quote:

ORIGINAL: PyrotheClown

I never got the point of the death penalty

if the purp did something that horrendous,save the money and keep him in with the general population(of prison inmates,not the public).


The fellow inmates are sure to do something far worse then the state would have the stomach to carry out.

I agree. I think the fact that we're not talking about death penalties for parking violations, here, makes it difficult to generate a lot of sympathy for some of the "guests of honor" at the executions.

As I said in the other thread; I know I am on a tightrope, here. I never want to become so callous that any human death means nothing but there are some criminals whom I believe cannot be rehabilitated and have committed such horrid acts that a clean, quick execution is the most compassion we should show them.

But, I'll go even further. I'm not so sure that having people spend years - sometimes decades - on death row, just waiting for the axe to drop (I couldn't resist ) isn't in-and-of-itself inhumane.

I think all death sentences (and therefore appeals processes) should be expedited.

I could not imagine, spending years in a cage, knowing I'm never getting out, anyway. I'd want to just get it over with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

One problem that inherently plagues the anti-death penalty folks (some of whom are admirably sincere, decent, and ethical people) is that it is damn hard for them to find sympathetic poster children for their cause.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata



Sure, glad to. The average is the mean.

I'll let ya know when I'm ready to collect on your debt.

K.

quote:

TheHeretic
One problem that inherently plagues the anti-death penalty folks (some of wh.om are admirably sincere, decent, and ethical people) is that it is damn hard for them to find sympathetic poster children for their cause.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata

quote:

ORIGINAL: DaddySatyr

GRRRRRRR! I meant "median".

You still owe me.

K.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

One problem that inherently plagues the anti-death penalty folks (some of whom are admirably sincere, decent, and ethical people) is that it is damn hard for them to find sympathetic poster children for their cause.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DaddySatyr

I decided to run a few numbers. I did this, years ago with different results but, to be fair to me, I used a very arbitrary "average" number.

I used this website to establish how many grand jurors each state uses. In cases of multiple requirements, I used the lower numbers. Connecticut does not use grand juries.

A couple of quick asides: Notice how some of the smaller population states use larger grand juries and vice-versa. Also, Washington DC requires a full 16 grand jurors, which seems to line up with federal guidelines.

Anyway, I used all the lowest numbers, added them and divided by 50. Connecticut doesn't use a grand jury, remember (Essentially, I suffer from acalculia and don't know a quick way to figure out mean numbers from averages. if someone could help me out, I'd be obliged). I came up with an average for grand juries of 11.14. So, let's reduce that to 11?

All petite juries (as near as I could tell) require 12 people for criminal cases. It's pretty funny because some states require grand juries as small as 4.

So, in order for someone to be condemned to death and for the sentence to be carried out ...

At least 1 police officer needs to believe they're guilty.

At least 1 prosecutor has to believe they're guilty.

At least 6 Grand Jurors (based on the average of 11 for a quorum) needs to believe they're guilty.

12 members of a Petite Jury must believe they're guilty (The same twelve people must unanimously decide on the death penalty during the penalty phase).

A minimum of 3 justices on a state appeals court must believe the accused to be guilty/have gotten a fair trial.

Federal courts of appeals vary also but we'll go with 5 (which seems to be the average) justices need to uphold the conviction/sentence.

SCOTUS - 5 justices must uphold the conviction/sentence.

So, at least 32 people must be convinced of a person's guilt and/or the fairness of their trial in order for someone to be executed.

I am not saying that the system is perfect. We have evidence to suggest that it's not. I would like to see us get the system a bit more perfect (and start to re-institute the protections of the constitution but that's for another thread).

I won't lose any sleep over this piece of crap.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

Thanks for illustrating the point, Tweak and Ken.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

One problem that inherently plagues the anti-death penalty folks (some of whom are admirably sincere, decent, and ethical people) is that it is damn hard for them to find sympathetic poster children for their cause.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen
So you're fine with an innocent man being executed?

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen
So you're fine with an innocent man being executed?

I said it's damn hard for people (not putting you in the decent category) to find sympathetic poster children.

Thanks for going on to illustrate what completely unethical people also occupy the ranks of the anti-death penalty crowd.