Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment is not a surprise. A person looking to engage in one of the worst possible crimes that can be committed knows that punishment may include taking from the criminal what was taken from the victim. In such cases where this variety of punishment is on the table, there is both ample time and appeal in the US to ensure that guilt, or mercy is asked for. That variety of justice, even if 'Eye for an eye', I wish was the example the world followed. One need not go to far to find much worse conditions for the accused, so Pro cannot agree that Capital Punishment in the US is a bad example to other countries. China executes hundreds via literally mobile lethal injection vans and in some cases, its decidedly NOT 'eye for an eye'. [1] Calling the State hypocritical for engaging in capital punishment is far from reasonable. A convict is the ability to appeal, ability to plea, another appeal, and above all: time. Time is NOT something the victim received. How can that be considered fair that the perpetrator of this heinous act is now supplied room and board abstractly by the family of the person he killed, and even by his or her own victim? [2] The entire purpose of capital punishment is the realization that there are some people whom cannot be trusted. No amount of 'atonement', no number of apologies or good behavior can change that fact. There are plenty of examples in which the convicted and accused were given the benefit of that doubt, and in short, took advantage of it. [3] Rebuttals: "If we were to accept the argument of an 'eye for an eye' in everyday society then there would be no end to the amount of killing and crime" --- Pro does not agree. I have no desire to kill some one, punch some in the face, or steal their property if I know that the punishment shall be the exact action committed upon me. Its quite possibly the reason why we have the crime we have now, the perpetrator does not feel the risk of capture and levy of the punishment to be worth more than the gains of the potential offense. "if we say that it is acceptable for the government to work by this principle, but it is not okay for it to happen in everyday society then the government is acting hypercritically" --- The State is engaging in Capital Punishment after the accused has been found guilty once sufficient evidence is brought by the State, the offender's defense could not create reasonable doubt, guilt determined by a jury of his peers, and all the appeals entitled to the offender are exhausted. Pro finds this logical chain to be a bit more complicated than the principle which Con is alluding to. "It should not be acceptable for the leaders of our nations to work in this way, it sets a terrible example for the population" --- considering a call for the death penalty may come from the recommendation of the jury (and not the judge)and elected judges are the leaders Con mentions, Pro does not find this to be sufficient criteria to call for an end to Capital Punishment. The power is still in the hands of the people. "Secondly, capital punishment amounts to torture, this is the case more and more often in society today, even in the most advanced societies of North America." --- the percentage of botched executions in this country is due to our desire to adhere to Constitutional standard, not offender's feelings on the matter. "Killing the criminal removes the opportunity for remorse" --- no it doesn't. A sentenced criminal can still very much feel remorseful for their crime. "or atonement in the criminal and does not allow the victim's family or friends to forgive or learn exactly what happened to their loved one" --- and again, none of this is true either, there is nothing preventing the offender from going over the grizzly details in which he or she took their victim's life, there is nothing preventing the family from forgiving the offender, and there are still plenty of ways an offender can atone for thier crime while in prison. They just have a timer on how long they can do it for. [1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk... [2] http://www.mountain-news.com... [3]http://www.prodeathpenalty.com...