How do you feel about the death penalty in this country?

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 May 2015 13:50:11 -0400

The large majority of states maintain the ability to enact the death penalty, but it seems our country is growing quite opposed to the idea of it.

The most common arguments seem to a pro-life stance where its the state's responsibility to "rehabilitiate" these criminals, and the other is a "no mercy for criminals" stance. Do you believe the death penalty is too harsh a punishment?

Personally, I believe there are some people in this world that will never stop harming others. I believe that if more people feared the punishments for committing such horrible crimes, it would help dampen it. This argument is very black and white to me, but what do you think?

Response by SGT Anthony Bussing made May 23 at 2015 1:51 PM

SGT Anthony Bussing — Sat, 23 May 2015 13:51:07 -0400

I am a born and bred Irish Democrat...and I support the death penalty 100%...in fact, we need to upgrade it a bit...all murders, rapists, molesters and druggies should be put to the sword....

bring back public executions...maybe even make them pay per view...Id buy it

Response by SGT Anthony Rossi made May 23 at 2015 2:01 PM

SGT Anthony Rossi — Sat, 23 May 2015 14:01:02 -0400

The first responsability of a civilized society is to try and "correct" criminal behavior. This is system is called the "Correctional system".
However, if an individual rejects the good mercies of a society and refuses to be corrected it not right to allow that individual to steal "tax payers" money to live the rest of his days out in prison. It is the moral obligation of the "correctional" institution remove this person from society (death penalty). This is because they have infringed on there fellow citizens persuit of life, liberty and the persuit of happiness.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 23 at 2015 2:02 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sat, 23 May 2015 14:02:51 -0400

I believe it is a valid tool, which should be used sparingly.

I also believe that it's a tool is so powerful that it is hard to entrust to anyone.

If used, we better get it right, since you can't undo it.

Though we don't have examples of getting it wrong in the modern era, we have lots of examples of getting it wrong in the past. Add in the exoneration for crimes not involving the Death Penalty... and this becomes a road that must be tread very lightly.

Response by CPL Jay Freeman made May 23 at 2015 2:12 PM

CPL Jay Freeman — Sat, 23 May 2015 14:12:35 -0400

Well I would sign up for the job of flipping the switch pulling the trigger what ever fly me from state to state to do a job there are many things we could do like instead of animal product testing we could try on them it would cut wait time for drug trials.
Flip side of the coin being a firefight/emt and having a prison in our community we have responded there many times one patient was labeled a career criminal. His education would not allow him to get a job to get medical insurance that didn't coast an arm and a leg he had sickle cell where he had to have regular blood transfusions he would not be able to afford and this is a painful death. I can understand some criminals have gone this route for medical care. Anouther case an older man walked into a bank handed the teller a note telling her it was a hold up and give him $5 she did he went to a chair in the bank and sat down to be arrested. When his sentence is over he will be old enough for social security and Medicare that's why he did it

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2015 2:54 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 May 2015 14:54:12 -0400

I keep hearing that the death penalty has no effect on stopping crime. But, my reply is no one executed has ever repeated his/her crime.

What other punishment for the Boston bomber, or the Aurora theater shooter is appropriate?

Response by SSG Trevor S. made May 23 at 2015 4:11 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Sat, 23 May 2015 16:11:14 -0400

My opposition to the death penalty is due to cost, both fiscal and mental. It costs a ton of money to put a defendant through the entire appeals process, certify execution staff, secure the means of execution, and to execute the execution. I also personally believe executions absolutely have to take a toll on the staff psychologically. I would personally rather imprison a person for life than to incur these costs when there is a different option.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2015 7:26 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 May 2015 07:26:42 -0400

The only true reason for a country to have the death penalty is when society is unable to protect itself from a criminal. Now this calls one to look at the tools one has to protect themselves from a criminal. There are times that country X maybe able to kill some and it be justified but country Y can not for the same offence due to the fact that one country has the means to protect itself and the other country does not! That being said I have not seen a criminal case in the last 10 years in the USA where the death penalty was required. The death penalty does not save money due the long legal appeal process. Does it reduce crime maybe, maybe not. But if we are killing criminal out of a need for some kind of legal revenge, we need to take hard look at ourselves and say does this seem like justice or revenge?

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 24 at 2015 11:26 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 24 May 2015 23:26:42 -0400

I am against it. Research and Statistics show that it is no real deterent. Too many people have been found innocent at a much later date. While counter intuitive, because all the legal checks that have to be done and the automatic appeals and whatever it is actually cheaper to keep then in prison for life and I am a true Fiscal Conservative. Just don't have enough faith in our legal system to support it. Also goes against my Catholic Faith (Although I guess I'm a bit of a Hypocrite on that one seeing what I've done for 21 years as a Navy Spook).

Response by PO2 Robert Cuminale made Nov 5 at 2015 7:12 AM

PO2 Robert Cuminale — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 07:12:27 -0500

" I believe that if more people feared the punishments for committing such horrible crimes, it would help dampen it."
It hasn't deterred murder despite thousands of years of executions and it never will. The Mob hit man still goes about his business. The crime committed in passion will still be committed. The burglar still kills to avoid having the police called during and after being discovered.
he person who brings a gun with him must be assumed to have the capability to use it. I teach firearms use and that is my first admonition. If you don't feel that you are able to kill then don't get a gun. It will just be used against you if you hesitate.
Let's call execution for murder for what it is. Punishment for committing the highest crime there is, stealing what cannot be returned or recompensed. In executing a murderer we reaffirm our belief in common that life is so dear that those who commit it must forfeit their own. It's not compensation for the crime. Nothing can do that. Life sentences without parole are not true punishment for the habitual killer. All he'll do is think about how he screwed up enough to get caught. He will not concern himself with the victim only himself.

Response by SGT Scott Bell made Nov 5 at 2015 2:23 PM

SGT Scott Bell — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 14:23:57 -0500

Some need it

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Nov 5 at 2015 2:40 PM

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 14:40:40 -0500

I think that all violent criminals and all career criminals should be executed and we should not wait 20 years to do it. There are many people that the world would just be better off without.