UK Death Penalty - would you like it returned?

Just read your opening post again.

Whichever method is the most "humane", and for murder only.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the murder, obviously.

RosieandherMaw

No, not snappy, but it's a bit of a goady topic for a thread.
I agree with the poster who said
Capital punishment is one of those old chestnuts dragged up by some from time to time as if it will be an easy answer to the horrible crimes we see on our screens every day .

It’s not meant to be goady.

On another thread someone stated they’d like to see animal abusers given the death penalty, it made me curious to seek others opinions.

What of those hanged , innocent but found guilty by a jury ?

The last case of that sort was 50 years ago, I think?

Absolutely no death penalty if there is the slightest doubt, of course.
What of people who torture their children, literally to death, and cover it up, so they can carry on?

No.

Of course I would feel vengeful if a loved one were murdered, but we have laws so that society is not based on vendetta, and sanctions are applied by the state.

Also, I don't think the death penalty would prevent murder. It never did in the past.

This is a good thread to post in todays climate. No I would not support the death penalty.
The above said,I think posters on here, myself, and MP who do not want to see it re introduced a are out of touch with the rest of the country. If they had a referendum in the UK I am sure people would vote for it to be restored.

No.

No.

When this was being debated back in the Sixties, Penguin published two paperbacks, "Hanged in Error" and "Hanged by the Neck". The intellectual arguments in the latter were compelling, but the the cases of miscarriages of justice in the former were absolutely convincing.

So no.

I think that the most recent data collected on this subject suggests that the tone of this thread is, in fact, in line with most people's
views and that a referendum on this s matter would say no, rafichagran.
I wonder if there would have been a different result if this had been debated thirty years ago?

I wonder how it would feel to be a juror finding someone guilty and knowing that the death sentence would be passed? I hope none of us ever finds out. Coming back to the Letby case, I can’t imagine having found her guilty knowing she would be sentenced to death, and then hearing those experts yesterday.

Certainly not the death penalty in that case!

How about listening to the little tot who was literally hobbling around his own home, sobbing that nobody loved him?

Seeing the footage of little Star, with her broken leg, being hit by the woman who had caused it, because Star wasn't walking fast enough?

The tape of Lesley-Anne Downey, crying that she wanted her mum? Too horrific to have ever been released.
It's believed she died from a heart attack, literally scared to death.

Derek Bentley hanged , he and a friend were armed Carrying out a robbery, police officer shot, police at the scene, Christopher Craig shot the officer, he was too young to be hanged so Bentley was hanged in his place.

Timothy Evans, witness against him had been a special constable in the war, Evans hanged , The witness Christie was later charged with the murders Evans was charged with.

Ruth Ellis did shoot her lover, he had beaten her and caused a miscarriage, she was a nightclub hostess, Blakeley a former public school,boy, Ellis was judged on her lack of morals

I know I keep banging on about this but if the death penalty was reintroduced ( which I hope it never will be) somebody has to be that executioner. Would anyone want to do that job or have a member of their family doing it. Also a jury is far more likely to not give a guilty verdict if they know it will result in the death penalty.

It's a no from me. Various reasons; a jury is less likely to convict if they know they are likely to be sending someone to their death, innocent bystanders of the crime are at risk of murder to save them identifying the perpetrator, it is not a deterrent as no criminal expects to be caught, and most importantly, to kill someone is morally wrong, even if state sanctioned.

No from me too.

Some conservatives talked about bringing back the death penalty in 1978. Thankfully the debate was against.

MayBee’s point about the executioners is well made. One town had 3 from the same family, proud of their skill but took to drink and depression.

America has stage execution and very long prison sentences. Their high crime rates indicate neither of those are deterrents. Scandi countries invest in public services and early years. They imprison less people with greater success than we do. A caring society is happier and more productive than an angry punitive one

No, absolutely not, because of the risk of miscarriage of justice.

No. Because one person hung when they were innocent is one too many.

There would be very little chance of somebody being put to death and being innocent these days with all the tests we’ve got DNA etc however no I don’t agree with the death penalty
That is purely because I think the death penalty is an easy way out and these people who commit these atrocities need to suffer,I would open up dungeons feed them bread and water just enough to keep them alive and make them suffer
Ian Huntley comes to mind he would be the 1st to go in my dungeon, hanging definitely too good for him and his ilk..
And bugger their human rights..

Chocolatelovinggran

I think that the most recent data collected on this subject suggests that the tone of this thread is, in fact, in line with most people's
views and that a referendum on this s matter would say no, rafichagran.
I wonder if there would have been a different result if this had been debated thirty years ago?

I have done some reading on this, and it's suggests the public would be in favour, but in fairness it does depend who publishes the data.
I hope they never bring it back.

Hasn’t Huntley been beaten up quite badly in prison?

Yes I would! We say that we are a civilised nation, but there is absolutely no deterrent whatsoever for murders, that occur almost daily in this country. From young babies to elderly people losing their lives, it appears that no punishment, at present, is deterring these appalling atrocities. Just having the death penalty, but not hanging, may be the answer to deter such events.

The death penalty wasn’t a deterrent in the past, and we can see it certainly isn’t in the US today.