time fit the crime that is as it should be forever is forever death with honor? come on now what kind of honor do murderers give thier victims?

It is a shame that we are so worried about how a murderer will feel pain at his/her Execution. They need to feel the same pain that their victims felt. Hanging would be a great way to get rid of them. It should be publicly telivised also. Then maybe people that saw this would think twice before robbing, rapeing, or killing someone. I am for giving them all the pain in the world! KILL THEM SLOWLY, as their victims felt!

28 million to execute? where are you getting those numbers?

I wonder if these murderers worried if their victims felt pain at their last moments of life. The victims did not get to die with dignity.

Hang 'em high!

Left wing comments like the one Joe R. posted make me sick. It's fools like you that voted for the antichrist oboma, keep drinking the kool-aid fool. Remember when America was strong, and hard work was respected?

It's unfortunate that someone puts themselves in a situation that they need to be executed. I truely feel sorry for them, but they brought it on themselves and have to pay for their crime accordingly. Death is never pleasant, so a short period of suffering is part of the process. They only suffer at most a few minutes. Most of us when we go will not be so lucky.

Maybe the killer will be out of society with life in prison. BUT the victim is still dead. And they get to wake up every morning and still breath. And for the humane way, that is a f@@@ing joke. they didn't kill their victim in humane ways. they also should put it on TV. So all the bad asses can see first hand the reality if they kill someone. to save millions of tax payers dollars is real simple, If they plead guilty they can get leathal injection.( 1 or 3 drugs, who really cares!) if they don't and go through a trial, then they get stoned to death their choice.

Why is it we Spend so much time and money.On something we know is already Jacked up? WE don't take care of our old and sick,Yet we can spend Alot of money getting rid of the trash in our sociaty.Old Yeller didn't die he was shot.If i had the choice I would spend that 28 million on the man that worked for the last 40 Years that now can't afford health insurance.and is now eating cat food.Something to look forward to.

I agree with most,a rope is cheap.Do you think that the murderer was concerned if he was humane or not.If the act was painless? I think not.

So we change all death inmates to life in prison??
Well people your tax dollars pays fo their food,T.V. books,Etc. They should be allowed only one appeal,and it has to be done within a one year period. If not overturned then that's it!!!!!
Put them to death

The death penalty works! How many Women has Ted Bundy killed lately! What about John Wayne Gacy? I rest my case.

the US used to have public hangings. and it was a definite crime deterrent. rope is cheap. our lawmakers are debating healthcare for working people because of the expense. but how many billions/trillions are spent on the judicial system, not to mention the wall street criminals that are still in their high towers. with the use of DNA evidence guilty verdicts are very accurate. grant one appeal, as per the constitution. then find a long tall tree, a short piece of rope, and provide a swift and quick judgement. put in on pay per view, like the MMA or UFC and help pay for public defenders and the prison industrial complex. simple and efficient.

The ignorance and lack of thought in this debat amazes me. Everyone can be a tough guy when you don't have to get up in front of people and justify your "hard on crime a$$e$" One appeal, a .45 to the back of the head etc, you have really thought it out folks. What if that person is innocent? Its irrevokable people. And don't give me the Ted Bundy stuff, I am talking about the death penalty in general.

If you support the death penalty answer ONE question - How do you justify the execution of even ONE innocent person?

Ask the little girl that piece of shit raped and killed if she felt any pain............... now justify that!

It is a shame that people murder others; thank God most Americans can possess firearms to defend themselves against this type of criminal. With this in mind, these criminals should rarely make it to court. Police are around to enforce laws, and they cannot protect you personally around the clock; they will tell you this themselves. This is why the police are always on the scene AFTER a murder, rape, etc. The killers prey on women, children, and the murder is usually in conjunction with another crime. Teach your women and children how to use a firearm, arm them, and keep your own guard up. Many, not all of these murderers headed for death row will get instant justice for the crime they are committing. Down South, we don't have near the crime that goes on in "Gun Free" areas. Protect yourself and your family and refuse to be a victim. Quit electing gun-grabbing politicians, and if the killer does make it to court and does receive the death penalty, carry it out as the law provides, this person chose to put themselves in the position of being executed, and should repent, and accept the punishment. If they truly repented, they will be with God; if not they go to Hell, again another choice we all have to make. Anyway, we here on Earth would be rid of these predators. The killers should be ready to accept 3 drugs, one drug, the electric chair, etc. They should ask themselves before committing the crime "Am I ready to, and want the state to take my life"?

I think that some of the people making violent comments seem to be a step closer to becoming killers themselves. The death penalty is a lesson in contradiction as the state lets the people know that it's killing people because it's wrong to kill people. The cycle of violence feeds on itself.

We need death penalty reform in this country! For it to be cheaper to house an inmate in a maximum security prison for life, then to put him to death is a gross injustice and why do we as a society continue to support it? I realize that we need to make certain that we do not execute an innocent person but when a jury hands down a death sentence I believe that the time to actually sentencing the criminal should be limited to a year or less. If the condemned wishes for an appeal then they should have to pay for it. If they are indigent then their family should pay for it. Why should the American public have to foot the bill? We need reform and we need it now!

by they way is has been estimated that about 90% of the population are for the death penalty adn 10% are not. Of those 10% that are against, they are 90% of the voices you hear about the subject. No one can support the execution of an innocennet person.(responding to an earlier comment)But how can one justifity allowing someone who is obviously guilty to live10+ more years in the appeals process at a tune of about 50,000 a year. Take that Sowells guy in Cleveland. He needs his trial expedited and need to be executed by Jan 1st. He his proof about how soft he are on people and how rehabilitation rarely works. for those of you who are for that how can you justifiy that 13+ TRULY INNOCENNT people are dead???? ANSWER THAT

Why do they wipe the inmates arms and injection sites with an alcohol pad. They need not worry any from catching a infection haha.

drowning them by tying a rock to their legs and sinking them in the marianas trench would be cheapest and provide sustenance for some very strange looking fish.

Wow. Nothing like this subject to bring out the best in people. The law is not written to provide a vehicle for your barbaric need for vengence, it is meant to require punishment by death. End of story. I'm all for the executions, but finding ways to *increase* the cruelty diminishes you and makes you no better than the criminal you propose to "teach a lesson."

Deuteronomy 19;19 you must also do to him just as he had schemed to do to his brother,and you must clear away what is bad from your midst. 20.so those who remain will hear and be afraid,and they will never again do anything bad like this in your midst. 21. And your eye should not feel sorry;soul will be for soul, eye for eye,tooth for tooth,hand for hand ,foot for foot. the BIBLE says it all !

It would seem the death penalty is not a deterrent in stopping capitol crimes. The way our justice system works a person will be on death row for many years before they are excecuted. Perhaps if hangings were again made public it might work but the way human nature is I doubt it would be 100% effective.

to all you people who think it cruel to put a killer to death, imagin the last thing the victims saw before they died now imagine yourself in their place justice is what our country was founded on we take to long to put these animals down and when we do the media has a field day
they were found guily beyond a shawdow of doubt
they were feed their last meal and given their last rights and then they are put to death
end of story not revenge JUSTIC

Public hangings are cheap. they should be televised and open to the public and the liberal media should be required to braodcast it. Terrorist such as the Major at Ft. Hood,TX should also be hanged in public. I for one would like to see them suffer, the criminal element in this nation had no concern for the feelings of there victims. The Gitmo prisoners should recieve the same fate.

Americans should also hang them and use them for organ transplants this could help solve another problem facing our nation. This could solve the over population of our prisons,

my thuoghts are that they should put these murders and rapist in a empty room with no cameras and let the victims or there family members in the room and if let the familys decide if these scum should live or die if there still alve when the familys come out then they get life in prison if not then dump them in a hole and cover them up

In the beginning, our founding forefathers conceived of a brave new world. They acknowledged the matter of fact, that if captured, they would be hanged, drawn, & quartered for acts of high treason amongst their British peers. With the assistance of King Louis XVI, (beheaded for being a crowned head of state), our forefathers abolished the debtors prisons, and judgements deemed cruel and unusual against those convicted of crimes. These men knew that society as a whole, is judged by the way it treats its elderly and sick. Wanting to rebuke all state religious practices, the eye for an eye punishment laws, such as those in Saudi Arabia & Iran, have been abolished. Lest we forget, more people like 'Scooter' Libby will continue to be pardoned.

I believe that all violent offenders should be together and non-violent in a separate place. For the violent offenders, no segregation at all. No death row, no separate places for gang members. All ahould be in the open yard and let nature take its course! Just as it did for Jeffrey Dahmer!!

"kill'em all, who cares"
wolfman

will killing another person bring anyone back?? If it did I would like to know when.
I heard several family member of the murdered speak against the death penalty. As one man said, taking the like of these two young people will not do a thing for me, it will only bring more grief to their parents.

Two things:

1. The crime rate in the most heavily armed areas in the South is higher than the North -- particularly the high execution state of Texas.

2. I'm only one moment of rage from being a murderer; so are all of you. Murderers are not some different species. We have met the murderer, and it is us. I get tired of name-calling pretty quick.

one word: guillotine

Let the victims family have them all alone in a sound proof room with numerous items of pain, Then let them die as the family wishes???? This equals JUSTICE, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL VIGILANTE...

how in hell can it cost 20 some million to exacute?

what would jesus do

You people make me sick. Let us analyze several things here.

1. The cost of a death penalty case results from the appeals process. Death penalty cases are always scrutinized to a higher degree than are life without parole sentences. That should not be so hard to understand.

2. The courts often get the answer wrong. This has been shown time and time again. The courts rely far too much on eye witness testimony to convict. Multiple studies have shown that eye witness evidence, despite humans' reliance on vision, is notoriously inaccurate and frequently subject to manipulation by police, friends, proescutors, etc. Even without manipulation, eye witness testimony is often affected by personal bias, memory, recall bias, etc. This type of testimony should be banned.

3. The average IQ of most juries in the U.S. is well below the average IQ of rest of the country. It is never a fail trial with justice being administered by peers. It is often a mockery of a legal process with rampant manipulation, lying (proescutor and defense alike), etc.

4. Most people don't kill because they are evil, there are often many environmental, emotional, and situational factors that lead otherwise normal people to commit atrocities. Just think of how many people participated in the Holocaust. If you are looking for hard evidence of this phenomnon and what to educate yourself before letting bias and personal prejudice cloud your judgement, I recommend a book called the Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo.

5. Finally, humanity should prevent all of you from ever wanting to see any living creature suffer. In the end, you are no better than the person being executed if you wish to inflict pain like that.

We kill them to get rid of them. Not to get revenge. I think it should be humane, and we should show these people as much love as possible beforehand. So what, they made a mistake. I'm not saying they should roam free. But they should be shown a little respect, just because they are human too.

Kill em' all...
Let God sort em' out...
You "Christians" out there should know that your God will find them guilty or innocent as necessary... and according to you He knows the truth...
If falsely accused, He will set it right...

that's just ridiculous. I refuse to believe that our government has really turned towards those bleeding heart liberals. I know there have been times when we wish others harm, but you know what ? that's the difference between Death Row inmates and us, we chose not to break the law. These people deserve to be punished. Honestly, I am opposed to the death penalty because it costs tax payers too much money. It is far crueler to re-educate a condemned man, let them live some sort of life, give them hope by allowing them the "Court of Appeals " and then killing them anyways. How unfair it is to put a man to sleep, paralize him from any sort of pain, and them stop his heart, YEAH ! Real cruel people. Unlike the victims..........These people at least know they are going to die. Sure, If I knew I was gonna die I would make peace with my maker too. I think right after conviction sentence should be carried out, wether it be a .44 to the back of the head or by hanging. There will always be criminals and murderers, but just because they eventually are put to death doesn't make them examples. ...... What the heck is wrong with this country ? Go to the Far East and see how they distibute justice.... They sure dont wait 10 or so years like we do....

It would be interesting to see the attitude of the college educated citizens compared to the rest. Face it, every way we cut it, half of us fall below the norm.
Ignorance and emotion are not an intelligent way to face these almost imponderable issues. The ignorant and uneducated seem to yell the loudest and the most often.
Much has been said that inceration for life is less expensive than execution under our laws. Why cant we simply go for life sentences and reopen such places as Alcatraz or other isolated islands to house the wrong-doers for life? Or some of the other places that provide secure isolation and let them live among themselves.
When We kill we become unidentifiable from the criminals. A professor of mine once said, "There is a very thin skin between what is right and what is wrong. Now in my retirement years, I realize what a powerfully correct the observation was. God, please help us. We certainly don't seem to be able to help ourselves.

LETS LOOK AT THIS IN A REASONABLE WAY.-- FIRST IF CONVICTED OF A MAJOR CRIME YOU GET ONE APPEAL AND IT HAS TO BE ANSWERED IN 90 DAYS--SECOND IF YOUR APPEAL IS DENIED AND YOU ARE GIVEN THE DEATH PENELTY YOU ARE TAKEN TO FLORIDA TAKEN TO THE EVERGLADES AND FED TO THE GATORS. NO COST TO THE STATE,AND THE GATORS HAVE BEEN FED,AND WE DONT HAVE TO SUPPORT A PRISONER FOR A LONG SPAN OF TIME AND THE MONEY WE SAVED CAN BE PUT TO USE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS

The main reason so many people are empathetic to the plight of the killers is because they have not lost anyone to these animals.They treat some of the condemned as though their in the process of curing CANCER and have some real value to society. truth be told,these same people who your heart cries out for would gleefully kill your entire family for a $20 high. I "TRULY" feel sorry for our country. we,ve become so weak minded we can,t even distinguish the true enemy at home or abroad.In closing,I,m in the 4th year of the "SENSELESS MURDER" of my 40 year old brother,father of three and G Dad of five

A 3 year old little girl in fla. mother duct taped her daughters mouth shut and cloroformed her to death. Sounds as sick as anything I've ever heard of. Duct taping the mother and throwing her in a wild hog pit would be a fitting execution for her. TERROR FOR TERROR punishment fits the crime.

What should be done to the US troops that kill in criminal ways. Should they get one or three injections? Or should they be killed in front of the whole family. An eye for an eye, just like in the Bible. Maybe we are no better than those of the far east! Killing is wrong. Bring the troops home!!!!

U take some one rape and burn up a house or car
2 cover up a crime. O they should die with no pain. what about the people they KILL. Let the punshmen fit crime. U put a needle in there arm an put them 2 sleep. That all what. Then U go 2
the family an say they been put 2 (sleep)so were good 2 go. Our job is done. Justic has been serve.

just kill them they only have to suffer one time they had the pleasure that they wanted now let them suffer one time to for the last time save some money for the living there going to be dead we spend enough money on criminals already lets get away from spending on them and help people recover thqt need the help

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth... that's nice, then the entire world can be blind and toothless! (I'm assuming that a good number of people that have commented already are toothless rednecks) Prison is not a vacation, the conditions are not enjoyable. It is the justice systems job to keep dangerous people off the street, not to exact the revenge so many of you seem to want. The United States is one of the last developed countries to even have the possibility of the death penatly. What does that say about us?

Devils Island. Drop 'em off on an island somewhere in the pacific a zillion miles from any other land. Give 'em seeds and a few farming implements. Patrol the surrounding waters with gunships. Let 'em fend for themselves. That's more than they gave their victims. You could have several islands; one for violent people, one for white collar, one for whatever. They exercised their own form of justice in society, let 'em form their own society apart from the rest of society. If they get uppity? Nuclear test site.

To mike; It says that we are chest beating fools ready to fight before talking. Same 'ol thing. I'm tough. Oh, yeah? I'm tougher. GRRRRR. Geez that hurts!
By the way, we're doomed. Too technologically advanced with not near enough wisdom. Animals with nukes.
Say goodbye, now.

I BELEIVE IN THE DEATH PENALITY. I FEEL THE CONVICT SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH, WHEN CONVICTED;I ALSO THINK THEY DO AS THE CHINESE DO. TAKE ONE SINGLE ROUND TO THE HEAD! YES,ROPE IS A GOOD ONE TOO. I HAVE "NO" CONCERN WHOM HAS RECEIVED THE DEATH PENALITY.
TOO MANY BLEEDING HEART LIBERALS SHOULD HAVE THE CREEPS STAY WITH THEM! YES,WHERE DO YOU GET 28 MILLION FOR A EXCUTION?
I THINK THE FRENCH HAD A GOOD IDEA,BEHEADEDING! WHAT EVER METHOD IS USED I'AM FOR IT! THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS BEEN READING TO MUCH INTO THESE DEATH CASES. "GETTER DONE"

I BELEIVE IN THE DEATH PENALITY. I FEEL THE CONVICT SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH, WHEN CONVICTED;I ALSO THINK THEY DO AS THE CHINESE DO. TAKE ONE SINGLE ROUND TO THE HEAD! YES,ROPE IS A GOOD ONE TOO. I HAVE "NO" CONCERN WHOM HAS RECEIVED THE DEATH PENALITY.
TOO MANY BLEEDING HEART LIBERALS SHOULD HAVE THE CREEPS STAY WITH THEM! YES,WHERE DO YOU GET 28 MILLION FOR A EXCUTION?
I THINK THE FRENCH HAD A GOOD IDEA,BEHEADEDING! WHAT EVER METHOD IS USED I'AM FOR IT! THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS BEEN READING TO MUCH INTO THESE DEATH CASES. "GETTER DONE"

First, I have been a cop for over 25 years, and have arrested several murderers. The majority of these murderers do not just snap. Their actions are thought out. Remember, murder requires specific intent, not general intent. One poster said we are all just one act away from committing a murder. This is patenetly false. There is absolutely no truth to that notion.

Those that say we should not execute muderers forget several things. First, the majority of muderers confess to their crimes, either directly to the police or through other parties. Second, DNA evidence for recent murders or during the appeals process for dated murder cases, almost always confirm the convicted party was involved in the murder. Third, a many murders are committed in prisons nad jails by convicted murderers. Since the majority of them already have Life Without Possibility of Parole (LWOP), would subsequent murder convictions require a another LWOP? Is that really a detterant? Finally, when a muderer is sent to prison on an LWOP, the state is actually saying the murder's life is worth more than that of the victim, or in many instances, the victims.

There is an island chain in the South Pacific that we used yo do nuclear testing. "The Marshall Islands". Drop them in, mine the perimeter, post vessels with lethal firepower, make a monthly airdrop of basic necessities, and say sayonara. Once you are in, you are on your own and don't come out. No further contact with the outside world, no gymnasiums, cable t.v.. Make it co-ed. Men and women alike. There they will be able to live like the savages they are. Liberals will always find fault with any method of punishment, but at least this way it takes death off the board. The cost would be a bare minimum for the taxpayer, far less than any current system...

The reason people want to excute criminals humainly,is so that the act of killing we put on them, does not equate with THEIR actions...not hard to understand, is it? If we have the dirty business of taking someone out of life, not just society by life in prison, it shoud be done painlessly, or we are little better than the criminal himself. I believe that the Death Penalty is warrented with some, very monstrous acts. But lets do it cleanly, without all the venom and trash talk.

Well said SJ, I myself find it hard to find the difference between vengence, revenge, and punishment. Obviously the death penalty is not a deterrent by any means. People commit horrible acts of violence on one another all the time. How many people are killed in the United States inside of 10 minutes, all day everyday? How about the world?
Yes, setting out with the intent to subject another human to cruel and painful deaths or any punishment is not a healthy mind set. No one is perfect. I find I have no sympathy for child molesters, rapists, violent murderers (thats assuming there is such a thing as a non-violent murder). I should in my heart forgive them of their sin, but I can not, and that is my sin to carry. Life in prison without parole, death by hanging, lethal drug cocktails, electric chair, or "feeding the gators" as one poster put it. It really makes no difference. We do need these people out of our society.
Many others have also posted comments about the costs, and you are right to do so. We should be spending more in this country on health care, on education, on all sorts of social reform. We will never eliminate the problem entirely, but just maybe we can do something to lower the amount of crime.

drawing and quatering always seemed like a good way to make someone really feel their victims pain!! the only argument i have in death penalty cases in this day of technology is that you better have the person on tape committing the crime or DNA evidence, once you have that game over!! and why do the accused get a 1000 appeals, yet the state gets none! we are way to soft on violent criminals in the country! ok, no death penalty i'll agree with only if you agree to let someone torture the convicted daily and make them wish they were dead!!

RadiTED ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC? GREAT IDEA. KING GEORGE III OF ENGLAND HAD A SIMILAR IDEA. I DO BELEIVE THAT IS HOW WE GOT THE STATE OF GEORGIA HERE IN THE GOOD OL' USA

Just more venom and trash talk,by tad, and others. I assume they dont hold office, or educate anyone..most certainly not. The cop,SJ didnt say he wanted these knot heads tortured, he said they should get the Death Penalty,and he intimated that they continue to cause problems in the system if they are not put to sleep. People that talk like Tad and others, make me wonder what their night life is like? do they have children? etc...trash talk is cheap, and executions are serious business. We make a statement something like this:"Your willfull disreagard for life, has caused us to make the decision that you will not be allowed to continue to live with us, in any way shape or form. We will end your life...to not have to deal with you any longer. We will end your life, without malice, but with the firm purpose of setting you as an example. We will end your life painlesly, because unlike you, we are operating from a civilized,humain view." All you tough talkers out there, dont talk like a criminal youself, if you want your words to have any impact.

If A treats B in a Criminal way, and out of vengence, C treats A in a criminal way..what is the difference between A and C?? Have some elevation to your judgement, or dont sit in judgement.

The $20+ mil comes from the increased cost of housing a death-row inmate compared to others, but mainly the open-ended seemingly unlimited pockets for defense attorneys to dip into. Personally, I think all points of appeal should be filed together, max of three years to file. If an attorney can't put one together in that length of time, he's either milking it, or incompetent. The method should be up to the victim's family. If the the family can't decide, euthanize the perps like the dogs they are.

The homicide rate in death-penalty free Europe is a fraction of that in a typical DP state. I live in MA (much derided on at least one post), and our homicide rate is less than 1/3 of that in Texas (to name one example). You can look it up. The rate in VT is even lower, and lower still in Canada. Why? I don't know why, but clearly if you want to reduce homicide, the big gains lie elsewhere than the DP and guns for one and all.

The countries belonging to the Council of Europe and the European Union have all abolished the death penalty. Some of them have also abolished life sentences without possibility of parole. These decisions were taken by the political elites with, obviously, the some countries following the lead of the first countries countries to abolish the death penalty. Most if not all of these countries would have retained the death penalty if the matter had been put to a popular referendum. But the elites felt that the question of life or death was too important to be put to the choice of the masses who, in general, were insufficiently sophisticated and humane (like their American counterparts as proven by some of the comments on this list) to oppose the death penalty on principle. The decision to end the death penalty, the European elites felt, could only legitimately be made by elites already opposed to it. Those in favor of the death penalty had no right to express an opinion. If the American political elite would think and act like their European (and their Canadian and Mexican) counterparts, the USA might also rid itself of the death penalty and life in prison without parole. We would then be a more humane and less hypocritical society.

Leland C. Barrows, PhD

The countries belonging to the Council of Europe and the European Union have all abolished the death penalty. Some of them have also abolished life sentences without possibility of parole. These decisions were taken by the political elites with, obviously, the some countries following the lead of the first countries countries to abolish the death penalty. Most if not all of these countries would have retained the death penalty if the matter had been put to a popular referendum. But the elites felt that the question of life or death was too important to be put to the choice of the masses who, in general, were insufficiently sophisticated and humane (like their American counterparts as proven by some of the comments on this list) to oppose the death penalty on principle. The decision to end the death penalty, the European elites felt, could only legitimately be made by elites already opposed to it. Those in favor of the death penalty had no right to express an opinion. If the American political elite would think and act like their European (and their Canadian and Mexican) counterparts, the USA might also rid itself of the death penalty and life in prison without parole. We would then be a more humane and less hypocritical society.

Leland C. Barrows, PhD

The countries belonging to the Council of Europe and the European Union have all abolished the death penalty. Some of them have also abolished life sentences without possibility of parole. These decisions were taken by the political elites with, obviously, the some countries following the lead of the first countries countries to abolish the death penalty. Most if not all of these countries would have retained the death penalty if the matter had been put to a popular referendum. But the elites felt that the question of life or death was too important to be put to the choice of the masses who, in general, were insufficiently sophisticated and humane (like their American counterparts as proven by some of the comments on this list) to oppose the death penalty on principle. The decision to end the death penalty, the European elites felt, could only legitimately be made by elites already opposed to it. Those in favor of the death penalty had no right to express an opinion. If the American political elite would think and act like their European (and their Canadian and Mexican) counterparts, the USA might also rid itself of the death penalty and life in prison without parole. We would then be a more humane and less hypocritical society.

Leland C. Barrows, PhD

for those that don't believe in the DEATH PENALITY. read the bible. it tell you the goverment has the right to put you to death for any action that goverment deams deserving of death. be it cruel or unusal does not matter. the bible says that all are deserving of death for all have sinned.

How about a BB Gun? A couple hundred BB's outta be enough to cause very much pain while the prisoner dies?

Who cares about these pieces of garbage . They have decided to make their own rules and live in a society of their own . Bring back the chair , hang 'em or blow their brains out . Just rid society of the pieces of trash as fast as possible . As far as innocent people being killed , the ones they find innocent , have a record for many other crimes . No , it's not perfect , but it works . Hang 'em high !!!!

ok, so europine countries have banned the death penalty. Great lets send all our death row inmates to them. Charles Manson and his Family would do well there, i am sure. Sharon Tate would have a grown son to carry on her linage instead of being in a grave and the baby with her. manson and his gang were given a death sentence and then ca abolished the death penatly. Now this gang can be PAROLLED to your neighborhood. Their sentence became life and some how they are up for Parole. WHY? tHEY have cost ca millions of dollars caring for them. Susan Atkins had cancer treatment that you and I cant afford before she died. Years of it. All their care has cost tax payers and now some MAY BE FREED. Sueeky Frome is Free, release for trying to kill a president of the us. Where is she. Is she your neighbor? Sorry but the death Penalty prevents such problems and should be carried out without years of appeals etc. One appeal yes, thats it. Do the Deed.

If any of you has had a family member murdered, you may comment. Otherwise you have no basis for comparison. The victims family is sujected to a lifetime of concern if the convict is still alive about parole possibilities. The "Justice" system isnt concerned after the conviction because they have done their job. No one except the family will attend each parole hearing to make sure the convict isnt magically judged rehabilitated. My momis 85 and has attended these hearings every 5 years,(the convict has declared insane, and the District Attourney that said he would never get out is now retired and the new regime is trying to clear the asylum.) Try asking my family if the death penalty is enough. Fire em, hang em, burn em, I dont care.

im not touching this one with a ten foot pole

I believe that the death penalty should be humane for one reason only, the fact that it is possible to be executing an innocent person.

in south africa you get promoted to the goverment
after spending a few years in jail,even when you was convicted of murder,so why worry if somebody have some pain when put to death,he is out of society,in south africa they in the goverment!

The pain of dying is NOTHING compared to the pain they will feel for eternity in HELL. So what if they feel a little here before it really gets bad? They will think the worldly pain was nothing but pleasant.

yah thats it. e just need to kill lore people to reach people that kiling peopel is wrong

Public executions - what a good way to make society even more numb to death and violence.

I guess everyone has an opinion on the death penalty. To me it appears that the vast majority are in favor of it. In fact, it appears that the vast majority not only favor the death penalty, but would prefer to see it happen quicker and in a more brutal manner. Unfortunately, it would also be impossible for us as humans to judge just how much each of these monsters should suffer. I believe in God and an afterlife. I believe that ultimately justice will be served. Therefore, the only reasons to execute somebody is to provide closure to the victim(s), protect society, and to be an example to others.

As far as the victim is concerned, the manner of death or lack thereof won't make much difference -real justice is coming. That even goes for all of you monsters who never get caught. You will not escape!

[quote]The death penalty works! How many Women has Ted Bundy killed lately! What about John Wayne Gacy? I rest my case.[/quote]

THAT is your argument in favor of the death penalty? The last time I checked, incarcerating them for the rest of their lives without parole prevents them from killing innocent people too.

I'm real happy for the state of Mass. Because they are a death penalty free state, their murder rate was one-third that of the evil Texas with their death penalty. The only problem with that is, Texas has a population four times that of Mass. so actually your murder rate per capita is worse than Texas. Sucks to be you.

When I was in college, many years ago one of our professors who had been an fbi agent and had herself put in a woman's max security prison to write her phd thess or some paper was very smart when it came to criminals and and corrections and the criminal justice system in general. She was in favor of the death penalty. It was a great penalty as iit was but it was supposed be a deterrant which she hoped would come someday soon. To deter crime it need to be a swift punishment. As it is, murderers know that they will have a long life and possibly if not probably, depending on their age, live out their natural lives in prison. The death penalty needs to be a sure thing administered soon after conviction without a long appeals process. As far as pain is concerned, it need to be frightening to be deterring as well. If a potential murderer thinks hey , If I get caught, I will be killed painfully while everbody in the country watches me on TV to see if I am a big bay who cries cike a 2 year old and screams when the needle goes in and then they'll laugh when I piss and poop my pants. Maybe I should re-think this. ranted, Someone hell bent on murder might go ahead but after a few years of these swift telivized excecutions, maybe less murders will emerge from maleable minds

When I was in college, many years ago one of our professors who had been an fbi agent and had herself put in a woman's max security prison to write her phd thess or some paper was very smart when it came to criminals and and corrections and the criminal justice system in general. She was in favor of the death penalty. It was a great penalty as iit was but it was supposed be a deterrant which she hoped would come someday soon. To deter crime it need to be a swift punishment. As it is, murderers know that they will have a long life and possibly if not probably, depending on their age, live out their natural lives in prison. The death penalty needs to be a sure thing administered soon after conviction without a long appeals process. As far as pain is concerned, it need to be frightening to be deterring as well. If a potential murderer thinks hey , If I get caught, I will be killed painfully while everbody in the country watches me on TV to see if I am a big bay who cries cike a 2 year old and screams when the needle goes in and then they'll laugh when I piss and poop my pants. Maybe I should re-think this. granted, Someone hell bent on murder might go ahead but after a few years of these swift telivized excecutions, maybe less murders will emerge from maleable minds

nice to hear there are so many good christian ohioans out there...u sure u guys weren't in the peanut gallery when Jesus Christ was executed!!

I think we should let these killers and rapists stay in prison for the rest of there lives so they can have a bed to sleep in and three square meals a day, television, gyms, etc. and guess what, we get to pay for all of that. These people knew good and well what they were doing at the time of their crime and they sure as hell knew what would happen if they were caught. I think the three injection system is to kind. How about five injection. Let's strech I over to hours of pain and misery. Sounds like a plan to me......

I've got a better idea: take em out back, dig a hole, shoot them and cover them up.Show them as much mercy that they showed their victims.

I've got a better idea: take em out back, dig a hole, shoot them and cover them up.Show them as much mercy that they showed their victims.

I've got a better idea: take em out back, dig a hole, shoot them and cover them up.Show them as much mercy that they showed their victims.

use one chemical, cobra venom

the reason it costs 20 plus mill to put an inmate to death is beacuse of all the lawyer's get paid cut the appeals to 1 local 1 state and 1 fed. then either shoot, hang, zap, gas, OD whatever just get it done within 24 months of the sentence.

Leland Barrows, So you're a snotty, elitist, anti-democratic jerk who has probably never worked a day in his life. I still trust the average American over any elitist wimp, European or American. Finally, I could care less what a high society Euroturd thinks of me or this great country. Within a decade, these same wimps will be begging America to save their quiverring butts, just like in WWI, WWII, etc.

Arguments against the death penalty: 1) Not a deterrent; 2) More expensive than LWOP; 3) Many crime victims don't support it; I am one; 4) Chance the condemned is innocent... But throw out all those, even those based on 'studies.' And what are you left with? We call ourselves a Christian nation. Which to my mind suggests the New Testament. And so, what would Christ suggest? And what might Christ say to this howling mob?

It's strange that these postings are about one of the many things that interest me. The death penalty has always been an anomoly. I'm for the DP. Only, like many have said, what about the ones that are innocent? How do we justify an innocent person being executed.
People talk about Texas and no one talks about the many who have received the DP even though they were innocent. President Bush, while Governor declined a pardon of an inmate who was proven to be innocent by new DNA evidence. The inmate was executed. A future president would not give a pardon even though he knew that the inmate was innocent.
Then there are the guilty that plead insanity and get out when the doctors say they are cured. How about the one in CA that got out of a mental institution in CA because the docs said he was cured.
He got out and less than three days later he butchered and killed a prostitute. What did they do with that guy. They put him back in the institution and who knows when some doc will say he's cured again.
Why are people allowed out of prison with less evidence that they have changed and over more evidence that convicted them in the first place?
There is nothing wrong with not wanting the DP, but, my question has always been what do you do with the animals. The ones that murder for a living and maim because it's fun and rape because all woman deserve it. Rapists should be castrated and not have a choice of medicine or actual surgery. Take that thing OFF the minute the jury says guilty. Just have a chopping block and an axe waiting for him next to the witness chair. When the jury says guilty tell him to pull it out and lay it on the block. Yeah, he'll still think about it but, he won't rape again, and let him go with a bandade.
As for the heinous crimes suspects, this is where the no DP people come in. Instead of charging the entire state millions for keeping them in jail, put these "suspects" in one of the groups home that opposes the DP and let them take care of it. Pay for it's meals, clothing, games, muscle building equipment, etc. If this happens those who oppose the death penalty would be switching their positions damned fast.
So, I'm in favor of the death penalty but, I would love for the citizens who don't to be the ones to take care of these leaches of society and and take care of them with their own money and leave my tax dollars for more important things like helping people keep their homes, helping people get homes and, health care, and everything else we have paid for to get when we retire. The others can go broke (or die) with their inmate roommates.
Oh yeah, almost forgot, pain. Hell I'm for taking Old Sparky out of retirement in the Smithsonian and putting him back to work. I could care less that that chair blows the tops of heads of and that sometimes it takes three passes through of electricity for the piece of crap to die but, I also don't want it fixed. It does a damned good job for what it does. Bring back OLD SPARKY.

I would like to know is how do they know it causes
pain did the last guy Executed come back and tell you

As for what to do in capital cases, why not simply put them in prison and leave it at that. But with this difference: no communication with the outside world. Remember that there is a certain percentage of people in society who are psychopaths. It's a tiny percentage. They cannot be rehabilitated. In effect, they suffer from a deformity. Which is to say there is finally an explanation why they do these things. Eventually, we will be able to recognize these personalities in children, in a formal way, not just anecdotally.... The point is, they are finally 'sick', in the truest sense. But why why would you give up your humanity to such a creature? If we value life, even its lowest form is worth saving, even when redemption isn't possible. Even if there is no 'reason.'

I feel the current jail system isn't a deterrent for the death penalty. Too many loop holes. The thug, crook, murderer, what have you, didn't show any remorse or cruel and unusual punishment towards their victims, why show remore to them? If I had my way, with the current technology in place, if one was proven to take a life for an unjustifiable reason (robbery, rape, drugs etc.) and can be linked via DNA, video etc. they would be dead by weeks' end. Why feed, house, clothe, bathe someone who had no regret for the life they took in the process of their crime. After a couple hundred examples, starting with guys currently on death row riding out their appeals, who are convicted. They would be gone by next week. Maybe that would shake up a would be mugger before they commit a needless crime. Ex. Anthony Sowell would be convicted and sentenced to death within the week, as soon as the last body has been recoverd from his property. If (we) don't find out the who, what, when, why & where by the time the last body is found, tuff. We won't have that knowledge and he won't be around to make a mockery of the criminal and judicial system. The families involved would have some closure to this matter. No extra tax money spent maintaining a person with no feeling for life.

Leland Barrows, you forgot to mention that all of those European countries also have a lower capitol crime rate than we do. It has never been shown that executing people deters capitol crimes.

It's strange that we kill people to show people that killing people is wrong.

There is no deterrent to people with psychopathic personalities or tendencies. And those people who, for the most part, commit those most horrendous crimes. Interestingly, there are examples of the way in which some psychopaths are attracted by the death penalty. Ted Bundy, for example, only killed in states where there was a death penalty. In effect, one side of his personality was trying to destroy the other. You can find this all easily enough in interviews he gave shortly before his death.

There is no deterrent to people with psychopathic personalities or tendencies. And those people who, for the most part, commit those most horrendous crimes. Interestingly, there are examples of the way in which some psychopaths are attracted by the death penalty. Ted Bundy, for example, only killed in states where there was a death penalty. In effect, one side of his personality was trying to destroy the other. You can find this all easily enough in interviews he gave shortly before his death.

mark, if it means we can kill all the people on death row in america tomarrow an it costs putting 100 innocent people to death. well sorry but so be it. some things are worth doing for the greater good.

I am appalled by what I'm reading. "Pay per view"? Are you serious? No different than ancient Rome - and you are no different than the Roman citizens who enjoyed the spectacle of the collosseum.

Even if the cost of imprisoning a convicted murderer for life were greater than that of putting him to death, I would rather a thousand times my tax dollars be spent in that way than to use it to execute an innocent person. All too often we learn of inmates on death row who - even DECADES later - were found to be wrongly convicted. And I can't begin to tell you how sickened I am at the thought that we are executing people who were juveniles when they committed their crimes, however heinous they may have been. I can't forget the little boy in Arizona - no more than eight years old - who was nearly tried as an adult for having shot his father and a house boarder. How can this possibly be considered the action of a civilized country?

I can't support one cent of my money being used to murder a fellow human being. I find it beyond odd that those who vociferously oppose their taxes being used to fund abortion seem to have no problem with the idea of MY taxes being used to fund state-sanctioned killings. As I see it, it's the same thing. No state-funded killing of any kind. Period.

As far as those adults who are convicted of murder...lock them up, throw away the key. Let them stew in their misery. And work with the youth - give them hope and reform, even if that is in prison. Taking pleasure in anyone's excution, particularly with the degree of delight that I'm reading in these comments here, is something beyond abhorrent.

There are endless studies that show that the death penalty is not a deterrent. But you need simply look at the number of people on death row in Texas. Here's a state where the death penalty is really used, yet the number of people coming on to the row is accelerating. Crimes of passion and crimes committed by psychopaths are never going to be deterred by the death penalty. The only real approach is recognizing these kinds of people before they commit crimes. There is inevitably a pattern of behavior that foreshadows the crime. But then teachers, friends, family members, police, military instructors, all those points of contact, have to light up when these patterns become clear. So many of the posts here suggest that people think of crime and its 'solution' as outside of their own experience. The people who commit horrendous crimes, whether the likes of Major Hassan or Ted Bundy, are always known to others. So often the reflection is, "yes, I thought something was wrong but I didn't act on my instinct." "Or, I was afraid to get involved." "I was afraid to say anything." "It wasn't my responsibilty."

"no state funded killing." so i guess that means your anti abortion, and anti millitary also? me? i'm all for killing people. I'm all for killing death row inmates 20-30 at a time. i spent 10 years in the army an did my fair share of killing people then also. and no man has a right to tell a woman what she can do with her body. so mary your big worsa an long winded speeches just prove how tiny your mind and your world view are.

Give 'em the Chair!

Give 'em the Chair!

How about this: killing people is wrong no matter who's doing it?

Mark, I'm not sure the people who commit horrendous crimes ARE known by others. Look at BTK - his wife and kids apparently had no idea what type of a person they were living with.

You put them in Jail your gonna pay for them for a long long time and they want carte Blanc with their jail time. You uinderstand, Tv. Internet, 3 meals(Good ones , noit that pkg stuff). gym excercise workouts plus pay for any work they may or maynot do !1 Think about it , you "Tree Huggers"-------------Bsis.

After the muderer is convicted, [2] appeals. then fly them out over the ocean to a shark hot spot, throw dead fish@blood in the water. And push them out.Nature will take care of the rest! SHARK SHIT!!!!

death by shark. wow. i'm impressed.

The only person killing death row people are the people on deathrow. No one else to blame. They kill themselves! Sorry, end of story!

insted of pay per view. how about pay per kill! just like a big game hunting trip. people pay 20-30 thousand bucks to go hunting for trophy animals.

Hi Eric.

Actually, I'm very much pro-choice. Do I think abortion is a pretty awful decision for any woman to need to make? Absolutely. Do I feel that I have the right to force my own religious beliefs on another person? Absolutely not. Do I feel that with my very pro-choice stance, I have the right to force fellow a American taxpayer who IS anti-abortion to pay for what he or she believes is the murder of an infant? A thousand times, NO.

In that same vein, I don't want one single cent of my tax money used to pay for the execution of a fellow human being. I want no part in murder.

As far as the military goes, I have a son serving in the US Navy. While I certainly don't agree with the reasoning behind some of our more recent wars, even I can see that War is a very different beast than revenge. Execution serves the desire for revenge: if the objective of execution is to prevent an individual from commiting another crime, life in prison would be equally effective. Statistically, execution does not deter crime.

this is fun, i have sat and read through all of these comments because i am debating the DP and death row in general in a college course. as far as i can tell, their are not many people that dont mind the deaht sentence...you people are correct in every aspect of your thinking..except the sharks killing dudes, go get some help bro. but seirously, a few things caught my eye and ill say two of them again. make the punishment fit the crime, and the fact that people murder with intent...not spontainously.