![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
US seeks quicker death sentences
I'm not entirely sure what to think about this story. On one hand I am delighted. I don't see how spending 10yrs in prison waiting for death is justifiable. Yes they could be released if found not-guilty in the meantime but the mental anguish they must go through in that time, and the struggle that they go through on release must be nearly insurmountable.
On the other hand, isn't a large part of the reason it takes so long to allow people the opportunity to appeal and to prove their innocence? If you shorten this then you're shortening someone's chances to live, to be proven innocent.
According to http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20070612-1527-ca-deathrowsuicides.html - the average death row "stay" is 17.5 years!
I'm curious what the suicide rate of people who have been found innocent/released from "death row" is...
I'm not entirely sure what to think about this story. On one hand I am delighted. I don't see how spending 10yrs in prison waiting for death is justifiable. Yes they could be released if found not-guilty in the meantime but the mental anguish they must go through in that time, and the struggle that they go through on release must be nearly insurmountable.
On the other hand, isn't a large part of the reason it takes so long to allow people the opportunity to appeal and to prove their innocence? If you shorten this then you're shortening someone's chances to live, to be proven innocent.
According to http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20070612-1527-ca-deathrowsuicides.html - the average death row "stay" is 17.5 years!
I'm curious what the suicide rate of people who have been found innocent/released from "death row" is...
drained
(no subject)
If you’re going to let your judicial system kill people, waiting 17½ years to kill them is excessive. I know US courts have a reputation for being slow, but that’s ridiculous.
(no subject)
(no subject)
I'm not convinced that the death penalty in itself is a bad thing. I've read as many arguments for and against as I care to and neither of them are particularly convincing.
I don't think you can call the US arrogant for having the death penalty - after all there are other countries which still kill prisoners legally.
(no subject)
The death penalty is in direct conflict with two articles from the 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights'.
The execution of innocents happens. That is a fact.
Some countries execute political prisoners, and children.
But why listen to me when you could listen to Jeremy Irons?
(no subject)
(no subject)
Small rant aside, I haven't had the time. At home my internet time is severely limited by living with an internet addict (and I mean an addict), and at work I can barely string two sentences together without someone interrupting my train of thought.
(As an example, this comment was started at 11:52 by my clock. It's now 12:09).
I'll get there...
(no subject)
No rush, but I look forward to hearing your views.