Death penalty

No.

Never.

I'm with Sturgis.

Yes, I do--in very limited circumstances. One shoots down a mad dog in the street, and there are humans who are no better.

Yes. If you watch enough Investigation Discovery, you will quickly learn that there are people on this Earth who should not be given the opportunity to live when they have not given that opportunity to another human being to do the same.

It's so hard to say you're sorry when you have executed an innocent man.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Todd_Willingham#Post-execution_attention

I have no sympathy if certain persons are executed, but I agree with coluber here. Entirely too many persons are wrongly convicted. So I oppose the death penalty.

I agree with this.

No.

Yes. If I was promised the last slice of pizza and someone else knowingly takes it for her or himself? Justice needs to be served! With red pepper flakes and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

Our society has no problem murdering black people. We have no problem arresting them, prosecuting them, and incarcerating them.

We have a significant problem spreading that boldness to white people, particularly women.

As long as we are unable to mete justice evenly among the population, stop calling it justice-and stop doing it.

The case of Susan Smith in South Carolina 20 years ago changed my opinion about capital punishment. She met the criteria for CP, but walked. A mentally ill black man, surprised during the commission of a robbery, did not meet the criteria for CP, but was found black in court, so they fried him up.

It’s transparent and indefensible.

Nine out of ten environmental vegans voted yes.

Jury Clears the Prosecutor Who Sent Cameron Todd Willingham to Death Row

Prosecutor was in the process of being disbarred and requested a trial.

Rick Perry was governor at the time of the Willingham execution and he refused a stay of execution even though he had a report on his desk by an arson expert that there was no evidence of arson in the case, a statement that was later verified by other arson experts. Perry evidently didn't read the report or didn't want to jeopardize his political future by appearing soft on crime.
Perry had eyes on the presidency, but failing that he is now the Secretary of Energy for the Trump Administration.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/05/11/jury-clears-the-prosecutor-who-sent-cameron-todd-willingham-to-death-row

I've struggled with this question for decades, and I have never reached a satisfying answer. In my youth, I was very much in favor, figuring that scum didn't deserve a chance to live. However, in uni a couple of friends showed me that was entirely too short sighted on my side.

Ever since, this has been a question I find hard to answer. However, if you were to put a gun to my head, I would have to say yes... But with a lot of safeguards in place, at the very least.

I wonder if it is of relevance to talk about the morality of, on the one hand, taking a life in an immediate and pressing emergency such as a rabid dog about to attack someone, or an armed terrorist, lunatic, or criminal credibly threatening to take life-endangering action on the one hand, and on the other hand, enshrining the cold-blooded enaction of the death penalty in the criminal justice system of a country. Where I live, (the UK) the democratically elected government abolished the death penalty in 1964, and there is no support of any significance for its return. There were a number of high-profile miscarriages of justice where innocent people were executed. However, the police have no hesitation in shooting down armed terrorists and criminals, and there is overwhelming support for this. So I feel there is a distinction to be made.

One of the most famous trials in America was that of Bruno Haupman, found guilty of murdering the baby of Charles Lindbergh, and was almost certainly guilty. He was quickly executed and justice seemed to be served. Everything was cleaned up nice and tidy and it seemed like a perfect victory for law enforcement. Except it now appears to have been a conspiracy and those involved have escaped Justice totally, and the best and late witness was no longer able to testify.

Not enough to take someone's life, or even imprison them.

I think virtually any Criminal, even the worst serial killer, has the possibility of redemption. The exception would be politicians who always have True Believers and followers that remain faithful no matter how vicious the crimes of the politician. Of course Hitler and some of his cohorts are perfect examples. How could a murderer admit his crimes when so many people support his crimes.

But an ordinary serial killer has no support; he must face his own monster alone.

My disavowal of the death penalty has to have a no possibility for any reason, other than new found evidence of innocence, for parole.