Execution
You could not have missed the news of Teresa Lewis who was executed a week or so ago.
"A good and decent person is about to lose her life because of a system that is broken," said attorney James E. Rocap III, who represents Lewis.
A strange comment to make and one that confuses the situation for the debate around the use of capital punishment. She was clearly not a good and decent person. Her crime? She was involved directly in the killing of her husband and her stepson. That fact appears to remain undisputed. She hired two men to murder. On the night of the murder she unlocked the mobile home door, provided the shotguns and ammo she had bought and locked the dog up to avoid it getting involved.
I am not a supporter of capital punishment. In this case the two men involved were given life sentences and only Lewis was executed. The debate appears to be around whose idea it was; who led the plot. The argument centering around the fact that she only had an IQ of 72 and was led to this (persuaded) by the men.
It is almost impossible to understand what the judge's thought processes were, or that of the appeal judges. But it certainly appears strange from the outside. Certainly a problem of consistency. And that is why capital punishment should not be used. Inconsistency means doubt. Inconsistency means some people die, some don't. Strange when this is supposed to be about justice.
But two innocent people were murdered. They were given no right of appeal. They were given no clemency. They have no right of parole. Nothing that happens after their murders will bring them back, will undo that tragedy. So what is the point of killing further? Punishment? An eye for an eye? One person loses their life so you lose yours? Again, inconsistent. If you are found guilty of car theft the justice system does not take your car. If you are found guilty of rape, the criminal is not sexually abused. In fact the criminal is protected from harm and has rights.
Capital punishment is a mistake that cannot be undone. It is never clear cut, it never brings back the dead and often destroys more lives and families than may otherwise be the case. Justice is not perfect but we should strive ideally for a consistent application of punishment and capital punishment is anything but consistent.
"A good and decent person is about to lose her life because of a system that is broken," said attorney James E. Rocap III, who represents Lewis.
A strange comment to make and one that confuses the situation for the debate around the use of capital punishment. She was clearly not a good and decent person. Her crime? She was involved directly in the killing of her husband and her stepson. That fact appears to remain undisputed. She hired two men to murder. On the night of the murder she unlocked the mobile home door, provided the shotguns and ammo she had bought and locked the dog up to avoid it getting involved.
I am not a supporter of capital punishment. In this case the two men involved were given life sentences and only Lewis was executed. The debate appears to be around whose idea it was; who led the plot. The argument centering around the fact that she only had an IQ of 72 and was led to this (persuaded) by the men.
It is almost impossible to understand what the judge's thought processes were, or that of the appeal judges. But it certainly appears strange from the outside. Certainly a problem of consistency. And that is why capital punishment should not be used. Inconsistency means doubt. Inconsistency means some people die, some don't. Strange when this is supposed to be about justice.
But two innocent people were murdered. They were given no right of appeal. They were given no clemency. They have no right of parole. Nothing that happens after their murders will bring them back, will undo that tragedy. So what is the point of killing further? Punishment? An eye for an eye? One person loses their life so you lose yours? Again, inconsistent. If you are found guilty of car theft the justice system does not take your car. If you are found guilty of rape, the criminal is not sexually abused. In fact the criminal is protected from harm and has rights.
Capital punishment is a mistake that cannot be undone. It is never clear cut, it never brings back the dead and often destroys more lives and families than may otherwise be the case. Justice is not perfect but we should strive ideally for a consistent application of punishment and capital punishment is anything but consistent.
posted by So long and thanks for all the fish at
1:18 am
0 Comments
