Capital Punishment / Execution

Apparently Ian Brady was terrified that he would hang; the death sentence was abolished about the time of his conviction and I believe he and Hindley were the first convicted murderers to escape the death penalty. He continued to torment, obliquely, the families of his victims throughout the remainder of his life.

Yes Ian Brady did continue to torment the victims families. The mother of Keith Bennett who I think was called Winnie
continually begged Brady to tell her where her son was buried
she begged him for an answer up until her death but she never found out where he had been buried.
Those two people were evil beyond belief I hope their souls are tormented for ever.

No. I don't agree with death penalty. Some good points made here.
But the system as it stands is often too lenient on murderers. In many cases life should be life..and hard labour. No privileges. Why should people like Myra Hindley have even one minutes enjoyment in life.

Another definite no to the death penalty , too many miscarriages of justice for me. Furthermore I fail to see how it can possibly be a deterrent; there would have been no crime when the penalty was hanging,drawing and quartering if that was the case. Barbaric!
And I would not want to sit on a jury knowing that I was responsible for another person being killed.

Derek Bently was hanged and he didn’t murder anyone, the chap he was with shot a police officer, he was too young to hang so Derek Bentley was hanged in his place.

I knew Timothy Evans sister, she suffered so much.

Hi, Iam64, how do know that witnessing a state execution by family members of the people slain, does not bring closure? Do you have personal experience of this?

I believe it is right where absolute proof is given that someone has been murdered, that the death of the perpatrator is warranted.

Harold Shipman was an unrepenting fiend and took his own life. Best decision he ever made...shame he didn't do so before killing so many good people.

I agree boodymum67. I support the death penalty where it is proved beyond a doubt that they are guilty. The likes of Brady and Hindley being just one example. It would have certainly given me closure if this truly wicked pair had killed a member of my family.

Orangerose

I agree boodymum67. I support the death penalty where it is proved beyond a doubt that they are guilty. The likes of Brady and Hindley being just one example. It would have certainly given me closure if this truly wicked pair had killed a member of my family.

You can only find someone guilty if it's proved beyond doubt. So a lot of criminals would be walking free. Circumstantial evidence would not be useless. Juries would not be finding people guilty

As for it being a member of your family, you'd be surprised to hear that many American families request life imprisonment and don't want the accused to be executed.

Sighs

Circumstantial evidence WOULD be useless.

It is not a deterrent.

For a country to be able to consider itself civilised it cannot use the death penalty, but treat those guilty of the most heinous crimes with humanity and whilst incarcerating them for life ensure prison always means reform.

The problem is how some convicted murderers and rapists do get let out on parole...they go on to re-offend or torment the families of those they murdered by breathing.

boodymum67 that’s isn’t an argument for capital punishment but is an argument for penal reform.

All crimes have to be proven beyond reasonable doubt. So even when mistakes have been made, it was still beyond reasonable doubt. Bye the way, most evidence is circumstantial, people dont seem to realise what it means. DNA, fingerprints, forensics etc are all circumstnantial evidence.

I would support the death sentence.

I don’t support the death penalty. I know there are some whose crimes are so evil that it would seem kinder sometimes to “put them down” much as you would an animal but we’re human beings. Having said that, some are kept in solitary confinement and treated in an inhumane manner for the rest of their lives and would prefer to be dead.

boodymum67, you asked if I have personal experience that leads me to conclude that watching the murderer of a loved one executed won't bring "closure". No I don't have that experience.
I am aware of the research though, that confirms that the levels of psychological trauma felt in the loved ones of a murder victim, don't disappear when the pulse of the murderer stops. In fact, to watch the state approved killing of another human being is, imo, unlikely to help psychological healing.

No, I could never support capital punishment. If it was a deterrent, there’d never be any murders committed.

Life should mean exactly that. They die in prison, but execution? No, that makes us as bad as them.

I dont agree with the death penalty, that has to be on someone's conscience and I don't understand how being capable of awarding a death penalty makes a person good. Then I don't understand wars or anyone having weapons designed to take a life.

I thought for a while that those with life long prison sentences should be offered a painless means to take their own lives but then, someone has to hand them the means to do it.

I think there should be a way for people to pay their own upkeep in prison but I don't know how that would be accomplished.

I think prisons hould never be run privately

I think a lot of things and I just don't know

I've never thought that the death penalty is a deterrent, or that it was ever supposed to be.

TBH I'm undecided; there are some cases where I think it's appropriate but not always.

Life should mean life though.

It certainly deters reoffenders, if they're caught.

I agree Starblaze prisons should never be run privately,

I have never supported and could never support the death penalty.

The execution has been delayed again, along with three others due by end of August. Appeal over the use of pentobarbital, said to cause extreme pain.

I think executing those whose guilt is definite is too easy for them. Much easier than the death of their victims. I think a lifetime of hard labour is more of a punishment.
Anniebach it doesn't bear thinking about - an innocent person executed. I feel so sorry for their families.