Janet's voting for Kilgore, right?

[Warhawk]

It's ironic that the upcoming VA Governors race has cetered over the death penalty issue as of late. Kaine the Democrat is being nailed on local commercials by Kilgore the Republican. Were this case to go the death penalty route things could get interesting down the road.

[Hey Paula]

I'm not so sure this case will go the DP route.

BF has already confessed to killing Taylor, albeit he claims it was accidental. Even if a case can be made for intentional murder, I believe if this goes to trial, that Collins will argue his client suffered emotional distress, due to severe bipolar disorder, reducing the crime to manslaughter at best.

IMO

I don't wanna get political here, but I can't stand Kilgore. I appreciate his issue about Kaine and the DP, but lord have mercy. The fact is that any Governor is paid to enforce the law - period. And Kaine's an attorney - with a sworn oath. Religious values or not, it's a moot point IMO.

I'm glad I live in Maryland ;)

[sociological]

The death penalty is barbaric. If someone murdered my daughter, I would most likely stand outside of her funeral and ask that he/she be killed at the hands of our government as well, but when the dust settled, and my emotions weren't taking over my intelligence, I would ask that her murderer be put in a cell with a dripping faucet and left to go insane for the rest of thier living days. To me, that is a far greater punishment.

I never have been able to understand the ethical, spiritual, or logistical reason behind capital punishment. Makes no sense to me.

My hope for Ben Fawley is that he spends the rest of his days behind bars, where he can't hurt anyone else, and he has lots of boyfriends to keep him busy.

I have alot of trouble with it too. I can understand why people are for it but I've just never understood how it benefits anyone.

[Chloe G.]

Originally posted by sociological
The death penalty is barbaric. If someone murdered my daughter, I would most likely stand outside of her funeral and ask that he/she be killed at the hands of our government as well, but when the dust settled, and my emotions weren't taking over my intelligence, I would ask that her murderer be put in a cell with a dripping faucet and left to go insane for the rest of thier living days. To me, that is a far greater punishment.

I never have been able to understand the ethical, spiritual, or logistical reason behind capital punishment. Makes no sense to me.

My hope for Ben Fawley is that he spends the rest of his days behind bars, where he can't hurt anyone else, and he has lots of boyfriends to keep him busy.

my sentiments exactly...i never have and never will believe in the DP.

i agree that rotting in a cell for the rest of your days would be a much worse punishment. the DP would be the easy way out for most of these people.

chloe

You know, obviously I've not been personally touched by a death penalty case. Have read about many, and watched lots of news coverage, interviews, etc. as they presented themselves.

One thing that ALWAYS struck me was how the families of the victims who were advocating for the death penalty were so vitrolic and so emphatic about having it carried out - they almost seemed no better than those who had killed their own loved ones.

Again, I'm not being critical. I can't even imagine (and don't WANT to imagine) how one would feel in that position. But I would hope that if I were, I could comport myself with more dignity than getting on television and railing for someone's death.

In the end, how does that help? It doesn't bring back your loved one. I think I'd have a hard time with my conscience. I think better just to move on and try to find peace in yourself than make a strike for such revenge.

JMO.

[TN_Profiler]

Your views on the DP are respected. I think those in favor refer to the "eye for an eye" point of view. Others lean on the recidivism angle.

I do find it ironic that you point out how barbaric the DP is yet openly wish a tortorous existence (dark dripping wet cells) for those convicted.

One might even be able to argue that decades of isolation in a dark wet cell is more cruel than the injection that stops a beating heart.

A touchy subject for sure.

I haven't seen many dark, damp cells except on the specials about Alcatraz ;) In fact, there have been lots of programs on CTV about the new "super max prisons" .. with all the first class amenities. Some of the "amenities" in the prisons now are incredible. Convicts are given many chances to rehabilitate or to serve their time out improving themselves. It's not like Papillion described that much anymore ;)

I don't believe in an eye for an eye. But I do believe in punishment for crime. Since incarceration is at present the most widely used method of punishing criminals, I'll have to go with it.

[sociological]

I think the death penalty is too soft on criminals, I personally would prefer lethal injection to a life in prison. And as for the "amenities"- I have worked in a prison environment- most likely the one a killer in Richmond would be sent to- trust me there is no party happening. There are limited opportunities (an hour a week or so) to have access to the library and so forth- but what's wrong with someone having the opportunity to make their life somewhat livable in an unlivable environment for an hour a week? I predict taht when the kiddie porn charge gets around, BF won't be breathing for very much longer in there anyway. He'd be better off taking the DP.