Posted on 05/01/2014 11:56:15 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
US states may go back to electric chair and firing squads
Shortage of drugs for lethal injections leads states to consider alternative methods of executing prisoners
By Raf Sanchez, Washington
6:42PM BST 01 May 2014
US states may revert to killing their death row inmates with electric chairs, firing squads and gas chambers as it becomes increasingly difficult to source chemicals for lethal injections.
The EU has banned the export of one of the most common sedatives used in lethal injections, forcing US states to experiment with new "cocktails" of drugs for executions.
One such experimental recipe was used in the botched execution of an Oklahoma prisoner on Tuesday, leaving him to writhe in pain and die of a massive heart attack 43 minutes after being injected.
The shortage of execution drugs, coupled with fears the courts may intervene to ban experimental methods of lethal injection, have prompted states to look at alternative ways to kill prisoners.
Tennessee's legislature has passed a bill that would reintroduce the electric chair if the state was unable to find drugs for lethal injections.
The state's Republican governor is still weighing whether to sign it into law.
Missouri is considering a proposal to reintroduce both firing squads and gas chambers if it becomes impossible to carry out a lethal injection.
Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Centre, said the laws were intended as symbols by conservative politicians of their commitment to the death penalty.
"It's about being even more blatant than the anti-death penalty side. To see this as a rational process is to miss the harshly divisive political atmosphere that produces these things," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
IMO, civil law should be about protecting society, not punishment.
As stated that argument applies to those carrying out the executions as well. So no worries for those who pull the switch or support pulling the switch either.
So the punishment of death is double jeopardy
Double jeopardy is not a biblical term. Besides since we all die we are all subject to your extra-legal definition of "double jeopardy"
Isn't that a different animal? War or self-defense isn't the same as deliberate killing as a punishemt.
“IMO, civil law should be about protecting society, not punishment.”
We’re talking about criminal law, Perry. There is no capital punishment in civil law.
Capital punishment is all about protecting society—from murdering scumbags.
Go save a whale.
They used to say, " We dont hang horse thieves because they stole horses, we hang them so that horses dont get stolen."
.
By this argument, our society has no justification for incarcerating anyone for committing non-violent crimes, no matter how often they might repeat said crimes.
Your reasoning is flawed. The punishment Jesus accepted on our behalf was for our sins against God, not for our crimes against our society or its just government.
Jesus preached that we must render unto Caesar (meaning the just government of our society) that which is Caesar's, and unto the Lord that which is the Lord's. We must answer to God for our sins, which Jesus made much easier for us. However, forgiveness for our sins does not absolve us of having to answer to a just government (aka society) for our crimes against them.
And in the meantime? Your suggestion could take decades.
make prisoners productive and pay for their stay in the Big House,
The left is up in arms about prisoners working in prisons for the profit of the corporations that own them. "Slave labor," they call it.
Dang, man, we all deserve death one way or the other. A lot of us just don't get caught. Jesus set the standard when he confronted those that wanted death for one who DID get caught for committing a capital offense.
IMO, civil law should be about protecting society from dangerous criminals by incarceration, not about "punishment."
I think they are different.
But when I read our statement: “...punishment of the death penalty for the acts of everyone were totally paid for, punished, and condemned on the cross of Christ 2000 years ago. Jesus was punished and died for the very acts a criminal (or anyone) is put to death for”, it appeared to me that you did not think so.
I am glad to know I was wrong.
The one thing about capital punishment that cannot be disputed or argued against; the murderer on the end of the rope will not be released and kill some innocent child, woman or man in the future.
And don’t bother with the statement that life in prison guarantees they wont get out, we both know that is a matter of the politics at the time and judge shopping.
OK, well I don’t really see protection and rehabilitation as “punishment” but I definitely see them as valid state functions. I think rehab should begin with making prisoners pay for their stay by making them productive. I think rehab should also include voluntary programs that include potential spiritual change.
Or finding your long lost twin brother, invalidating the DNA evidence.
Although, this one ends well, too!
Well, I guess that's one way of looking at it. Haven't ever heard that one before. But, yes, you always want to see these poor people able to forgive since you know if they do that they'll eventually be OK.
To gain understanding of your perspective, does any capital murder reach the level of earning capital punishment? Are there extremes cases, such as insanely cruel torture and death of multiple children "earn" capital punishment?
IMO, killing murderers is self defense... for example,
My brother in law worked for 9 years in super max in New York. One inmate (in for murder) assaulted him and another gaurd. 3 more gaurds jumped in and were able to subdue him but blood was everywhere from the inmate and gaurds. The inmate was also HIV positive. Luckily my BiL didn't get it but was told nby the doctors.. no "relations" with his wife for 6 months, while he went in for continued tests. If he had gotten it the my BiL would be suffering your "double jeopardy" death sentence in place on the inmate. luckily he didn't but there are plenty of other gaurds and their families who do suffer that fate.
The reality is that many criminals and murderers in prison continue to murder gaurds and other inmates. Also "lesser" offenses such as rampant rape, assault, torture, etc. No matter how "super-max we try to make prison that crap still happens.
“age of sixteen to watch televised as possible deterrent”
I have often thought that, like a prerequisite to getting a driver’s license, HS diploma, or government benefit/loan.
Well, theoretically the bad guys did what they did becasue they were bad guys. Or at least what they did was bad. Doesn’t make sense for the good guys to turn round and copy what the bad guys did, I don’t think.
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