Debate continues. There are people who are really worried about the scum that sits on death row. They contend that there is no valid reason for society to take another person’s life regardless of this crime. In support there have the oft quoted “better that the guilty go free than one innocent man blah, blah, blah”. Their statistics counter that the death penalty does not deter anything (?); and that proportionally more minorities get death sentences. The answer is that neither stat is relevant. It might not deter every nut but it will deter some and that can only help; the answer to the latter is proportional to what – the number of murders minorities commit? - The percentage of minority population? - The percentage accused or caught? The Constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment is another favorite dodge. People are put out for operations all the time using various drugs. It can be the same here; they just don’t wake up.
Another excuse offered is the sickness of the murderer. By some definitions, anyone who kills anyone is at least a little sick. And so? People have sniffles, cancer and fallen arches, they don’t get off. Why should another type of illness which is subjective as to whether you actually have it, excuse murdering someone?
Their premise is whether anyone deserves the death penalty for anything? Well, suppose Hitler had been captured? Would a life sentence be an adequate punishment? If Hitler deserved the death penalty, does it depend upon how many people you kill? What is the magic number of murders that warrants death? 6 million? 100? 6? Is one priceless life worth more than 6?
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