Thought this was a good topic to get people riled up. 

What do you ladies think about the death penalty? I've always been torn about this... the whole eye for an eye thing and all. Yet, it's sad to hear that some of these people who are being executed might have been innocent (such as the guy that was just executed the other day... I mean he died still swearing he was innocent. Said he was there but that it was not him... and most of the jurors from the trial said that they had been threatened with death etc...) 

I am for the death penalty, but I think it needs to be proven beyond ANY doubt that the person is guilty. In the case of this man I had my doubts. In cases like that I don't think the death penalty should be used because to me it seemed like there was little evidence.

In this recent case they only talked about talked about the 7 of 9 that recanted. case there were 34 who testified against him. So what about the other 25? Did any of them recant? None? News outlets often seem to cherry pick what they want us to hear.

I am against the death penalty personally.

I think it is vengeance, since it doesn't serve any other purpose.

I was never for the death penality. I always felt that was the easiest punishment to serve! My dad begs to differ he feels the worst thing is to never have a good day. But I would rather a man pay for his mistake...also if by chance he was innocent, his sentence can be reversed...death is FOREVER

I am against it...two wrongs don't make a right. Also I am not religious and don't believe in life after death so for me death is too easy a punishment for what some of these people deserve. They should be made to sit and rot in a cell day after day.

I totally forgot I started this. My husband is so black and white, he told me "If someone confesses to raping (a child) or killing someone, drag them out and put a bullet between his/her eyes." Wow dear, really? He said that death row costs a lot of money and if there's no doubt why waste time. I'm still on the fence because yeah, if someone killed a family member I'd want vengeance (anyone would) but in the end it's not going to bring the person back and I don't think it'd give me any peace.

I'm against it. I don't think its right to take anyone's life in any circumstance. Unless they have put someone else's life in imminent danger (burglar breaks into the house with a gun, hostages in a bank robbery etc.) Also I have a problem with the devestation it leaves behind. You may kill the guilty party but you leave their family to suffer through the loss as well. The guilty may have killed someone but his/her mother didn't. She's already devestated enough knowing what her child did to another's child, she doesn't need to suffer through his murder too.

This is one of those things where I can see and agree with both sides. I really have no idea which I agree with more. I can see Rigger's point and I can see usmc eodwife's hubbys point. I do agree with the death penalty to an extent, but I don't feel it should be such a lengthy process, death row, etc. If we do 'death row' we should just get rid of the death penalty, they spend so long their anyway they may as well stay until they die of natural death.

Deirdre I disagree with you. If there was no death row then they would get arrested, be convicted and be put to death. Where do they suffer in all that? A lot of people who do these things have no quality of life anyway..why should they be granted the release of death. I think that being on death row day after day not knowing when your time is up is a good thing for them...they should have to think about what they did each day. I just wish some prisons weren't as "luxurious" as they are.

eh, I don't really care if they 'suffer' or not. I feel it is more the fact that they should just be removed from society permanently and they no longer should be living. I don't feel going ahead and killing them w/o death row is the easy way, so to speak. I feel it closes the problem more quickly (if that even makes sense). I don't feel the 'impending doom' they may (or may not... some of those suckers are too far gone to care) experience during death row is worth it. Just get rid of them, the end. I can see family members wanting them to suffer the way they have suffered, but that will never happen

Again, I can see both sides, so it makes it really hard for me to form a straight opinion on the matter.

I agree with the death penalty. I was watching something the other day and a man was telling a police officer that he was happy to go back to jail because he had a better life in jail and was able to go to school. That's just so wrong to me, defeats the purpose.

I just wish some prisons weren't as "luxurious" as they are.

Some of the "amenities" that prisons have really tick me off. It's a freaking prison for goodness sakes! Not a day spa! They shouldn't be allowed all the extras. They are being punished!

Again, I can see both sides, so it makes it really hard for me to form a straight opinion on the matter.

I can too, which makes it hard. But the fact that there are some people on death row that MAY be innocent and still being killed upsets me. I'd have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt (such as a confession) before I could support it 100%.

Sharkbait- I see what your point. But I think if there is going to be a death penalty it needs to be carried out swiftly like Deidre was saying. Certainly the appeals process needs to be limited much more than it is. Someone can sit on death row appealing court after court for 20+ years. That is A LOT of tax money spent on these people who are ultimately put to death anyway. And much more than we can afford to be honest.

usmc- I also agree that *if* there is going to be a death penalty it should only be applied in situations that include a confession. ANY doubt is too much.

In high school I wore a button on my backpack that said, "Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong?"

I am completely and 100% against the death penalty, even in the most extreme cases.

I'm against death penalty. For several reasons, amongst them:
- the problem of innocent people being executed
- the cost
- the fact that I believe they suffer more in jail and death can be too easy (quick)
- two wrongs don't make a right
- I believe that it doesn't give much "satisfaction"/vengeance to the victim's family. Trying to imagine one of the most extreme cases - somebody abducting, raping and killing my child - I obviously would want to go and take care of that bastard myself. But since that can't happen I don't think their death would be in any way healing for me.

I knew some people back a long time ago that were ex cons and didnt care if they went back to jail cause it was a roof over their head and 3 free meals, workout stuff, schooling, free medical care. Not everyone on death row gets all this but most dont care that they are in their cause its a roof over their head and free food and meds. I am for the death penalty if their is enough evidence to support it and I mean hard dna evidence. For most people in jail its not suffering, its life and they would rather be there then under a bridge. So like it was said, limit appeals time, and do it. Since I know so many that think this way, I would rather someone die if they hurt someone I love then sit in prison.

I personally woudln't want anyone's blood on my hands. I agree with Elizabeth.

I can see both sides, on one hand they could be innocent, but I think if they have confessed to a horrible crime then they deserve it, simply because now it costs so much to keep them locked up, we could use that money on someone who could be rehabilitated. I used to say it was better for them to have to live with it, but now with overcrowded prisons I just dont feel the same way.

And as for the 'aminities', offering school and such, at least they are trying to give them the tools to become a productive member of society when they get out, instead of thowing them back into the same situation that put them in prison in the first place. Its been proven in other countries that rehabilitating prisoners instead of simply imprisoning them can help them to do better once they get out.

Just my 2 cents though.

I believe child molesters should get the death penalty. By child molesters I mean an Adult that does things like that to a child, not a senior in highschool having sex with a freshman.