Controversial Topic: Death Penalty

You make a good point Cheesey. Bring back the "hard labor" of busting rocks. I moved to Idaho from Arizona where Sheriff Joe Arpaio is doing things the old and tough way. Inmates sleep in tents outside with a little fan when its 120 out, eat green bologna (its cheap), and the inmates do work all day. Could be dig a hole and fill it the next day, but its better than the guys watching TV in air conditioning all day.

Note to the board: I was tentative on posting this thread due to the controversy and high likelihood of it being locked without getting any true opinions or thoughts out of everyone. The jury duty experience made me really think about my stance on the topic, and for that reason alone it was worth my time. I thought it might help me to see the other side of the situation by discussing it with those who oppose the death penalty.

Thank you all for being mature and dignified in your responses thus far to a serious topic. Thanks to the mods for watching and letting this post play out. I understand if you feel the need to lock the thread due to the conversation taking a wrong turn or becoming offensive.

The sentencing is set to start at the beginning of May and will most likely last 4-6 weeks. I intend to follow the case and see how it all plays out. If the thread is still open, I can keep those who are interested updated.

I think it's a good thread. I understand both sides of the issue. Where it's a slam dunk, like this case, to me it's an easy thing to decide.
Don't get me wrong........I'm NOT "blood thursty" or anything........but some crimes are too horrible to allow the person the right to still be here. He sure didn't give any "rights" to his victims.
Please let us know how this ends up Mkapp.

I understand the point you are trying to make, but I don't think it's a fair characterization. Prisoners don't spend all day watching TV or relaxing in air conditioning.

Charles Manson is no doubt has a few screws loose, so I would say basing opinions on the state of penitentiaries off of what he has said would be unfair.

There are probably many more prisoners that will say the prison system is terrible for them, that going to prison has been a terrible thing to happen to them.

I don't think you can take the cost component out of the equation. I think the death penalty has to be evaluated on the basis of whether it is beneficial to a society, and not simply in terms of reducing crime rates.

Now granted the idea of cost shouldn't be front and center, but I think it does need to be mentioned and factored when discussing the pros/cons of the death penalty.

Dang it! Here I was making a Canadian joke and it went over your head.

The legal process is going to be costly either way, should have worded it maybe a little different, whether said inmate is executed or locked up for the remainder of his days. I would love to see a study on this comparison using all the factors of detention.

- Cost of cell space
- Guard Costs
- Medical cost throughout the lifetime of prisoner, including advanced age care
- Food
- Insurance costs on said inmate and guards
- Etc.

I would wager that the cost of doing away with the scumbag vs. housing him without any productive return on said inmate would be alot closer to a wash than one may think.

In conclusion, my point is it is going to be costly either avenue, so why not seek what most men fear.. death. Same two drab cents worth of opinion.

Do most men fear death?

I'll tell you what - if I had the choice between a life sentence with no chance of parole and death, I'd want death, as fast as possible. Let God judge me. I wouldn't want to live out my last 50 years in prison.

My only question would then be.........if it's so terrible, why are there so many repeat offenders? You would think ONCE in one of those places would be enough to stop them from commiting more and worse crimes. Yet that's not what we see. Yes, it may not be pleasant to be locked up, but obviously the way it is is not enough of a deterent to stop these people from their life of crime. If it was, it wouldn't be the revolving door we seem to have in our prison system.

solitary confinement for the rest of his miserable life would be my suggestion...living hell...nuttin better for scum like this!

I will not vote. I am not oppossed to the death penalty but I have not heard all the facts of the case.

Well, i did cause i'm not on the jury. If i was, i'd have to see all the evidence, and then make my decision based on that. We here really have no influence in this case, it's just chatting about what we feel is all.
If i really was in control of this guy's fate, I'd have to be 100% into all areas of the case, or it would not be fair, or justice to him at all.

I understand.

Let their dad shoot him in the face... that should do it, cheap too!

He has asked to represent himself for the defense statement to the jury stating that his defense team could not accurately explain or represent his ideology. The judge has requested that he be evaluated to determine if he is mentally fit to do so.

Idaho Statesman Article

That would be just as good. Be sure there are no luxuries and it will kill a person just as quick.

i don't like the death penalty but our prisons are over filling and surely the death penalty would stop our prisons being over crowed would vote but i can't i don't want to say yes and i don't want to say no

The US does have the death penalty and our prisons are over crowded as well.
Most experts say that the death penalty is not a very effect deterrent.
Even so I am still not always opposed to the death penalty. I just won't make a public commitment without knowing all the facts.

The only one that the death penalty deters from commiting crimes is the scumbag that gets put to death. Usually it's reserved for the really heinous crimes.

The thing is, if I went to prison, I'd rather be in solitary confinement than with those other thugs. I know a few people who went to prison. Bad things happen in prison.

To me, just the thought of having to be in the same area as those scumbags is enough to guarentee that i don't do anything to get put in the "big house".

I think my problem with the death penalty is that it's rarely a slam dunk case. Often these cases hinge on very little physical evidence and more often than not an eyewitness. while it sounds all well and good that there was an eyewitness, they are actually notoriously unreliable. Now youve taken twelve people who are just doing their civic duty and put them in a position where they have to decide wether some lives or not. That is huge burden to put on anyones shoulders. I say make prison as miserable as possible and keep them alive as long as possible.

Isn't there a rule on how long of a solitary confinement stay a prisoner can have at one time??

I dont think so, but a good question. There should be.

The jury selection was put on hold as he is being evaluated if he is mentally and emotionally stable enough to represent himself.

Also his defense attorney was just arrested on DUI and drug possession charges.

Just so glad to be done with the selection process!