Murder in the First and Capital Punishment - 625 Words

The death penalty, is it punishment or just cruelty? Many people believe that capital punishment is a consequence for the dishonorable actions of a man. Most people know that capital punishment is just a fancy name for the death penalty. Many people are also aware that many men are killed each year by means of capital punishment. Capital punishment is murder no matter how you look at it. The simple fact that over seventy-five percent of the countries in the world have abolished capital punishment is an amazing leap in human evolution (Death Penalty Facts, 2012). In 2010 the massive majority of all the generally recognized executions were held in only five countries, China, North Korea, Iran, Yemen, and The United States (Death Penalty Facts, 2012). Since 1977, seventy-seven percent of the death row defendants were executed for the murder of Caucasian citizens, even though nearly half of the homicide victims in the United States have been African-Americans (death penalty facts, 2012). Innocent lives are being taken by the death penalty. For example, the Georgia State Board of Appeals pardoned a woman named Lena Baker sixty years after she is put to death. There are many examples of innocent lives being cut short because of a wrongful conviction. Another example would be of a Florida man named Leo Jones. Jones was accused of killing a police officer in Jacksonville, Florida. Jones signed a confession after hours of interrogation, but later he saidShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment : An Ultimate Torture Method Essay1352 Words   |  6 Pages Capital punishment has been used as a penalty for criminal behavior for many years; however, its’ utilization has not been constant throughout American history. The basis of capital punishment has undergone a number of changes and improvements in the past, essentially alternating in and out of public favor. At its’ start, capital punishment was ultimately used as a means of torture. Criminals were bludgeoned, boiled, burned, torn apart by animals, etc.—it was an ultimate torture method. ThroughoutRead MoreEssay on Ethical and Historical Analysis of Capital Punishment1545 Words   |  7 PagesCapital Punishment â€Å"[dates] as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified [Capital Punishment] for 25 different crimes,† so it is no surprise that it is still used today (â€Å"Early Death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  1). In the U.S, Capital Punishment has been legalized in 32 states since 1996. Capital Punishment is not as inhumane as it sounds; it is limited under the 8th amendment in the U.S. Contrary to most beliefs, Capital Punishment is not used on every case of rapistsRead MoreThe Abolition of Capital Punishment in Australia1014 Words   |  5 PagesAustralia in 1967 of Ronald Ryan and the abolition of capital punishment in Australia in 1973 imprisonment has been the only option as a sanction for murder. A survey conducted in 2009 demonstrated that a clear majority of Australians (64%) believed that imprisonment should be the punishment for murder as opposed to 23% stating the death penalty should be used and 13% did not wish to comment. The death penalty is not an effective punishment for all cases and there has not been any solid evidenceRead MoreEssay on Capital Punishment - An Appropriate Form of Punishment888 Words   |  4 PagesSince the early settlers first stepped foot on what is now the United States of America, capital punishment has been reserved as a form of punishment for the people who have committed some of society’s most heinous crimes. Recently, support of capital punishment has begun to erode due to the advancements of DNA technology and groups, such as the Innocence Project. Capital punishment, however, remains to be an appropriate form of punishment for someone convicted of capital crimes, and may be effectiveRead MoreCapital Punishment Of The Criminal Justice System1407 Words   |  6 PagesIn the United States, capital punishment has always been the spotlight of many debates concerning the consequences of severe crimes. Although capital punishment is deemed to be acceptable for violent crimes such as murder, there are numerous individuals who oppose the usage of capital punishment against violent offenders. Both proponents and opponents have given countless opinions concerning the deterrence effect of capital punishment. Research studies have also added fuel to the debate in regardsRead More Capital Punishment Is Necessary1130 Word s   |  5 PagesSomething must be done to keep citizens safe and to keep the murder rates low. Capital Punishment is a rightly justified penalty because it is moral retribution, constitutional, and it deters crime. One reason that Capital Punishment is just is the idea that it is moral retribution to the murderer. According to David Gelernter, the death penalty supporter’s view is that the main goal in executing murderers is to make a point that murder is completely intolerable in today’s society. The purpose isRead MorePersuasive Essay On Capital Punishment1414 Words   |  6 PagesCapital punishment is a heated topic in today’s America. Capital punishment is the repercussion of a capital crime; most capital crimes committed in America are murders. The crime of murder can be punishable by the death penalty. A great way to stop future killing from happening is capital punishment but it is only currently allowed in 32 of the 50 states. Murder in America is at such a high rate that there needs to be something done to help stop the climbing rate. In Edward Koch’s essay â€Å"Death andRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty975 Words   |  4 PagesACCEPTABIL ITY OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT INTRODUCTION Capital punishment also known as the death penalty refers to the lawful infliction of death as a punishment. The first case of death penalty laws was first established in the Eighteenth Century B.C. Capital punishment is still used in the United States despite the controversy surrounding the law. Death penalty is done by either fastening the criminal to an electric chair, hanging or a firing squad shooting at the criminal. In Atkins v. Virginia theRead MoreCapital Punishment Should Be Abolished1137 Words   |  5 Pagesfor capital punishment Topic: why capital punishment should continue General purpose: To argue Specific purpose: my main aim is to convince the audience that capital punishment should be upheld. In other, the advantages of capital punishment outweigh its disadvantages. Introduction Capital punishment is also known as death penalty and it has been in existence since time immemorial. Throughout history, the death penalty has been used to punish a number of crimes that include murder and otherRead More Capital Punishment Essay - Justice in Retribution1470 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment: Justice in Retribution       The American government operates in the fashion of an indirect democracy. Citizens live under a social contract whereby individuals agree to forfeit certain rights for the good of the whole. Punishments for crimes against the state are carried out via due process, guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The use of capital punishment is decided by the state, which is legal in thirty-seven states. It is a moral imperative to protect the states rights