D.C. sniper executed in Virginia...What's your opinion on the death penalty?

• unique_67

  John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind of the 2002 sniper attacks in the Washington DC area was executed tonight. I'm not a proponent of the death penalty, as I do not believe it serves as a deterrent. Also, multiple studies have been done that show it costs as much or more money to execute an individual as it does for a sentence of life in prison, without possibility of parole.
  
  Here is the story, and it would be interesting to see what the viewpoint is of people on this site.
  
  
  D.C. sniper executed in Virginia
  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-11-10-sniper_N.htm
• CenterBHSFan

  

  Well, it took them long enough!
  
  See, IMHO, that's part of the problem. A clear cut case like this should NOT take so long and THAT is why it is expensive.
• jordo212000

  

  Exactly. Should have just taken him out back and used a good ol' shotgun shell on him
• iuhoosier11

  I find it hard to believe that it costs more execute than to take care of someone for the remainder of his/her life in prison. Do you care to site any of these studies? Seems like there would be a lot of variables in a study like that.
• LJ

  

  Updated rule. If you make a claim to a study, report, statistic, etc, you must source it.
• CenterBHSFan

  

  Maybe appeals adds in to the price factor, and that's what the OP meant? People escape the DP because constant appeals guarantee's them life.
• icskins

  I am sure that appeals have to included. They get what seems like endless appeals. All on our dime for the most part.
• icskins

  So we aren't allowed to say that "I think there was a study at one time" without having a link to it? I would think it is safe to say that there has been a study on pretty much every conceivable topic. That is how alot of schools get government money. If they are short they just come up with a bogus topic and get a grant for a study. I think there was a study done to show that.
• Trueblue23

  

  I have a stat.
  
  1 = the number of family members I have lost to homicide, so I am a BIG supporter of the death penalty.
• LJ

  

  icskins wrote: So we aren't allowed to say that "I think there was a study at one time" without having a link to it? I would think it is safe to say that there has been a study on pretty much every conceivable topic. That is how alot of schools get government money. If they are short they just come up with a bogus topic and get a grant for a study. I think there was a study done to show that.

  That's right. You cannot claim something on the basis of "fact" or a "study" without presenting it.
• devil1197

  Trueblue23 wrote: I have a stat.
  
  1 = the number of family members I have lost to homicide, so I am a BIG supporter of the death penalty.

  Me too.
  
  My cousins murderer was executed my Freshman year in H.S.
• LJ

  

  To those posters who have had the murderer of a family member executed...
  
  Could you share with us what kind of closure or feelings it created?
• devil1197

  LJ wrote: To those posters who have had the murderer of a family member executed...
  
  Could you share with us what kind of closure or feelings it created?

  The loss of my cousin basically killed my Aunt who died 5 years after the incident. She was perfectly healthy before the incident but developed cancer shortly after and never regained the fight to live after losing her daughter.
  
  Our family was very dedicated to having Fox killed because that was the only type of justice we knew would help some of our families to have closure.
• icskins

  I would have to think that there would be some relief felt. Luckily I have never had anything like that happen in my family. But at least they can go to bed at night knowing that the person guilty will never do it again.
• Trueblue23

  

  devil1197 wrote:

  LJ wrote: To those posters who have had the murderer of a family member executed...
  
  Could you share with us what kind of closure or feelings it created?

  The loss of my cousin basically killed my Aunt who died 5 years after the incident. She was perfectly healthy before the incident but developed cancer shortly after and never regained the fight to live after losing her daughter.
  
  Our family was very dedicated to having Fox killed because that was the only type of justice we knew would help some of our families to have closure.

  Same here, but the bastard got life... The United States Justice System is a damn joke.
• jordo212000

  

  Its like the USA tried to find the most expensive way possible to kill somebody. I just don't understand why giving somebody a shot that slowly makes their whole body gradually shut down is more humane than a simple shot to the noggin. They definitely wouldn't be feeling anything
• Fidmeister

  I have friends in DC, including some who shop at the Home Depot this Fuckwad (can we cuss on the new Huddle?) shot up.
  
  Here would be my punishment for him: tell him he may or may not be executed. We're not telling you when or where if it happens. Let him live just long enough that he thinks he is in the clear, then have a guard pick him off from a tower.
• salto

  

  I watched some of the coverage of the execution. They had interviews with some of the surviving family members. One was a victims brother and he said he really didn't have a sense of closure, but that he was glad that Muhammed couldn't hurt anyone else.
  
  They also mentioned that he was given a Valium prior to the proceedings as is routine. All individuals to be executed have been offered and accepted the Valium. My only thought was the Son of a Bitch didn't offer his victims a Valium.
• CenterBHSFan

  

  Yeah. I think the absolute clear-cut situations need to be dealt with by swift punishment. It isn't fair to the taxpayers, who are keeping these dastardly criminals kept in comparative comfort, to pay for years.
• eersandbeers

  CenterBHSFan wrote: Yeah. I think the absolute clear-cut situations need to be dealt with by swift punishment. It isn't fair to the taxpayers, who are keeping these dastardly criminals kept in comparative comfort, to pay for years.

  
  
  I disagree simply because "clear-cut" situations is often nothing more than a subjective opinion. I'm sure there have been many clear cut situations where the person was later found innocent.
  
  We have years of appeals because you cannot regrant someone a life once it is taken. This is why the death penalty needs to be abolished altogether.
• CenterBHSFan

  

  eersandbeers wrote:I disagree simply because "clear-cut" situations is often nothing more than a subjective opinion. I'm sure there have been many clear cut situations where the person was later found innocent.
  
  We have years of appeals because you cannot regrant someone a life once it is taken. This is why the death penalty needs to be abolished altogether.

  Yep, I give you that, on the basis that there is also clear cuts that are really clear cuts. Just like the subject of this post.
• Footwedge

  LJ wrote: Updated rule. If you make a claim to a study, report, statistic, etc, you must source it.

  IMO that will create a lot of wasted time...as it relates to redundancy.
  
  For example...if someone states that the latest poll shows the majority of Americans are now against escalating forces in Afghanistan, why should that person have to source it?
  
  If I quote numbers/stats etc, and someone calls me out on it, I am more than happy to oblige.
• LJ

  

  Footwedge wrote:

  LJ wrote: Updated rule. If you make a claim to a study, report, statistic, etc, you must source it.

  IMO that will create a lot of wasted time...as it relates to redundancy.
  
  For example...if someone states that the latest poll shows the majority of Americans are now against escalating forces in Afghanistan, why should that person have to source it?
  
  If I quote numbers/stats etc, and someone calls me out on it, I am more than happy to oblige.

  Because you are presenting a strong statement from the get go. If you say the lastest poll says americans hate cheese, you provide a link to where you read it. You are sourcing it so we don't have the bullshit ghost statements like we had on the other forum.
  
  end of discussion.
• dubnine

  OK well here, I just did a speech on opposing the death penalty, so i had to do some research on cost and such. FYI, im opposed because of moral complications arise when killing someone to punish them for doing what? oh yeah, killing someone. Also it is not a deterrent. Here are links related to cost and deterrence.
  
  http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-cost/page.do?id=1101084
  
  http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/the-death-penalty-and-deterrence/page.do?id=1101085
• iclfan2

  

  What moral complication is there? You shouldn't MURDER someone. Punishing someone to death, imo, is completely different than murdering someone.