Execution/Death Penalty

There is something about this whole controversy surrounding the death penalty which rings hollow. The most recent controversy involves death by lethal injection. This replaced the gas chamber as it was thought to be more humane than death by asphyxiation. Now it seems that some prisoners have not been completely "under" when the third and lethal dose of drugs is administered leading some people to claim this is inhumane and amounts to torture. Well, considering what some of these criminals have done, I say, so what. But the question remains, should we even execute at all. Wouldn't life without parole in a maximum security prison be more punishment than killing the person. You kill him or her and it's all over. Kaput! Nada! No more worries. To me that is the easy way out. As for the form of execution, most if not all states allowing executions had replaced the electric chair (a shocking experience I am sure) with the gas chamber which has been replaced by death by lethal injection provided they can figure out the right formula. Then you have the state of Utah which had or still may have death by firing squad as one option. Oh lord, if they still do make sure Dick Cheney is not on that squad. Oops, I am getting off track here. If they want something quick and sure why not go back to the guillotine. No lingering doubts, no squirming prior to the heart stopping, etc. Maybe a public execution with the family and friends of the victim(s) would be in order. Would they feel that justice has been served that way?

No, I am not against the death penalty for any moral reasons but neither am I in favor of it. The hard road for any prisoner is life in prison with no hope of parole. Unfortunately our prisons today have got too many leisure time activities scheduled so there would need to be a prison set aside for LIFERS only. Keep 'em in their cells 23 hours per day and allow no contact with anyone else for the one hour out of the cell.

Of course, along with a reform like that you would have to reform the court system and get capital cases through much quicker than is now the case and appeals must be limited. At the same time, if new evidence is found x months or years down the road, by all means, re-open the case but do not waste taxpayers money on endless appeals, etc.