Subj : Re: [twgsdotorg] To : All From : Dr. Bad Date : Tue Jan 14 2003 11:11 pm Sure, the problem is with convicting the wrong people, but there is no "undo" on the death penalty, whereas, releasing someone a few years into a life sentence is much less problematic. If the judicial system was 100% infallible, then I'd be very happy with a death penalty, but that's not really possible in the forseeable future. Dr. Bad >From a message by Cherokee about Re: [twgsdotorg]: > I would still argue that the problem is with convicting the wrong people, not in the death penalty itself. Even without the death penalty, the current system has the potential to convict an innocent person and sentence them to life in prison, which is very nearly as bad as death if you ask me. I could be convinced that the requirements for imposing the death penalty could be tightened up some, that the offenses punishable by it be restricted some more, or any of a variety of other "reforms". But for some criminals, I think the most appropriate punishment is death. Names like bin Ladin and McVeigh and Dahmer come to mind. --- "Dr. Bad" wrote: > > > > > >Death penalty opponents always use the scenario of > >the "innocent death > >row inmate" to try to argue against the penalty. I'm sur > >this happens > >occasionally, but I believe it is far less frequent than > >death penalty > >opponents claim. > > IMHO a _single_ incorrect execution is sufficient to make the death > penalty highly unattractive. Remember, the death penalty is not a > choice between killing them vs letting them go, its a choice between > killing them in about 10 years time, vs locking them up for the rest > of their lives. The difference to the community on the guilty ones is > pretty minor compared to the loss of even just one innocent life. > > Dr. Bad > > --- The Mad Hatter wrote: > > > > > > > > Check CNN, MSNBC, Nytimes.com, etc., all of the major news sites > > covered it. > > > > And yes, these people were innocent. Through DNA testing (which was > > not available w .