Should the U.S. Abolish the Death Penalty?

Should the U.S. Abolish the Death Penalty?

The death penalty has provoked heated discussion since biblical times, and today the debate remains as controversial as ever. Is such a sentence ever justified? Capital punishment is an intensely emotional topic for everyone involved because it sits at the intersection of life, death and the very definition of the word 'justice.'

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Regarding Objection
Justice Shouldn't have a Price Tag
  • polobo
    Misplaced Concern

    The lobbying consequence of abolishing the death penalty should not affect the decision on whether the death penalty itself is a good idea. If life-without-parole cannot withstand scrutiny or indeed does not meet the needs of the public then we are doing a dis-service by keeping it in place simply because the lobbyists are too busy with the death penalty.

    While I agree that justice shouldn't have a price tag the reality is that it does. I have no qualm with the death penalty per-se but given the realities of our judicial system I do not support it. It is unlikely to be used but a "death penalty agreement" clause would be desirable where the defendant could request death instead of life-without-parole.

    - poloboUS August 30, 2008 7:51PM

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