[Ninian Dryhope]

"People need to realize that as long as there is capital punishment, there will be some innocent people put to death. To say otherwise is pure folly.

This case appears to be one of those cases. This is the main reason I am against capital punishment - you can't fix mistakes!"

It may be true that "as long as there is capital punishment, there will be some innocent people put to death." Certainly death penalty cases are checked and rechecked and every effort is made to make sure that only those who guilty are executed, but trials are human process so there is always the chance that an innocent person could get the death penalty.

On the other hand, how many innocent people are not killed by criminals, since the death penalty deters them from committing murder? It is certainly more than zero. The death penalty is certainly a worse penalty than life imprisonment as can be seen by the number of people on death row who appeal in order to get their sentence changed to life imprisonment. A harsher penalty deters more crime. If it did not, then we could just give everyone a year in jail regardless of their crime.

The death penalty is also useful to threaten criminals with so that they confess and work with the police in order to avoid the death penalty.

So in real life, it is not a matter of some innocent people may be executed, therefore, get rid of the death penalty, it is a matter does the death penalty save more innocent lives than it costs? I think it does.

[al_again]

So in real life, it is not a matter of some innocent people may be executed, therefore, get rid of the death penalty, it is a matter does the death penalty save more innocent lives than it costs? I think it does.

My friend, you have hit upon the crux of the argument! This really is the debate and it is a worthwhile one: Are a few innocent peoples death acceptable for a perceived 'greater good'?

Many would and do find this acceptable. The innocent person being put to death probably disagrees with this, as do I.