Woolwich killing

[cr0ft]

My argument is purely financial to be honest. I think that even if the official figure of £40k ish a year to keep someone in prison is to be believed, our most dangerous murderers may spend 40 years in prison. That's £1.6m plus the trial costs they cost the state!

 

[michael c]

the problem with the death penalty is it introduces the prospect of well im going to die anyway so why not take a few people out with me. It gives way to produce alot more Raul Moats. By the way I do believe in the principal of the death penalty for people like these but the reality of it isn't simply black and white.

 

[Dotty]

I'm with you on this one Ricky.

I'm not squeamish, and if the armed police had shot these people dead, I wouldn't have turned a hair, and I don't give a monkeys if a householder kills a burglar they discover in their house.

But there is a difference between police (or an armed householder) killing in self defence or defence of others, and the state coldly and calculatingly killing someone, even lowlife scum like this.

I like to think that I am better than these people, my friends and neighbours are better than them, and the society I live in is better than them. If the price of proving that is that we spend money keeping them alive in jail, then thats a price I am prepared to pay.

I also remember several cases where supposed criminals were found guilty "beyond reasonable doubt" of what would be capital crimes, and subsequently turned out to be innocent. As you correctly point out, you can release someone from prison, but you can't un-execute them.

This is the same as my thoughts. I want to be able to agree to the death penalty but I can't. The judicial process is fallible. There is always that tiny percentage that are imprisoned because the case was flawed or a witness lied.

I'll always remember the case of Derek Bentley.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Even ignoring the moral and logical question of killing people for killing people, where one killing is more righteous than the other even though both killings are justified with exactly the same argument, DNA evidence is anything but 100% reliable or 'indisputable'.

How DNA evidence creates victims of chance - science-in-society - 18 August 2010 - New Scientist

And this is before you get into the realm of the possibility of dishonest law enforcement. Two cases instantly spring to mind: Birmingham Six and Hillsborough.

 

[cr0ft]

But trials in this country are still decided by juries for 1. Whilst you've pointed to one website online that claims DNA evidence is less than adequate it is undoubtedly nearly 100% reliable. That said, the CPS doesn't bring trials on the basis of DNA evidence alone, so there would be multiple evidence chains in order to convict someone of murder.

To my mind when someone takes a life, they give up all of their human rights at the point they kill someone, so to me it's perfectly moral to kill them as punishment.

You are talking about a few cases in the millions of cases that are heard around the world. I don't understand why a tiny minority of cases should be used as an argument to determine how the vast majority of cases are treated.

I think we are going to have to agree that we have radicaly different opinions on the subject

 

[Ray Stafford]

I think we are going to have to agree that we have radicaly different opinions on the subject

I can agree with that!

 

[Nostrum]

I see your points and understand where your coming from. I find it quite interesting that a key factor in the discussion seems to come down to the difference between calculated murder and impulse killing. I don't agree myself, but as already said the conversation could go on for days.

Personally, I wouldn't bat an eye lid seeing this guy hanging from a tree with a noose around his neck, and i'm not one for fighting and violence. I get angry at the fact someone is selfish enough to take another's life without a thought for them or the family and friends they leave behind, and don't even get me started on rape and child abuse.

As said, the majority of cases aren't clear cut, so it would only be on very rare occasions like this where i would agree with the death sentence on overwhelming evidence.

 

[Nostrum]

Yeah, lets change the subject. I vote for boobs and chuff.

 

[AWheating]

tbh id rather they spend the 40k a year helping the homeless or researching cancer or paying for an extra social worker for the protection of kids.

the police marksmen should have put a bullet in there skulls and be done with it and they should have been give a medal for it too.

 

[on31ll]

Im for death penelty in certain circumstances ! These men did it ! They said they did it and they where caught red handed i wouldnt want to unkill them ! Id want them dead wouldnt even want to bury/cremate them in a coffin! They dont deserve it !

Its time to get radical terrorists out ! Burning poppys is a no ko i think you should be arrested for that ! Spitting at soldiers or police i think you should be areested for that to ! Weather your english or not ! But slaughtering a young soldier as hes walking the street ? You should have your life taken from them !

Apart from all the racial hatred and all the other racism i think its time for the noce muslims, the nice jews, the nice catholics to take control and stop the radicals from being in there church or mosque etc ! But no it will never happen !

 

[on31ll]

tbh id rather they spend the 40k a year helping the homeless or researching cancer or paying for an extra social worker for the protection of kids.

I agree totally ! Id rather pay that 40k to that soldiers two kids ! All prisoners should be treated like they are treated in tent coty in america ! The dont reoffend there !

 

[on31ll]

About Tent City Jail in Arizona | About Tent City

 

[Rickster123]

I'd hang them. Hang them all. Killed someone? Hang 'em! Robbed someone? Hang 'em! Cheated the tax man? Hang 'em! I'd use the now empty prisons for hospitals and schools. Over crowding would be a thing of the past and I gaurentee a drop in crime rates. Job done.

 

[on31ll]

I'd hang them. Hang them all. Killed someone? Hang 'em! Robbed someone? Hang 'em! Cheated the tax man? Hang 'em! I'd use the now empty prisons for hospitals and schools. Over crowding would be a thing of the past and I gaurentee a drop in crime rates. Job done.

Use some prisons for the homeless !

 

[Nostrum]

You have to make sure the bodies didn't end up in you lasagne though