Quote Originally Posted by Gregg View Post
I used to support the death penalty and now I don't. There are a couple reasons...

1. The process is too politicized and too inconsistent. Death penalty cases are brought mostly in jurisdictions that can afford multi-million dollar trials and have a supply of prosecutors and defenders (public and otherwise) seeking notoriety from high profile cases. Commit the same crime in an area with less resources and less media coverage and you would likely face a plea bargain rather than death.

2. There is too much potential for discrepancy between beyond a reasonable doubt and beyond any doubt. If the punishment is to be absolute the conviction better be as well, but in most cases that isn't possible. DNA evidence is a wonderful tool for helping bridge that gap, but its not foolproof. Or tamper proof.

3. As much as I feel there are people who's crimes are so heinous that they deserve to die, I don't believe that an eye for an eye really evens the score. IMO, that response does more to bring those rendering judgment down to the criminal level than it does to keep them on that precious high moral ground.

4. As convenient as it is to view criminals as a cancer, they're not. Cancer cells aren't sentient beings. Enough said.
i support the death penalty like the Israelis. Reserve it for the most heinous criminals, like Eichmann. Everyone else--not so much for all the reasons you list.

so I want to keep it on the books but I don,t care if it is actually used, or seldom used.