Capital punishment is a form of discipline brought upon others because of harsh crimes they’ve committed. These crimes are more than likely murder, and when someone is convicted of this, depending on the state, judge, and jurors that person will be sentenced to capital punishment also know as the death penalty. These include electric chair, lethal injection, hanging, and sometimes use of a firing squad. Many people think that this is the best method of punishment. I however strongly disagree because it shows that killing people is right by killing other people, the cost of killing people is more than the cost of housing an inmate for life, some are innocent and unjustly convicted, and the methods are gruesome and inhumane.
Lex Talionis which is a Latin phrase meaning a life for a life is one of the sole reasons people are for the death penalty. That is not only sickening and disgusting but a disgrace to humans everywhere. A life for a life proves absolutely nothing. We are suppose to be teaching people that killing is wrong not killing people to show them that killing is wrong. Exchanging life for another is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. We as Americans are messing up lives and have our priorities messed up. Vengeance, in my opinion, is ignorance.
In most murder cases defendants have two trials; one to determine if the defendant is guilty or not and second being whether or not they get the death penalty. Defendants receiving the death penalty are granted an appeal, as you could imagine this takes time and M-O-N-E-Y. Whose money? Our money. It is a proven fact that those who are seeking the death penalty cost more than housing an inmate for life. The reason being the lengthy time of the trials and the many steps everyone must take to ensure "fairness". In Texas the average cost of a capital trial is than the cost to incarcerate a person for forty years. That is absolutely ridiculous.
As of 1999, sixty-nine people on death row were released based on DNA evidence. In 1997 a Louisiana teen was sentenced to death after claims of being seen robbing and killing a grocer. This teen in 2004 was exonerated because his DNA did not match that of the real killer. This is just another ridiculous reason of why the death penalty should be unconstitutional. How in the world do we let innocent people be convicted and murdered when we have criminals roaming our streets.
Capital punishment is considered by many the most inhumane feeling alive. It is cruel and disgusting. In Alabama during a 1983 execution a man by the name of John Evans was electrocuted. The first 900 volts didn’t kill him so they tried again. The second set of volts didn’t kill him. Witnesses said that Evans skull was smoking but doctors said he was still conscious. Witnesses also spoke of the smell of vomit and feces. The guard sent another 900 volts through Evans body and he was killed. This goes back and plays a factor in cruel and unusual punishment, which is in the eighth amendment. Evan’s rights were violated. It is not fair how this man was treated.
On June 24, 2004 in New York the death penalty was declared unconstitutional. Every other state in the United States still uses the death penalty. It is extremely ridiculous and anyone who participates is sick. The death penalty shows no remorse for anyone’s life. As of February 15, 2007 there were fifty new prisoners added to the death row. These prisoners will wait for death. Can you imagine the feeling that a person has knowing that they’re going to die but has to wait for it?
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