The Death penalty
"Evil has many faces. The criminals and murderers commit acts of evil against society, the law enforcement agencies, judicial system, and prison systems are corrupt and commit crimes (evil) against the criminals, you (society), are destructive by supporting godless morals and ethics, always trading evil for evil from every side. There is no peace for the wicked. You selfishly tear down and never build up." A man named Michael Sharp who was executed after fifteen years on death row in November of 1997 in Texas wrote this excerpt from "The Jericho Road". During his time in prison, he accepted Christ as his savior and repented of his sins. This excerpt gives a true perception from all aspects when it comes to the controversy over capital punishment. In terms of "the law of the land", punishment should fit the crime. But when capital punishment is considered, no human being has the authority to make such an immense decision. Opinions may vary, but one common value is agreed upon! in the normality of society; murder is wrong. Immoral economically, socially, and ethically, the death penalty is unacceptable to a just fellowship of mankind. Capital punishment is a public exhibition of order, a violent homicide. Accor
the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments." At that time the death penalty was abolished. Yet in 1976, the Supreme Court decided, "The punishment of death does not invariably violate the Constitution" and ruled to "object standards to guide, regularize, and make rationally reviewable the process for imposing the death penalty". (www.dnai.com/~mwood/deathpen.html) An honorable and loyal government cannot make contradictory decisions as such. It portrays a bad outlook to our nation, and only suggests that our government resorts to violence rather than solution. In 1976, after this ruling was made, executions resumed in 1977 and by the 1990's, three thousand criminals were under the sentence of death and one hundred and eighty had been executed. (www.dnai.com/~mwood/deathpen.html) In 1994, President Bill Clinton added fifty-eight more crimes punishable by death. (www.nodeathpenalty.org/fiveReasons.html) Also, his Anti-terrorism bill limited the amount of Federal appeals for death r! St. John-Stevas, Norman. The Right to life. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964. 24 Oct. 2000. ding to the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, over three thousand prisoners are currently under the sentence of death. Since 1976, almost six hundred executions have taken place. (Campaign to End the Death Penalty 1) As time goes on, the age limit for the penalty of death is decreasing. (Information Plus 57) The Federal minimum age is of eighteen years. That age is in good standing in thirteen states but the minimum age waves between fourteen and seventeen in sixteen states. (Information Plus 57) Means that distinguish the death penalty include murder carried out during the act of another felony, murder of a peace officer, corrections employee, or fireman, murder by an inmate serving a life sentence, and murder for hire. (Information Plus 55) According to Adam Bedau, the most traditional methods of execution include hanging and firing squads. Over centuries new methods have been used. The most commo! Harsh systems with justice are defined by individual luck. Many innocent persons have been sentenced to death and executed. Many have spent years in prison and finally let out only to find half of their life wasted away for no reason. The death penalty is irrevocable. Due to false accusations, false police work, history of criminal records, and community pressure, murder occurs with innocent persons. (Bedau 5) The account of Clarence Brandley is but a small portrayal of what many have been through: In 1980 a black high school janitor, Clarence Brandley, and his white co-worker found the body of a missing 15-year-old white schoolgirl. Interrogated by the police, they were told, " One of you two is going to hang for this." Looking at Brandley, the officer said, "Since you're the nigger, you're elected." In a classic case of rush to judgment, Brandley was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. The circumstantial evidence against him was thin, other leads were ignored by the ! Sentencing a human being to death cannot renew our lives and pain. All it does is sustain our vengeance. But when vengeance is finished, what have we gained? Morality is never upheld by a legalized murder and justice is never advanced in the tacking of a human life. Many people believe that the death penalty is an effective deterrence toward criminals, but there are drawbacks. In order for the death penalty to deter, death sentences must be consistent. Only two percent of criminals charged with first-degree murder are sentenced to death. (Bedau 3) A criminal will not fear consequences knowing his or her small chances of the death sentence. If the criminal is sentenced to death, long-term imprisonment occurs first and losing complete freedom for so long is usually punishment enough. Many prisoners realize their mistakes and get better. After a long time in prison, the sentence can be revoked. (Bedau 3) The death penalty can increase crime rate rather than deter. D
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Approximate Word count = 2849
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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