Saturday, December 16, 2006
Hi-tech death
This item from Fox News on the cancelling of death sentences in California and Florida because they are not carried out properly, gives a brief overview of the methods used and discarded. Lethal injection was to replace the electric chair because it was cruel or caused pain. The electric chair was supposed to be a more humane method of execution than hanging or firing squads.
First of all, by the time all the appeals process has been exhausted, only the most heinous of killers gets the death penalty. For us to worry excessively about cruel and unusual punishment for a someone who beat their victims to death or other such form of murder strikes me as completely inane. By the time the execution comes, the purpose is to rid our society of a piece of garbage, not play nice in the sandbox.
The Supreme Court has ruled that hanging and firing squads are constitutional forms of execution. These are low-tech and fairly foolproof. I like the ignominy of hanging -- it treats the prisoner like the piece of crap they are. I like the swiftness of a firing squad -- a bullet through the heart and it is over in a few seconds. I have little concern for the last moments of the executed prisoner. They certainly had no concern for their victims.
If the punishment fit the crime, some of these murderers would die very cruel and unusual deaths. I figure that is what Hell is for, letting them die over and over again the same way their victims died. I would have been all for turning Tookey loose in a field with the families of his victims armed with clubs, and let them beat him to death. That would have been justice.
If we really want justice we will get rid of this idea of humane execution and go back to doing the job right. Not only that, but we should make it a public event, not for the kiddies. Maybe if some of our erstwhile rapists, murderers, and thugs saw what happens to those who get caught, it might give them pause. Just think the news media could really get their jollies with legitimate snuff films.
All snarkiness aside, this attempt to be humane when executing convicted killers and those convicted of treason, is an oxy-moron. Humane is getting it over with, not trying to make it painless.
First of all, by the time all the appeals process has been exhausted, only the most heinous of killers gets the death penalty. For us to worry excessively about cruel and unusual punishment for a someone who beat their victims to death or other such form of murder strikes me as completely inane. By the time the execution comes, the purpose is to rid our society of a piece of garbage, not play nice in the sandbox.
The Supreme Court has ruled that hanging and firing squads are constitutional forms of execution. These are low-tech and fairly foolproof. I like the ignominy of hanging -- it treats the prisoner like the piece of crap they are. I like the swiftness of a firing squad -- a bullet through the heart and it is over in a few seconds. I have little concern for the last moments of the executed prisoner. They certainly had no concern for their victims.
If the punishment fit the crime, some of these murderers would die very cruel and unusual deaths. I figure that is what Hell is for, letting them die over and over again the same way their victims died. I would have been all for turning Tookey loose in a field with the families of his victims armed with clubs, and let them beat him to death. That would have been justice.
If we really want justice we will get rid of this idea of humane execution and go back to doing the job right. Not only that, but we should make it a public event, not for the kiddies. Maybe if some of our erstwhile rapists, murderers, and thugs saw what happens to those who get caught, it might give them pause. Just think the news media could really get their jollies with legitimate snuff films.
All snarkiness aside, this attempt to be humane when executing convicted killers and those convicted of treason, is an oxy-moron. Humane is getting it over with, not trying to make it painless.
// posted by Bill @ 8:25 AM 
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Last Saturday I had to take my dog to the vet and have her put down. Old age and she could hardly take the single step into the house.
I held her to keep her from being scared and not once did she even shiver or tremor. Completely painless except for one needle puncture. Less than 5 minutes from the time I picked her up onto the table to the time she started getting cold.
I agree with your line, "Humane is getting it over with, not trying to make it painless."
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I held her to keep her from being scared and not once did she even shiver or tremor. Completely painless except for one needle puncture. Less than 5 minutes from the time I picked her up onto the table to the time she started getting cold.
I agree with your line, "Humane is getting it over with, not trying to make it painless."
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