Death Penalty Yes No Sometimes

[JLB]

South Dakota carries out first execution in 60 years

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota (AP) -- A 25-year-old man was executed by lethal injection Wednesday for the torture and slaying of a teenager who was forced to drink hydrochloric acid during a robbery of his home. It was the state's first execution in 60 years.

Elijah Page gave up his appeals and asked to die for the 2000 murder of Chester Allan Poage, 19, who was also stabbed, kicked and bashed with large rocks in a torture session that lasted two to three hours.

more:http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/12/sd.execution.ap/index.html

For this guy I would say yes.

[SpikedLemonade]

Drinking acid rather than lethal injection seemed like a more appropriate punishment in these circumstances.

For example, for you, lethal injection would be inappropriate.

A more appropriate punishment for you would be to paint you brown, throw a rock at an Israeli soldier and then let you free in front of him in Gaza.

I'm just saying by way of example that the punishment should be tailored to the individual crime.

[Lucidvizion]

The death penalty is more an act of vengeance than it is a punishment.

Court costs and all the appeals for death penalty cases end up costing in the millions... most times I'd say it's not even worth it.

[TigerJ]

My emotional reaction is that, I would love to see this guy have done to him the same thing that he did to his victim. When I stand back and think about it, I must come down against the death penalty. Even though trials are only supposed to convict someone when they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, there are too many cases were persons who were formerly convicted are later found to be not guilty. I don't want to be the one to set the threshhold of how much proof is needed before it's "safe" to fry the guy. Moreover, from a spiritual standpoint, I don't ever want to say someone is beyond the point where he/she can feel remorse for his crime and want to make peace with his/her god, whatever faith they might have. The death penalty takes that away.

[Ru]

Do I care if this guy dies a horrible death? Shit no.

Do I feel the vengence gained from killing him is worth the risk that our highly imperfect system will put an innocent man to death? **** NO!!!

[Lucidvizion]

Moreover, from a spiritual standpoint, I don't ever want to say someone is beyond the point where he/she can feel remorse for his crime and want to make peace with his/her god, whatever faith they might have. The death penalty takes that away.

Perhaps being in solitary confinement with tons of time to introspect and fear their own imminent death puts some of these people on the fast track to making peace with their god.

For some, it could be the only way.