bring back hanging yes or no?

[scoundrel]

If you are a civilised person, the sight of even a guilty man being hanged is grim. It's sad to think people used to watch it done in public as an entertainment. Derek Bentley was a pathetic individual who paid the price purely because the real culprit was too young to hang instead. Bentley was by no means innocent of wrongdoing, but there was no valid reason to hang him. He was a blood sacrifice. So sad, and no justice was done to the memory of PC Miles, the man Christopher Craig murdered. No public good was served.

I really hope, since it happened, that the hanging was as professional and quickly over as is shown in this video clip. It may have been. Albert Pierrepoint was a cold and clinical man with so little empathy that I would consider him borderline psychopath, but he was universally regarded as very good at his job and respectful of the dignity of the people he hanged. If you insist on hanging people, you couldn't ask for a better hangman.

[billybunter]

I was lucky enough to be given a tour of Belfast gaol. (It will be open to the public soon) the condemned man was moved to a double sized cell adjacent to the gallows 24 hours before the execution. He could order a breakfast and speak to a member of the clergy, before being led to the noose at dawn.

[Wendigo]

I've signed the on-line petition AGAINST hanging.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1090

Justice is blind, injustice simply turns its head and ignores the issue.

I have no faith in the system ensuring no more innocents are killed by the state. Any one of us could be stitched up by corrupt police or contaminated DNA or even just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If we bring back hanging rest assured innocents will die, just hope it is not you.

Life is too important to be at the mercy of a system largely based on meeting targets and subject to the whims of Parliament. Look how the police took such a softly softly approach to MP's fiddling thousands, contrast that to many people's experiences of over zealous Officers over comparatively trivial issues.

Long meaningful sentences, including real life sentences yes, but death by the State - no.

[spitalhouse]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

If you are a civilised person, the sight of even a guilty man being hanged is grim.

Agreed, scoundrel. As I alluded to in a previous post, I believe the effect that the implicit acceptance of dealing with society's undesirables in such a manner will have is to make us all a little less civilised.

What worries me is that in time we may cease to feel that way.

Regards.

[billybunter]

If a death penalty was brought back. How many advocates would be willing to "flick the switch" not many i'd guess.

[otokonomidori]

Originally Posted by billybunter

If a death penalty was brought back. How many advocates would be willing to "flick the switch" not many i'd guess.

True - maybe the executioner could be picked the way they pick juries - so that anyone could find himself with the job.

[Davemetalhead]

Originally Posted by palo5

I am also against execution. But if it is to be done, the best method is shooting, imho - it requires no preparation, no equipment (except for a firearm) and almost no expertise. Above all, it is painless and without ritual

But it's also incredibly personal.

Modern executions in "civilised" countries tend to use some kind of machine (hanging, lethal injection, electric chair). Putting a gun to someone's head gets you up close and personal. That will have an effect on a person's psychological make-up. It's also very messy - most modern firearms will create an exit wound at close range.

To say that "no preparation" and "no expertise" is needed I think is incorrect.

I'd also quibble with the painless statement. One twitch from either the condemned or executioner can botch it, causing a serious injury and immense pain. How will you ensure that the condemned doesn't move?

[spitalhouse]

Originally Posted by billybunter

If a death penalty was brought back. How many advocates would be willing to "flick the switch" not many i'd guess.

Originally Posted by fleetwood77

True - maybe the executioner could be picked the way they pick juries - so that anyone could find himself with the job.

All those who are opposed to the death penalty should be allowed to excuse themselves from jury service in capital trials on the grounds that their opposition may influence their willingness to bring about a conviction.

You may then arrive at a situation in which only proponents of the death penalty would be compelled to serve on murder trial juries. If they find the accused guilty each member of the jury should be required to draw lots, with the chosen one among them being given the responsibility of flicking the switch, pushing the button or pulling the lever that would send the convicted criminal to their doom.

Regards.

[Wendigo]

Originally Posted by spitalhouse

All those who are opposed to the death penalty should be allowed to excuse themselves from jury service in capital trials on the grounds that their opposition may influence their willingness to bring about a conviction.

You may then arrive at a situation in which only proponents of the death penalty would be compelled to serve on murder trial juries. If they find the accused guilty each member of the jury should be required to draw lots, with the chosen one among them being given the responsibility of flicking the switch, pushing the button or pulling the lever that would send the convicted criminal to their doom.

Regards.

And if later evidence proves the accused was innocent the executioner could console themselves that at the time it was the right thing to do. Who would want that on their conscience?
Not all these cases are black & white, for every Peter Sutcliffe where there is overwhelming evidence there are others where a decision regarding guilt can come down to trace elements of DNA or a few fibres.
To err is human, as we all know.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by spitalhouse

All those who are opposed to the death penalty should be allowed to excuse themselves from jury service in capital trials on the grounds that their opposition may influence their willingness to bring about a conviction.

You may then arrive at a situation in which only proponents of the death penalty would be compelled to serve on murder trial juries. If they find the accused guilty each member of the jury should be required to draw lots, with the chosen one among them being given the responsibility of flicking the switch, pushing the button or pulling the lever that would send the convicted criminal to their doom.

Regards.

I fear that this would be a packed jury, willing to convict or acquit on the basis of prejusdice rather than the evidence; a jury of Richard Littlejohns.