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South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

bbc.com

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Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#41

Post by progman32 »

aphextron wrote: post #21

Why not? It's fascinating the philosophical hoops we jump through to justify what is a disgusting, barbaric act however you actually do it. Anyone who supports the death penalty should be required by law to watch it carried out.

In my opinion we're (in the USA, at least) way too happy to offload tough moral calls onto "the collective".

I say, let's put it to a majority vote. Everyone who votes in favor of killing is put into the pool of executioners (just like jury duty). It's one thing to be abstractly in favor of killing as a punishment. It's another to look down the sights at a fellow being and pull the trigger.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#42

Post by JoeyBananas »

I believe the death penalty is necessary because some people do not deserve to live. Why can we justify killing people by shooting them as a necessary barbaric act during war, but not recognize that the worst criminals deserve the same treatment? It's absurd to think that as a society we are above killing because it's an inevitable part of life. I say murderers should not be able to kill others without having to fear that they themselves will be put to death.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#43

Post by progman32 »

fouc wrote: post #18

> its supporters say it is about bringing closure to victims. Wat. Killing someone brings closure? Since when?

If that's the main justification, they're implying a feeling of closure is worth a small but significant pile of innocent bodies. A potential example of this was just in the news today (see Ledell Lee).

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#44

Post by progman32 »

temp8964 wrote: post #39
michaericalribo wrote: post #6

This is a cruelly ironic development against the backdrop of the major DNA news in another capital case today—a potentially innocent man put to death. There is no do-over or undo, no fixing mistakes, when the death penalty is in play. The death penalty is barbaric and indefensible. The so-called criminal justice system is criminally unjust, and abolishing the death penalty is a good start towards reform (one among ma…

Since we have DNA evidence now, does this mean we should expect less mistakes in the future? If this is the case, abolishing death penalty may be in the wrong direction. Instead of abolishing death penalty, how about raise the bar for the evidence? For example, how about death penalty only for those having clear video / DNA evidence?

Say we do such a good job that we get a single wrongful execution per decade. Do you feel that cost is worth the benefits of the death penalty?

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#45

Post by progman32 »

JoeyBananas wrote: post #42

I believe the death penalty is necessary because some people do not deserve to live. Why can we justify killing people by shooting them as a necessary barbaric act during war, but not recognize that the worst criminals deserve the same treatment? It's absurd to think that as a society we are above killing because it's an inevitable part of life. I say murderers should not be able to kill others without having to fear…

I see where you're coming from, but I contest the assertion that it's an inevitable part of life.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#46

Post by pmoriarty »

eindiran wrote: post #2

Death by firing squad is relatively humane (especially in comparison to electrocution), so if you really need to have capital punishment and your options are electrocution and firing squad, the choice is pretty clear. I think the reason executions moved away from firing squad was that it was mentally taxing of the people in the firing squad, not because the alternatives were more humane.

What is the point of the death penalty if not vengeance?

And if it's vengeance, how can vengeance ever be humane?

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#47

Post by stickfigure »

progman32 wrote: post #44
temp8964 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since we have DNA evidence now, does this mean we should expect less mistakes in the future? If this is the case, abolishing death penalty may be in the wrong direction. Instead of abolishing death penalty, how about raise the bar for the evidence? For example, how about death penalty only for those having clear video / DNA evidence?

Say we do such a good job that we get a single wrongful execution per decade. Do you feel that cost is worth the benefits of the death penalty?

Possibly? I always heard it as "better to let 10 guilty people go free than to punish one innocent man", which suggests that there is a reasonable exchange rate.

The problem with putting really horrible people in prison for life is that they victimize other prisoners. Prison isn't hell because of the guards.

Re: South Carolina moves closer to allowing death by firing squad

#49

Post by progman32 »

stickfigure wrote: post #47
progman32 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Say we do such a good job that we get a single wrongful execution per decade. Do you feel that cost is worth the benefits of the death penalty?

Possibly? I always heard it as "better to let 10 guilty people go free than to punish one innocent man", which suggests that there is a reasonable exchange rate. The problem with putting really horrible people in prison for life is that they victimize other prisoners. Prison isn't hell because of the guards.

I'm not sure that saying establishes an exchange rate. As phrased it at best establishes a lower bound.

I suggest there's solutions to the prisoner victimization issue that don't involve the death penalty.

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