Let’s say name1 is convicted of killing name2, does name1 deserve to be executed? Lethal Injection, Electrocution, Lethal Gas, Firing Squad, and Hanging. These 5 methods of execution have legally taken the lives of at least 690 people globally in 2018.
I’m Willow and I am going to be talking about capital punishment, or more commonly known, the death penalty. This was presented to me in the book And Then There Were None as the character Justice Wargrave believes he has the right to sentence people to execution at his own will, this presented the idea of the death penalty and execution to me in general as it is a contraversial and intriguing topic.
The death penalty is a government sanctioned practice whereby a person is killed by the state as a punishment for a crime. At the end of 2018 there were 19,336 people known to currently be on death row, that’s 19,336 people that are aware they could be executed today, tomorrow or in 10 years time. So, is it okay to legally murder coldblooded serial killers or does that make us just as bad as them?
There are 106 countries in the world where capital punishment is legal, these countries believe in and encourage the idea of sentencing someone to death because of a crime. The murderers in these countries are aware of the possible consequences and vacate their rights as a human being when choosing to take another’s life. These inhumane acts cause them to be seen as animals, and therefore they should be treated like animals. When a dog attacks a human, they can get put down as punishment, so why shouldn’t we use equal punishment towards the people that not only attack other humans, but kill them.
Let’s talk about John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who raped, tortured and murdered more than 33 young boys over a period of 6 years. He had a reputation for dressing up as a clown at children’s events and earned the nickname “killer clown”. After being convicted of 33 murders he spent 14 years on death row and was executed by lethal injection in early May 1994. Gacy said that after his first murder he “realised that death was the ultimate thrill.” He was a cold, disturbed man yet his life ended in a more humane way than the people he murdered. Gacy deserved the same fate as his victims, he chose to strip those 33 boys of their right to live so therefore he lost his. 1 in every 9 people in prison are serving a life sentence, so think about it, if you were a murderer wouldn’t you rather be executed than spend the rest of your life rotting away in prison.
You can’t give back a life once it has been taken, as soon as the breath leaves their body and their heart stops beating, there is no going back. The death penalty takes lives with no remorse, we should not be as bad as the people who commit horrendous crimes, all that does is make us the monster too. Everyday at least one person is killed by the death penalty, that means that every single day people on earth choose to legally murder someone and rip their life away from them. In the past 50 years there have been 166 people released from death row after they were discovered to be innocent, these people lived out what they thought were their last days, in jail cells waiting to be executed for a crime they did not commit. A study from equal justice initiative revealed that for every 9 people executed in the US, 1 innocent person is among them.
George Stinney was one of those innocent people, unfairly treated and punished for a crime he did not commit. In 1944 George was convicted of murdering two young girls, he was 14 years old when he was executed by the electric chair. It was not until 70 years later that the case was reopened and the court ruled his trial unfair because of lack of evidence. But it was too late, there was no way to bring George Stinney back, he did not deserve to die but because of the death penalty, he was murdered before he even got to truly live. There are many cases similar to this where suspects are mistreated and mistakes are made, the result of these mistakes is the execution of innocent people. So why do we allow ourselves to turn our backs on humankind and murder people while hiding behind the law and saying they deserve it, even if they may not.
These are two very different ways of looking at the death penalty, I believe that yes and no are the simple ways of looking at it, when in reality how we use the power of capital punishment is what actually matters. If you take someone such as John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer, then yes it is plain and simple that they deserve to suffer the fate they laid upon their victims. But the death penalty is more complex than famous serial killers, there are countless cases of so called self defense, minor participation in murder and man slaughter where it is not clear that the death penalty is actually the right decision. Capital punishment currently is only given to the most disturbed and deserving people, there have only been 10 criminals executed in the United States so far this year, which shows that it is the worst of the worst recieving this punishment. In my opinion having the death penalty in some locations may help rid the world of villianous humans and create a safer life for people.
So, remember when name1 was convicted for the murder of name2? Does she deserve to be executed? Well I can’t actually tell you that, we don’t know if it was planned, accidental, self defence or maybe she didn’t do it at all and I’m blaming an innocent person. The death penalty is a complicated topic that can be portrayed in many different lights. Justice Wargraves outlook on giving out death sentences at his own will in And Then There Were None made me wonder if the death penalty can actually be used as justifiable punishment and through all of my research I did not come to a definite answer. So, is it okay to legally murder coldblooded serial killers or does that make us just as bad as them? Well, You tell me.
Thank you.