General Discussion

whopis01

(3,513 posts)

26. What sucks is that getting rid of the death penalty won't fix much.

Tue Apr 29, 2014, 10:02 PM

Apr 2014

If the death penalty is eliminated, anyone who would have gotten it is likely to get life in prison. So all the innocent ones will just be locked up for life.

Of course, as long as they are alive there is a chance that they will be exonerated. I get that. But it is still a life of hell for an innocent person to be locked away for a crime they didn't commit. I am sure it feels good to get set free after 20, 30, 40 years or more - but that only feels good because it is better than the alternative of staying wrongfully imprisoned. It is a far cry from how they should have been treated to begin with.

And, as pointed out in the article, people don't try as hard to get a lifer exonerated as they do someone on death row.

Don't get me wrong - the death penalty has no redeeming qualities and needs to be banned immediately. It just pisses me off that it still won't help many.

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26 replies

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Highlight:

Study: One Out of Twenty Five Death Row Inmates Is Innocent [View all] n2doc Apr 2014 OP

Frankly I'm surprised it's that low a percentage... truebrit71 Apr 2014 #1

ITA eom JustAnotherGen Apr 2014 #3

??? truebrit71 Apr 2014 #14

In Total Agreement JustAnotherGen Apr 2014 #16

Aaah!! Thanks! truebrit71 Apr 2014 #20

This, Sir, Is The Only Legitimate Argument Against Capital Punishment The Magistrate Apr 2014 #2

Plus 100 JustAnotherGen Apr 2014 #4

Not the only, but the most likely to prevail. morningfog Apr 2014 #6

And that, in practice, it is racially biased KamaAina Apr 2014 #15

No I think the humanitarian argument is a legitimate argument. Shoulders of Giants Apr 2014 #9

Well, and not killing people is another. nt Logical Apr 2014 #10

I Have Little Regard For That One, Sir: States Kill, It Is What They Do The Magistrate Apr 2014 #11

We'll sir you must agree with the leaders of the other countries who love the..... Logical Apr 2014 #12

You Know Who Else Liked Jelly Omelets, Sir? ---- HITLER!!!!! The Magistrate Apr 2014 #13

Well played! Egnever Apr 2014 #19

Stupid comparison. But you know that. Nt Logical Apr 2014 #22

It's the only argument we need. But not the only one. RedCappedBandit Apr 2014 #17

Yup yup Victor_c3 Apr 2014 #21

There are a lot of legitimate arguments, this is but one. surrealAmerican Apr 2014 #24

The exact reason Illinois abolished the Death Penalty /nt Drale Apr 2014 #5

Any truly civilized society would look at the possibility of one innocent person Arugula Latte Apr 2014 #7

The death penalty must go nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #8

But point out that when you support the DP, you're supporting the murder of innocents RedCappedBandit Apr 2014 #18

I really don't care for the dp. nt ZombieHorde Apr 2014 #23

Of this I have no doubt n/t etherealtruth Apr 2014 #25

What sucks is that getting rid of the death penalty won't fix much. whopis01 Apr 2014 #26