Here's Why Capital Punishment Needs to Go

[Indy]

That wasn't the point. The point is that they were supposed to be executed--for something they didn't do.

The fact that they just ended up--just--spending decades in prison is an even further insult. In Cruz's case he managed to have at least a good chunk of his life left to live. In the original story, no.

Either way, the fact still stands--we have endless cases of people sentenced to death who turned out to be innocent. Until that problem is addressed, the death penalty needs to be suspended. Otherwise we are saying that it's acceptable to us to kill innocent people to get the guilty ones.

How is that morally defensible?

[Philly]

I want to abolish the death penalty because it's the 21st century and we shouldn't be doing it even if they were guilty. But why are we focusing on the terrible thing that could have happened to them and not the terrible thing that actually happened?

[NAB]

[Indy]

[Philly]

[Indy]

How about, these death penalty cases are a perfect example of why we need criminal justice reform? When innocent people are spending decades in prison and at this point now there's no doubt we're even killing them?

[Philly]

Yes, fair. But. I again would argue that the death penalty is bad because it's bad and not because it might happen to an innocent person. As Galt said, the death penalty can't be undone but neither can years of incarceration. So I don't say suspend the death penalty until we know it's not happening to innocents. Cause then why not suspend incarceration as well? Of course we won't do that. I say abolish the death penalty cause it's stupid and barbaric, but don't kid yourself for a second that this is really helpful to the people who will still receive life sentences for crimes they have not committed.

[Indy]

Because suspending incarceration is simply not feasible. Suspending the death penalty is something we could easily could do, and handle.

[exploited]

Yeah Indy, change the title of your thread so that these guys can have their opinions validated.

[Indy]

I thought the point was pretty clear so I don't know why it needs a title change. I've clarified further so my work is done here?