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The Death Penalty in Louisiana

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Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#11

Post by tokenadult »

sschueller wrote: post #9

Why does the US use a complex 3 injection cocktail? In countries where assisted suicide is legal people just swallow a pill and go peacefully to sleep. Yet in the US there is this "crisis" of not being abel to source the injections needed. Pets are also put down very easily with a single injection which makes them go to sleep and the heart beats slower and slower until it stops in a few minutes.

Yet in the US there is this "crisis" of not being abel to source the injections needed.

Many medical doctors (persons with legal authority to prescribe drugs) and pharmacists (persons with legal authority to dispense drugs) object to capital punishment, and thus will not supply prisons with drugs that have the sole purpose of killing someone.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#12

Post by gadders »

sschueller wrote: post #9

Why does the US use a complex 3 injection cocktail? In countries where assisted suicide is legal people just swallow a pill and go peacefully to sleep. Yet in the US there is this "crisis" of not being abel to source the injections needed. Pets are also put down very easily with a single injection which makes them go to sleep and the heart beats slower and slower until it stops in a few minutes.

I have always wondered how it is that there is a humane set of drugs that are used for assisted suicide, but none can be found for the death penalty. (Not that I'm pro-death penalty, but it does seem a contradiction).

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#13

Post by sageabilly »

"Cox does not believe that the death penalty works as a deterrent, but he says that it is justified as revenge."

That is so, so fucked up. An attorney, someone whose job it is to impartially argue the law, equally to everyone, saying "Yeah you know, we kill people FOR REVENGE." Not even, you know, hey if we have the death penalty it'll maybe make people think twice about committing a serious crime, but straight up saying "We're gonna get REVENGE on anyone who dares defy the law!" JFC.

*Edited to change judge to attorney

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#14

Post by ablation »

No matter how many times I read about the death penalty in America, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that it still exists, that the powers that be kill their own citizens in such a way.

It's so incredibly horrifying to me that it almost becomes an abstract concept, but then you read an article like this and - guilty or innocent - the true human cost and all that associated suffering comes right back to you.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#15

Post by yummyfajitas »

nickthemagicman wrote: post #2

I live in Louisiana. America has the highest incarceration rate per capita amongst all countries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarcera... Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in America. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_incarce... Tis truly a messed up place.

We also have one of the highest crime rates among developed countries. Consider, for example, intentional homicides:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intention...

Louisiana has the highest murder rate in the US (double the national average):

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/murder-rates-nationally-and-...

Any analysis of # of people in jail which ignores the underlying crime rates is deeply flawed.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#16

Post by gadders »

tokenadult wrote: post #11
sschueller wrote: post #9

Why does the US use a complex 3 injection cocktail? In countries where assisted suicide is legal people just swallow a pill and go peacefully to sleep. Yet in the US there is this "crisis" of not being abel to source the injections needed. Pets are also put down very easily with a single injection which makes them go to sleep and the heart beats slower and slower until it stops in a few minutes.

Yet in the US there is this "crisis" of not being abel to source the injections needed. Many medical doctors (persons with legal authority to prescribe drugs) and pharmacists (persons with legal authority to dispense drugs) object to capital punishment, and thus will not supply prisons with drugs that have the sole purpose of killing someone.

So they wouldn't supply medication for assisted suicide either?

Also, allowing people to opt out on supplying the drug on matters of conscience is a slippery slope. What about letting people opt-out of providing abortions? Or marrying gay couples? A case could made for people refusing to do these as matters of conscience as well.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#17

Post by Shivetya »

The death penalty isn't the problem and never has. There are far too many people who have no place in society and there is zero benefit to society to continue their existence.

That being said, abuse by the legal system of those who cannot afford to defend themselves properly has gone on for far too long and its not just a Southern thing. From the bail bond market to the plea bargain junket of Federal Courts, justice isn't the goal, successful prosecution is.

So until the goal posts are moved we are not going to fix this situation.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#18

Post by gress »

yummyfajitas wrote: post #15
nickthemagicman wrote: post #2

I live in Louisiana. America has the highest incarceration rate per capita amongst all countries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_incarcera... Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in America. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_incarce... Tis truly a messed up place.

We also have one of the highest crime rates among developed countries. Consider, for example, intentional homicides: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intention... Louisiana has the highest murder rate in the US (double the national average): http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/murder-rates-nationally-and-... Any analysis of # of people in jail which ignores the underlying crime rates is deeply flawed.

it suggests that jail doesn't reduce crime.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#19

Post by happyscrappy »

ablation wrote: post #14

No matter how many times I read about the death penalty in America, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that it still exists, that the powers that be kill their own citizens in such a way. It's so incredibly horrifying to me that it almost becomes an abstract concept, but then you read an article like this and - guilty or innocent - the true human cost and all that associated suffering comes right back to you.

When the Boston Bomber was sentenced to death you heard...crickets.

Re: The Death Penalty in Louisiana

#20

Post by Justsignedup »

Shivetya wrote: post #17

The death penalty isn't the problem and never has. There are far too many people who have no place in society and there is zero benefit to society to continue their existence. That being said, abuse by the legal system of those who cannot afford to defend themselves properly has gone on for far too long and its not just a Southern thing. From the bail bond market to the plea bargain junket of Federal Courts, justice…

The death penalty is a problem:

- it never really acts as a deterrent

- often the person on death row is basically in solitary confinement. So even if they are released, they are released crazy

- the penalty is quite final. there is no appealing afterwards

- it is mostly about revenge

- ripe with abuse

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