[NewKojak]

USA Today: N.J. to abolish the death penalty

I'm not sure why states with checkered recent political histories turn to death penalty moratoriums for redemption, but I'll take a little civilization in the criminal justice system where I can get it.

[almaink]

Not me, I'm madder than a wet hen over this latest flaunting of power by Democrats in New Jersey. Why they couldn't put a provision in to grandfather those scum already on death row and for heinous crimes against children, police officers and women, like the Republicans wanted is odd. To have something and not use it after many appeals is just stupid. I guess the Democrats think scum like Ambrose Harris and Jesse Timmendequas have redeeming qualities or Democrats just like scum...

[MaxMacDonald]

What, republicans never flaunt their power? Stop the presses!

LOL

I thought we elected parties to express the power inherent in the will of the people. Silly me.

You can be for the death penalty all you wish, but I don't see how you can justify being upset that the Dems did something about it while in power.

[almaink]

"I thought we elected parties to express the power inherent in the will of the people. Silly me."
But by a 78 percent to 18 percent margin, New Jersey voters want the death penalty for cases involving serial killers and child killers.

"New Jersey voters are sharply divided over the death penalty," said Clay F. Richards, the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute assistant director. "On one hand, a majority opposes repeal of the current law, but on the other, a majority favor life imprisonment with no chance of parole over death for a murderer. There is no doubt, however, when it comes to the most-violent crimes, that most voters want death for serial murderers and child killers."

http://www.nj.com/ne...sf/2007/12/pollfindsnjsharplydivided.html

And the worst part IMO is it was lame duck legislation. Would have been better to put it on the next general state election ballet and see who accurate the polls were.

[luciferase]

""that most voters want death for serial murderers and child killers.""

It is polls like this that give statistics and polls a bad name. I am surprised that it is not 100 % that want to kill confirmed serial murders and child killers. If you asked me if I had a 45 to the temple of a child killer would I pull the trigger I would answer "can I reload?" (I am against the death penalty.) Fortunately we do not make public policy from misleading polls.

Other poll questions of little validity:
1 Would you like the murderer of your child dead?
2) When did you stop beating your wife?
3) Do you want to cut taxes for stupid pork barrel projects?
4) Would you vote for an admitted cocaine user like Obama?
5) If you had a terrorist who knew where the ticking bomb was would you torture him with your mom's meatloaf?

[NewKojak]

If the argument against the death penalty is on ethical grounds, than there would be no reason to grandfather past offenders into the gurney. In fact, if the argument against the death penalty is on pragmatic grounds, than there still would be no reason. It would make less sense for a government to say, "the death penalty is wrong and full of racial/economic disparity, but we still need to kill someone!"

As for the Democrats liking scum... well, I truthfully don't care what kind of unsavory people this can be seen as helping when our humanity and moral stance as a civilization is at stake. If you wanted to make a sanctamonious plea for the worst thing to happen to offenders, you will find a lot of company, but not much sympathy in the United States Constitution, or the law of many a developed country.

[Nagromme]

Great news.

Child murderers can still be punished and kept off the street for life. But those few innocent people falsely convicted are now the victim of a REVERSIBLE mistake instead of a permanent one.

0% of the public supports execution of the falsely convicted.

[yoyo52]

Don't forget, would you want the death penalty for the guy who rapes your wife. Dukakis should have just laughed.

[Kate]

Executing rapists will stop further rapings.
Executing murderers will stop further murders.
What other crimes are given the death sentence? - - . . . 7 hours later I can edit this post? Not good. It changed the time of original post to the time now 10:24 p.m. . . . .


{size:-1}Espionage{size}?



Executing espionagers will stop espionage.



That takes care of that!

[MrBe]

One thing that might make people feel better, (or not) would be to change the criteria with which juries find guilty. Now it's to convict if they are guilty beyond a shadow of doubt. They might change it to be "Would you like for him to be guilty or not guilty". {smile}

dave

[yoyo52]

Ah yes . . . the family feud approach: survey says! . . . .

I'm all in favor of that. So very democratic! :p