Did Texas execute an innocent man? - Page 4

DaemonSeid · #46 09-22-2009, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Kevin, I'm not saying to close a case based on DNA alone, because DNA is only an additonal recent tool available to the courts in determining a person's guilt or innocence. I was only speaking of all things being equal, meaning all the facts are in place to convict a person of murder. Once everything is in place and it's known that this person is 100% guilty of committing the crime, why the appeal? It's a waste of time and money. You're throwing in your assessment of the committed crime vs. my assessment of the committed crime. My argument is the person being 100% guilty of committing the crime of murder. Once that is established, there should be no appeal, no prison time, no bond, just a sentence being imposed and carried out that same day. That's all I'm saying. Let the sentence be carried out at the time it's imposed.

Part of the problem is, we are 100+ years away from dispensing 'frontier justice' and we still have organizations in the US that still see simply putting a man to death as barbaric. Think about human rights groups.

Just look at this board. Some people are for the death penalty if it truly sticks while some are against it and would rather let a guilty criminal live.

Trust me, I feel the same way you do, but in some cases, death is just too 'easy'.

knight_shadow · #47 09-22-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

And she deserves due process???? Seriously???

Yes.

I agree with you (giving her life as opposed to death is a waste of time and money), but her rights are still protected.

cheerfulgreek · #48 09-22-2009, 03:55 PM

You know what you guys? I don't want to talk about it anymore.

KSigkid · #49 09-22-2009, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

You know what you guys? I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Haha, fine...I didn't think anyone was forcing you to debate the subject.

cheerfulgreek · #50 09-22-2009, 04:17 PM

Huh? I never said anyone was forcing me to debate the subject, that was my choice.

MysticCat · #51 09-22-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

Also isn't part of the appeals process to see if a convicted felon is actually remorseful and reformed.

No. The purpose of the appeals process is to make sure that the defendant received due process -- a fair trial without prejudicial error. Remorse is irrelevant. You may be thinking of the parole process.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

And she deserves due process???? Seriously??? Gimmie a break!

Ah, the glory of the American constitutional system and the Bill of Rights, where every citizen is entitled to due process whether he or she deserves it or not.

SWTXBelle · #52 09-22-2009, 04:52 PM

My favorite quote from Hamlet - "Treat every man according to his deserts, and who shall 'scape whipping?"

UGAalum94 · #53 09-22-2009, 07:15 PM

http://reason.com/news/show/136176.html

May be randomly connected on the topic of reevaluating courtroom science.

Apparently a lot of what was believed about shaken baby syndrome is wrong.

KSigkid · #54 09-22-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Huh? I never said anyone was forcing me to debate the subject, that was my choice.

Ah, ok. I was just wondering why you were announcing your attentions to stop debating.

It's a fascinating topic - I was pro-death penalty for a while, and only over the past few years have I changed my mind.

agzg · #55 09-22-2009, 07:46 PM

I would not want to be on one of those juries, to be quite honest. I don't think I'd ever be able to sentence someone to death.

Which will probably get me out of jury duty for capital cases every single time.

cheerfulgreek · #56 09-22-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Ah, ok. I was just wondering why you were announcing your attentions to stop debating.

It's a fascinating topic - I was pro-death penalty for a while, and only over the past few years have I changed my mind.

It's just that I didn't think there was a need to keep going in circles. You stated facts, and I only have an opinion about it, so why keep debating?

So, why did you change your mind?

I also read your posts about your accident with that drunk driver (glad you're still here to chat about it) but whatever happened to him?

KSigkid · #57 09-22-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

So, why did you change your mind?

I also read your posts about your accident with that drunk driver (glad you're still here to chat about it) but whatever happened to him?

Not really sure why I changed my mind; it was more of a gradual change in my thought process. I think part of it is what Kevin was talking about (the problems with application), and part of me just began to have questions about whether I supported executing an individual.

As to the rest...the criminal process is ongoing for the driver, so I don't want to say much about it.

KSig RC · #58 09-22-2009, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Yes.

I agree with you (giving her life as opposed to death is a waste of time and money), but her rights are still protected.

One reason why I'm opposed to the death penalty is that current evidence shows it simply is not cheaper than life in prison.

That sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true - it's not just the appeals process, either, it's the separate facilities, the additional bureaucracy and support staff needed, and so on. Combine that with the non-zero chance of wrongfully killing someone, and I can't get on board.

Indeed, my first thought upon reading the thread title was "I'm nearly 100% sure Texas has executed multiple innocent men."

UGAalum94 · #59 09-22-2009, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Indeed, my first thought upon reading the thread title was "I'm nearly 100% sure Texas has executed multiple innocent men."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/20...ase/index.html

To continue my trend in this thread of posting kind of random crap: Salon article about a guy sentenced to death by a judge who was having a long term affair with the prosecutor IN TEXAS.

TexasWSP · #60 09-23-2009, 11:50 AM

I really hate the "cost of execution" argument.

If a close friend, family member, etc. is ever, God forbid, murdered.....the absolute last thing on my mind is going to be the financial burden placed on the state from executing a heinous criminal.

Letting them live in a cell with a roof over their head and three meals a day doesn't really work for me folks.