What I heard about the death penalty I couldn't believe

[serryjw]

We still have states that have Firing Squad & Hanging as approved method of execution?? I have been on the fence concerning the death penalty for years but finally found it was not humane and racially bias....BUT I had no idea this still existed.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=8&did=245

[skipos]

1. Yeah, but you have to choose it.

"Utah offers the firing squad only for inmates who chose this method prior to its elimination as an option."

[Puregonzo1188]

2. Yeah, but I believe you have to choose to shot or hanged.

[NNN0LHI]

3. I would take the Firing Squad

No Barney Fife's though.

Don

[Retired AF Dem]

4. Hanging is quicker

in firing squads they go for the chest, almost never instantly fatal.

[INDIA]

5. From what I understand...

Firing squad and hanging look more barbaric, but may be more painless than gas, injection, and DEFINITELY the chair. I wish someone would man up and write legislation abolishing this punishment, the system makes too many mistakes.

[NNN0LHI]

6. Theoretically that is correct if everything goes perfectly

Not very often everything goes perfectly.

Don

[Puregonzo1188]

11. Not neccessarly true

I watched a show on A&E on the true story the movie In Cold Blood was based on and both of the killers were hanged and it took around 30 minutes to kill one of them. So I would say that is not humane.

[Nikia]

7. I wonder if this barbaric practice would actually be most humane

Putting death penalty prisioners under anesteasia and removing their organs for donation. I suppose that it is bad because it would probably encourage more death penalty sentences to be carried out since something good is coming of their death.
If there has to be the death penalty though, why shouldn't the prisioners be put unconscious and out of pain by medical means before killing them? From what I have read about the lethal injection, it is not an easy pain free process. It really could be done more humanely.

[Richard D]

8. One word . . .

. . . Revenge.

Some people have a sick desire to see others suffer. The death penalty gives a veneer of social respectability to assuage this desire. It's really a form of pornography, IMNVHO.

[Kailassa]

9. Only it's far more damaging to all participants than porn is.

[Red_Viking]

10. Firing squad in Utah for Mormons

They believe spilling blood atones for sins in this world. So, this "blood atonement" will cleanse them and allow them to enter heaven.

This article originally appeared in The Salt Lake City Messenger, Issue No. 92, April, 1997, quoting a sermon by Brigham Young:

"There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins, whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world...
"It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit.... There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an altar, as in ancient days; and there are sins that the blood of a lamb, or a calf, or of turtle dove, cannot remit, but they must be atoned for by the blood of the man." (Sermon by Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pages 53-54); also published in the Mormon Church's Deseret News, 1856, page 235)

I can't support the death penalty for a variety of reasons, but mainly because the system is so flawed that the chance of executing an innocent person is high. In fact, innocent people have been executed. That's vile.

Peace,

RV

[Hippo_Tron]

12. I'd take Firing Squad

I would say that probably the most painless way possible is a bullet to the head. Of course if firing squad is going to not shoot for the head, that could be a problem.

Lethal injection scares the bjeebus out of me because of needles and because I've heard that it can be done wrong and not so painless.

[DELUSIONAL]

13. Washington state uses hanging (or did)

and the two men who were hung were white.

Both were very guilty and one ordered his lawyers not to appeal.

I'm against the death penalty -- but in the case of the man who tortured and killed little boys and then wanted to be hung (like he killed one of his victims) -- I supported his wishes.