Death Penalty Research Paper - Can Capital Punishment Ever Be Justified, Skomer Casey PDF

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Can Capital Punishment Ever Be Justified? - MLA style, submitted to turnitin - Dr. Mirza...

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Skomer 1 Cas eySk omer Mi r z aCOMP1500 Dec ember10,2014 CanCapi t alPuni s hmentEv erBeJ us t i fied? Acc or di ngt ot heei ght hamendmenti nt heUni t edSt at esCons t i t ut i on,ever y Amer i c anci t i z eni spr ot ect edf r om c r uel andunus ual puni shmenti nt hec r i mi nal j us t i ce s y s t em.Thr oughouthi s t or y ,t her ehav ebeenmanyc our tc as est hathav er ul edf oror agai ns tt hedeat hpenal t y ,butt hei ss ueofwhet hercapi t alpuni s hmenti smor al l yj us tor noti ss t i l l debat edt oday( Col eetal .92,289) .Asac r i mi nal j us t i ces t udent ,Iv i ewt he deat hpenal t yasas ucc es s f ulandet hi c al f or m ofpuni s hmentont hegr oundst hati t det er sc i t i z ensandpr ev ent sc r i mi nal sf r om commi t t i ngv i ol entac t s,i sanext r emel y c heapfi nanc i al met hodofpuni s hi ngc r i mi nal st hataffir msr i ght eousl i f e,andpr ov i des r et r i but i ont ov i c t i msandt hei rf ami l i es . Anar gumentagai ns tc api t alpuni s hment ,or i gi nal l yr ef ut edbyEdwar dKoc h,i s t hati ti st hehy poc r i t i c al ,i nt ent i onal ,gov er nmentappr ov ed,mur derofahumanbei ng,i n as oc i et yt hatcr i mi nal i z est het ak i ngofhumanl i f e( par .13) .Anoppos eroft hedeat h penal t yont hi sar gument at i v epl at f or mc oul dr ef er encet heSupr emeCour tcaseof Fur manv .Geor gi a.Thi sappel l at ecasewasabl et oabol i s ht hedeat hpenal t yi n1972, wi t ht hear gumentt hatal l pr es entmet hodsofex ecut i on,s uc hashangi ng,el ect r oc ut i on, andt hegasc hamber ,wer ef or msofcr uel andunus ual puni s hment( Col eetal .290) . Thi svi ewi sunder s t andabl e,butf ai l st or eal i z et hatt hegov er nmenthasdi ffer entr i ght s c ompar edt oi ndi v i dualc i t i z ens .Byc ar r y i ngoutdeat hpenal t ys ent ences,t he gov er nments ucces s f ul l ypr ev ent ss er i ousoffender sf r om ev erk i l l i ngagai n,andwar ns

Skomer 2 c i t i z enst hatt heymi ghtr ec ei v et hes amepuni s hmenti ft heyeverc ommi tbr ut al cr i mes . Thesanct i onoft hedeat hpenal t yi snotmur der ,becaus ei ti snotav i ol entandi mmor al act ,andi ti sper f or medi nt hebes tpos i t i v ei nt er es t sofs oc i et y . I nEdwar dKoc h’ ses s ay ,“ Deat handJ us t i ce, ”( par .10)hepoi nt soutt hatmany peopl edebat et hatt hesei z ur eofanyl i f ec heapenst hev al ueofl i f ei t s el f ,andnopr i c e s houl dbeputoni t .Howev er ,ot her s ,l i k eKochandmy s el f ,ar guet hatf undi ngt hewel l bei ngands ust enanc eofc onv i ct edk i l l er si smuc hmor edi mi ni shi nganddi s gr ac ef ul t o t hequal i t yofhumanl i f e,t hani fs uc hmonst er swer ej us tputt odeat h.Onebadappl e c ans poi l t hewhol ebunc h;byal l owi ngmur der er st ol i v ei nt hes amewor l dasmor al l y r i ght eouspeopl e,wehi ndert heov er al l pot ent i al wehav easahumanr ac et oac hi ev e enl i ght enmentandens ur epos i t i v eenv i r onment sf orf ut ur egener at i ons .Acc or di ngt oa 2012sur v eyf r om t heVer aI ns t i t ut eofJ us t i ce,hol di ngonec r i mi nal i npr i s onc os t s t ax pay er sanav er ageof$31, 286ay ear( Henr i c hs on9) .Af t ert hatamounti smul t i pl i ed byt henumberofdanger ousi nmat ess er v i ngl i f es ent ences,i ti sec onomi c al l yl ogi c al t o empl oyc api t al puni s hmenti nt hec or r ec t i onss y s t em,whi c honl yc os t st ax pay er s$86. 08 perl et hal i nj ect i on( Hal l ) .Howc ant hef ami l i esofv i c t i msl i v epeac ef ull i v es ,k nowi ng t hatt hei rt axmoneyi sbei ngusedpr ov i deaheal t hy ,c omf or t abl e,andl ongl i f ef ort he per s onwhomur der edandst r i pedt hei rl ov edoneofhumandi gni t y ,r at hert hanbei ng s pentt os er v er et r i but i ont osuchhor r i bl ecr i mi nal s ? Oneoft hemai ngoal sofpuni shmenti nt hecr i mi nal j us t i c es y s t em i sr et r i but i on, whi c hmeansequalpuni s hmenti sor der edacc or di ngt ot hes ev er i t yoft hec r i me.Some v i ct i msdon’ tagr eet hatt he“ ey ef oraney e”mi nds etc anbemor al l yj us t i fi ed,ac cor di ng t ot hei rr el i gi onors pi r i t uals t andar ds( Col eetal .277) .Koc hr epor t st hats pi r i t ual l y

Skomer 3 bas edar gument sf r equent l yr ef er encet heTenCommandment sandt eac hi ngsofJ esus i nt heBi bl e( par .12) .I nt hei res s ay“ Bi bl i c alPer s pect i v esont heDeat hPenal t y , ” Wes t mor el andWhi t eandSt as s endec l ar et hatTheSi xt hCommandmenthasbeen t r ansl at edas“ Thous hal tnotk i l l , ”aswel l as“ Thous hal tnotmur der , ”i ndi ffer ent l anguages .Thi sdi s c r epanc ypr o vest obe“ pr obl emat i c ”f orbot hs i desofr el i gi ous ar gument sbecaus eWest mor el andWhi t eandSt as seneval uat et hatt he“ or i gi nal [ c ont ex tofTheSi x t hCommandment ]nei t herdemandsnorpr ohi bi t sc api t al puni s hment ” ( 126) .Di r ec tbi bl i c al s ayi ngsf r om J es usChr i s ts uc has“ f oral l whodr awt hes wor dwi l l di ebyt hes wor d, ”and“ l ov ey ourenemi esandpr ayf ory ourper secut or s , ”( Mat t hew 26: 52,5: 44)ar epower f ul s t at ement sus edt oar guet hathumansshoul d“ br eakoutof c y c l esof[ r i v al r y ,j eal ous y ,bi t t er nes s ,hat r ed,andv i ol enc e] ”bec aus eGodwi l lj us t l y “ [ gi v e]r ai nands uns hi ne”t oeac hi ndi v i dual ,ac cor di ngt ohi sact i ons( Wes t mor el andWhi t eandSt as s en133, 135) .Rel i gi ousadv oc at esandopposer soft hedeat hpenal t y t endt oar gues pec i fi cquot esofTheBi bl ei nt hei rf av or ,butt hr oughoutt hei res s ay , Wes t mor el andWhi t eandSt as s enr ei t er at et hewel l knownf ac tt hatJ es us ’t eachi ngs andbi bl i c alv er s ess houl dbei nt er pr et edasmor al l ydi r ect i ng“ pr ov er b[ s ] , ”notasl i t er al “ l aw[ s ] ”( 127) . Toes t abl i s hanor der l yl egal s y s t em t hatf unct i onswi t hc l ar i t y ,ourf oundi ng f at her swr ot et heDec l ar at i onofI ndependence,i nwhi chagui del i nef ort hec r eat i onof l awsi nAmer i c awasembedded,t hatgi v esci t i z enst hepowert ov oi c et hei ropi ni onsand wor kt oupdat es t at ut esast i megoeson: Gov er nment sar ei ns t i t ut edamongMen,der i v i ngt hei rj us tpower sf r om t he cons entoft hegov er ned,Thatwhenev eranyFor m ofGov er nmentbecomes

Skomer 4 des t r uc t i v eoft heseends ,i ti st heRi ghtoft hePeopl et oal t erort oabol i shi t ,and t oi ns t i t ut enewGov er nment ,l ay i ngi t sf oundat i onons uc hpr i nc i pl esand or gani z i ngi t spower si ns uc hf or m,ast ot hem s hal ls eem mostl i k el yt oeffec t t hei rSaf et yandHappi nes s .( Uni t edSt at esofAmer i ca) Bec aus eoft hi sc l aus e,manySupr emeCour tappel l at ecas est hr oughouthi s t or yhav e beendebat edandes t abl i sheds t andar dst hatj us t i f yt hedeat hpenal t yanduphol d c i t i z en’ sr i ght s .Manyc ur r entar gument sagai ns tc api t al puni s hment ,l i k eBr i ght ’ s , pr ov i deex ampl esofout dat eddeat hpenal t ycas est hathav esent enced “ c hi l dr en, . . . ment al l yi l l , ”ands el f r epr es ent eddef endant st odeat h( 175) .Si nc e1963 whenGi deonv .Wai nwr i ghtes t abl i s hedt hatal l def endant sar eguar ant eedc ouns el whent heyf ac es er i ousc har ges ,def endant shavenotbeenal l owedt or epr es ent t hemsel v es .Thi ses t abl i shmentens ur est hati ndi gnantorment al l yi l l def endant swi l l not beex ec ut edbec aus et heyc oul dn’ tpr oper l yr epr es entt hemsel v es .I n2002and2005, t heAt ki nsv .Vi r gi ni aandRoperv .Si mmonsc asesout l awedt heex ec ut i onofment al l yi l l ordev el opment al l ydi s abl edoffender s ,aswel l asoffender sundert heageof18.Mai nl y , t he1976Gr eggv .Geor gi acaser ul edt hatdeat hpenal t y ,ex ec ut edbyl et hali nj ec t i on, wasal awf uls anc t i onbec aus ei tr equi r edt hatdef endant sf ac i ngc api t alpuni s hment mus tbeoffer edt heoppor t uni t yt oappeal atanyt i medur i ngt hec our tpr ocess ,t hei r c as esmus tbes pl i ti nt ot r i alands ent enc i ngphas es ,andbot hmi t i gat i ngand aggr a v at i ngf act or scont r i but i ngt ot hedef endant ’ sgui l tori nnocenc emus tbepr es ent ed dur i ngt r i al( Col eetal .95,290,291) .Thi sc as er ul i ngpr ot ect sc i t i z ens ’Cons t i t ut i onal r i ght s ,andes t abl i s hesgui del i nest ot hedeat hpenal t yt hatensur est heuphol di ngof eac hdef endant ’ sdi gni t yt hr oughoutt hec or r ec t i onspr oces s.Thec api t al puni s hment

Skomer 5 r equi r ement sout l i nedbyTheSupr emeCour tal l owv i c t i msandt hei rf ami l i est oknow t hatj us t i cewass er v edf ort hedes pi cabl ec r i mescommi t t edagai ns tt hem,andr el i eves f ami l i esofanygui l t ,k nowi ngt hatt hec r i mi nal waspuni s hedhumanel yandf ai r l y . Des pi t eal l t heoppos i ngar gument st hatc r i mi nal i z ecapi t alpuni s hment ,soci et y c annotdi sr egar dt hef actt hatbyex ecut i ngdanger ousmur der er s,wemak ei ti mpos s i bl e f orc r uelpeopl et oev erc ommi tv i ol entc r i mesagai n.Nomat t erwhataper s on’ sspi r i t ual denomi nat i on,heors hecannotdenyt hatt hedeat hpenal t yi st heonl yhumanewayf or r et r i but i ont oadequat el ybes er v edt omur der ousc r i mi nal s.I ns t eadofat t empt i ngt o i mpl ementnewl awsbas edonambi guousr el i gi ouss c r i pt ur es ,s pi r i t ualopponent s s houl dfir s tbei nf or medofal l t her ul eses t abl i s hedbySupr emeCour tc as est hatc l ar i f y howc api t al puni s hmentuphol dsal l humanandAmer i canr i ght s .I ti si r r ef ut abl et hatt he deat hpenal t yi sc heapert hani ncar c er at i ngmenac i ngc i t i z ensf orl i f e,andbyput t i ng s uc ht r eac her oushumanbei ngst odeat h,wei mpr ovet hequal i t yandval ueofl i f ef or s oc i et y .AsAmer i c anc i t i z ens ,wes houl dappr ec i at et hatt heamendment soft he Cons t i t ut i onguar ant eer i ght sandpr ot ec t i onst oeachandev er yci t i z en,andt hedeat h penal t ywor k st ouphol dt heAmer i canCons t i t ut i onal f oundat i onofl i ber t yandj ust i c ef or al l .

Skomer 6 Wor k sCi t ed Br i ght ,St ephenB.“ Whyt heUni t edSt at esWi l l J oi nt heRes toft heWor l di nAbandoni ng Capi t al Puni s hment . ”Debat i ngt heDeat hPenal t y :Shoul dAmer i c aHav eCapi t al Puni s hment ?TheEx per t sonBot hSi desMak eThei rBes tCas e.Ed.HugoAdam BedauandPaulG.Cas s el .NewYor k :Ox f or dUni ver s i t yPr es s ,2004.152182. Pr i nt . Col e,Geor geF . ,andChr i s t opherE.Smi t h.Cr i mi nal J us t i c ei nAmer i ca.7t hed. Bel mont ,CA:Wads wor t hCengageLear ni ng,2014.Pr i nt . Hal l ,Char l ene." Met hodsofEx ec ut i on. "Pr odeat hPenal t y .N. p. ,2014.Web.1Dec . 2014. Henr i c hs on,Chr i s t i an,andRut hDel aney ." ThePr i c eofPr i s ons :WhatI nc ar c er at i on Cos t sTax pay er s . "Cent eronSent enc i ngandCor r ec t i ons20Jul y2012:9.Ver a I ns t i t ut eofJ us t i ce,2012.Pdf .1Dec.2014. Koc h,Edwar dI .“ Deat handJ us t i c e. ”Redwoods . edu.N. p. :13.N. d.Pdf .9Dec .2014. Mat t hew.Hol yBi bl e,NewI nt er nat i onal Ver s i on.Col or adoSpr i ngs :Bi bl i ca,2011. Bi bl eGat eway . com.Web.1Dec .2014. Uni t edSt at esofAmer i c a.Congr es s .TheDec l ar at i onofI ndependenc e.Phi l adel phi a: n. p. ,1776.Us hi s t or y . or g.I ndependenceHal l As s oc i at i on,4J ul y1995.Web.1 Dec .2014. Wes t mor el andWhi t e,Mi c hael L. ,andGl enH.St as s en.“ Bi bl i c alPer s pec t i v esont he Deat hPenal t y . ”Rel i gi onandt heDeat hPenal t y :ACal l f orRec k oni ng.Ed.Er i kC. Owens ,J ohnD.Car l s on,andEr i cP.El s ht ai n.Gr andRapi ds :Wm.B.Eer dmans Publ i s hi ngCo. ,2004.123138.Pr i nt ....