[LionOfJudah]

Originally posted by LionOfJudah
For those of you who have read my postings before you know I my thoughts on the Gov. of California's decision would sound something like this..."isn't this typical...you spineless, ignorant, credentialess coward" not just like that but something really really close....*smile*
this brings up another question for me....this man has been on death row for years and we are just getting to the point where he is being put to death.... I find it necessary to include that I am an opponent of the death penalty in all cases but I do have to bring up that I think allowing someone to sit for year after year thinking about the day he/she is to be put to death is somewhat cruel and unusual to me. Even in the days of the guillotine (an apparatus we as a society have deemed inhumane) the process was swift and "purposeful". Now even if I thought death was a plausible and "correct" punishment I don't think forcing to await their death for years is humane. Again just a thought...

Main Entry: cru·el and un·usu·al punishment
Function: noun
: punishment that is offensive to the contemporary morality or jurisprudence (as by being degrading, inflicting unnecessary and intentional pain, or being disproportionate to the offense) <nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted —U.S. Constitution amendment VIII> —see also Gregg v. Georgia in the IMPORTANT CASES section —compare CORPORAL PUNISHMENT, DEATH PENALTY
NOTE: A cruel and unusual punishment is essentially one that the courts consider to violate the Eighth Amendment based on a variety of criteria. The interpretation of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment has changed over time and has varied from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Most forms of corporal punishment formerly used at common law have been found to be cruel and unusual punishments.

Loj