"DC Sniper" should be dead in about an hour. Good.

[carres1973]

I don't know what the right answer is. I see both sides of the issue on this one. I just think there has to be some type of punishment that fits the crime. Does getting to live out life in prison fit the crime of killing numerous people from a distance while they were going about their daily lives?

On a somewhat different note - My opinion on prison is that I think the entire system needs to be changed so the possibility of going to prison really is a deterrent. Isn't there a sherriff in Arizona who caught a lot of flack because he makes his prisoners where pink prison garb and brought back the "chain gang." Why not? Why should prisoners get free job training, free schooling, free exercise, etc.? The rest of us pay a lot of money for those same things "on the outside."

Carrie

 

[hiitdogs]

I don't know what the right answer is. I see both sides of the issue on this one. I just think there has to be some type of punishment that fits the crime. Does getting to live out life in prison fit the crime of killing numerous people from a distance while they were going about their daily lives?

On a somewhat different note - My opinion on prison is that I think the entire system needs to be changed so the possibility of going to prison really is a deterrent. Isn't there a sherriff in Arizona who caught a lot of flack because he makes his prisoners where pink prison garb and brought back the "chain gang." Why not? Why should prisoners get free job training, free schooling, free exercise, etc.? The rest of us pay a lot of money for those same things "on the outside."

Carrie

The sheriff is Joe Arpaio in Maricopa county in my home state of Arizona. He will only do what serves his self-marketing, using inmates as props and backdrops.
The pink underwear, tent city and recently chasing immigrants is only self serving. Nevermind that he has turned from America's toughest sheriff to Americas most expensive sheriff because he is under federal investigation for unconstitutional searches and seizures as well as discrimination. I am sure glad that as a resident of Maricopa county I have to foot the bill for his legal defense. Nevermind that there are almost 60,000 outstanding felony warrants that he won't take care of. While being busy courting the media with his crackdown on illegal immegrants and putting pink underwear on inmates 10s of thousands of felons are roaming Maricopa county because serving warrants is beneath celebrity Joe.

I don't have a problem with being tough on prisoners in general though.

 

[DEEDEE2]

The only comfort I find from the death penalty is that the person executed, will never be able to hurt anyone again. I don't agree that government execution is the same as the killer killing someone. We aren't putting innocent, people who were just minding their own business, going through their daily lives to death. We are talking about dangerous people who have commited crimes that makes them an on going danger to anyone they may be around.

The one thing that I wonder is how they choose when someone is going to be executed. As someone else mentioned, his execution date sure did come up quick...not that I mind but I can't help but wonder how many people who was pushed ahead of and why.

 

[hiitdogs]

We aren't putting innocent, people who were just minding their own business, going through their daily lives to death. We are talking about dangerous people who have commited crimes that makes them an on going danger to anyone they may be around.

But weren't there several people who have actually been executed or were about to be put to death when it was found that they were in fact innocent?

 

[Lee Jones]

Amen!

I'm glad Governor Kaine let this go through. I live in Virginia and believe in the death penalty. People can preach their morals at me all day and it won't change my mind. You know what upsets me the most? He was given a choice! Electrocution or lethal injection! Did his victims have a choice??? He systematically picked his victims and snuffed their lives out with a single shot! TEN of them!!!! All we did as a judge and jury is give him the same sentence he gave his victims. Now he will stand in front of Judge and jury in heaven, and I pray the jury is his 10 victims. But ultimately, it's up to God what happens to him now.

 

[Jonezie]

Some of you have said things like "Lethal injection was too kind" or "Let the punishment fit the crime." But let me ask this. If your most beloved family member were murdered, would ANY punishment fit the crime? I mean, if my mom was murdered, I would be so devastated that I wouldn't have an inch of room in my heart or a millisecond of my day to think about anything other than the fact that my mom was gone. I would be lost and stricken with grief. And all I would be able to think about was how to make it through the hours. And then, after the initial grief, I would want to spend every minute honoring her life and living my life in a way that would make her happy. I wouldn't want to waste one second thinking about the person who killed her. That would be one second of my energy that person didn't deserve to rob from me.

Secondly, are you happy...TRULY happy...with death? Is taking someone's life really enough compensation for the devastating loss we feel? I mean, as I write this, the DC sniper has already been executed. But some of you will go on celebrating his death even now...after he has "paid" for his crime. His death, you will find, will never be enough to fit the crime or satisfy your need for justice, I fear. Even after he has "paid for his crime", you will think it was not enough for the "monster" that he was...and wish he could die a death more painful than he inflicted. Will you really feel satisfied?

I am so so sorry for the families of his victims. In fact...this has inspired me to find out more about the families and opportunities to work for victim's rights. I know that many of you are thinking I'm more concerned with this man's rights than his victims. But the reality is...I'm horrified that we live in a society where execution is celebrated, where people would rather watch someone "fry" than try to figure out what led to this person committing such a heinous crime in hopes of preventing it from happening again, and where even death is not enough to satisfy us.

 

[Jonezie]

I'm glad Governor Kaine let this go through. I live in Virginia and believe in the death penalty. People can preach their morals at me all day and it won't change my mind. You know what upsets me the most? He was given a choice! Electrocution or lethal injection! Did his victims have a choice??? He systematically picked his victims and snuffed their lives out with a single shot! TEN of them!!!! All we did as a judge and jury is give him the same sentence he gave his victims. Now he will stand in front of Judge and jury in heaven, and I pray the jury is his 10 victims. But ultimately, it's up to God what happens to him now.

NCCJones...you say it's up to God but the rest of your post doesn't match. It sounds very much like YOU feel entitled to be his judge and jury. And when you say others are "preaching their morals," aren't you doing the very same thing? It's an age-old debate for sure. But I am able to see your viewpoint without feeling like you are "preaching your morals."

 

[morningstar]

I don't believe in the death penalty. If it's wrong to kill, it's wrong to kill. Period. I also don't believe in abortion, just for the record.

 

[morningstar]

I guess you would have to sit down and figure that out case by case. This case actually seems like it has gone to the actual putting to death part a lot faster than most. He hasn't lingered in jail for decades like some so you'd have to look at what his costs were vs. a lifetime of appeals, probation hearings, etc... And what if he ends up with a serious illness and piles up years of medical bills. I would think every situation would be different.

I don't think it matters how much life imprisonment costs - the death/life equation shouldn't be figured on a cost basis. There's a great many people with serious illnesses that cost a fortune to keep around on this green earth. Should we then examine and judge each of their lives and determine whether their lives are worth saving? What if they were found to have child porn on their computer? What if they cheated on a test? What if they cheated on their husbands? What if they ran a red light and hit someone who died? Where do we draw the line between people that we are willing to foot the bill so that they can live and those that we won't?

 

[Katerchen]

I always supported the death penalty for viscious

murders. Maybe if we would start killing the murderers the way they killed their victims (torture and all) there would be less murders?

People are hardly afraid of punishment/consequences anymore and society needs to take a stronger stand against rapist, murderers, child molestors, even people who are cruel to animals because if you torture an animal you will eventually move on to torturing people (watch your kids and really punish them if they string a live frog to the tree, etc.).

Death penalty is fair. What good is it if the murderer is in prison, gets three balanced meals for the rest of his life, can socialize, workout, read, and get a college education? It's as criminals are being rewarded for their crimes nowadays.

 

[Worknprogress]

By the way....my mouse is "sticking" and I am having to jiggle it around and it is not keeping up with where I am clicking so somehow I have "accidentally" hit the star rating and that is where the one star came from.

I never rate threads but have had mine rated one or two stars in the past and it bothered me so I wouldn't want to do that to someone else.

My apologies Govtgirl - didn't mean to do that! I think this is a very viable topic and that is why I responded in the first place.

I will have to take my mouse apart and clean it or get a new one!

 

[carres1973]

The sheriff is Joe Arpaio in Maricopa county in my home state of Arizona. He will only do what serves his self-marketing, using inmates as props and backdrops.
The pink underwear, tent city and recently chasing immigrants is only self serving. Nevermind that he has turned from America's toughest sheriff to Americas most expensive sheriff because he is under federal investigation for unconstitutional searches and seizures as well as discrimination. I am sure glad that as a resident of Maricopa county I have to foot the bill for his legal defense. Nevermind that there are almost 60,000 outstanding felony warrants that he won't take care of. While being busy courting the media with his crackdown on illegal immegrants and putting pink underwear on inmates 10s of thousands of felons are roaming Maricopa county because serving warrants is beneath celebrity Joe.

I don't have a problem with being tough on prisoners in general though.

I didn't realize it was only his responsibility to serve the warrants. I believe he also has a staff that should be taken to task. Unconstitutional searches and seizures as well as discrimination charges from who? Criminals? Prisoners? That would be like asking you to ANONYMOUSLY rate your boss. All kinds of positive things would come out there!

Carrie

 

[carres1973]

Some of you have said things like "Lethal injection was too kind" or "Let the punishment fit the crime." But let me ask this. If your most beloved family member were murdered, would ANY punishment fit the crime?

If it was my family, I would TRULY want the punishment to fit the crime. If someone from my family is raped, I would want the same thing done to the rapist. Why should the criminal be allowed to escape the indignity and horror inflicted on his/her victim? They should BEG to be spared...just as many victims do.

Secondly, are you happy...TRULY happy...with death? Is taking someone's life really enough compensation for the devastating loss we feel? I mean, as I write this, the DC sniper has already been executed. But some of you will go on celebrating his death even now...after he has "paid" for his crime.

I am personally not one who is "celebrating" in his death. Do I feel he got what he deserved? YES! Do I think the punishment fit the crime? NO! He knew what was coming. He wasn't just minding his own business, filling his car with gas and shot dead!

Carrie

 

[carres1973]

I don't think it matters how much life imprisonment costs - the death/life equation shouldn't be figured on a cost basis. There's a great many people with serious illnesses that cost a fortune to keep around on this green earth. Should we then examine and judge each of their lives and determine whether their lives are worth saving? What if they were found to have child porn on their computer? What if they cheated on a test? What if they cheated on their husbands? What if they ran a red light and hit someone who died? Where do we draw the line between people that we are willing to foot the bill so that they can live and those that we won't?

I don't think comparing murderers to people with serious illnesses is even remotely relevant. Talk about comparing apples to oranges! There already are consequences for people who have child porn on their computer or who run a red light and hit and kill someone.

Carrie

 

[Beavs]

I propose punishing convicted murderers by leaving them in the heart of the Adirondacks......naked.......in the middle of black fly season. There wouldn't be anything left of them.
Bzzzzz!

 

[Liann]

I don't think comparing murderers to people with serious illnesses is even remotely relevant. Talk about comparing apples to oranges! There already are consequences for people who have child porn on their computer or who run a red light and hit and kill someone.

Carrie

ITA. (my message is too short, so I'm typing this....)

 

[Govtgirl]

Actually, I really wouldn't care if it cost a million bucks for capital punishment, and 50 cents to keep his heart beating another 50 years. The govt spends so much taxpayer money on ridiculous things (remember $400 toilets? it still happens) that this would be an instance of money doing some good. Positive things about last night:

It keeps him off the street...sometimes they do get sentences commuted to life, then parole

It keeps him from killling again...there are killers who get out on parole or visitation, and kill again before the sun is down

It keeps him from making money off the deaths...no book deals for him

It shuts him up...he was maintaining his innocence til the end, claiming the govt was racist and targeted him

It shuts all of us up ...we will never forget the victims he took, but within a few weeks nobody will be talking about the sniper. If he stayed in jail, he'd be all over the media, appealing to the courts, asking for a new trial, and we'd be talking about it. Our time is better spent on other things.

Well, there's lots of reasons, too many to go into. One other thing that is not an argument for me the God aspect. Not all of us beleive in God, and God should be kept separate from the law anyway.

I also beleive some lives are worth more than others, yes even in civilized society. A child's life is worth more than a pedophile's. A contributing member of society is worth more than a cold-blooded killer's. As a society, we need to protect ourselves from the dregs that would do us harm.

And to Debbie: I am so sorry for the loss of your uncle and friend. There's just no words....

 

[Govtgirl]

I propose punishing convicted murderers by leaving them in the heart of the Adirondacks......naked.......in the middle of black fly season. There wouldn't be anything left of them.
Bzzzzz!

Nah, Beavs, that's too good for them too!

 

[TeTe]

I like to think that I'm against the death penalty, but, honestly, with people like this guy, I just don't care that much. But, in my heart of hearts, I agree that government sanctioned killing is wrong.

As far as the family and friends of the victims, I guess each one is as unique as we are here. I had two friends and their children brutally murdered, and the guy who did it got the death penalty. I can honestly say that it did not make me feel any better or worse. It doesn't change what happened and it doesn't make me forget what this family went through during the finally hours of their lives. I only wanted him to NEVER be free to do the same thing again. He hasn't been put to death yet, but, I'm sure there are probably appeals being filed, and lawyers scurrying around as we speak.

The money to keep murderers alive in prison doesn't bother me; it keeps them from harming others. On the other had, I'd rather not pay taxes for people who are in jail for stupid crimes like having pot or who are incarcerated for the rest of their lives because of the "three strikes and we throw away the key" laws. But, that's another thread.

 

[hiitdogs]

I didn't realize it was only his responsibility to serve the warrants.
Carrie

You are kidding, right??? He is the the top in the county, it IS his responsibility to make sure that the warrants are served. If he didn't spend so much time self promoting himself (on his own show) maybe he would have time to make sure that the business of Maricopa county actually gets done.

So who decideds who is a criminal? Sheriff Joe? Even Sheriff Joe needs to adhere to the law. And even criminals, as much as you don't like it, have constitutional rights. Aside from the fact that there have been many unconstitutional searches, discrimination etc of people who turned out to be completely innocent and actual legal immigrants. Just targeted of where they were, how they looked and what they wore. There are laws in Arizona and Maricopa county and those also apply to the top cop of the county. Because HE continues to ignore the law I have to pay for his legal defense.

I have several friends who work for the Maricopa prison system and his unlawful behavior does not only unleash on "criminals".