Child Rape and Execution

[Mopar Fanatic]

The Supreme Court heard this case 4/16/2008:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24155465/

Seemingly divided court considers death for child rapists

By PETE YOST –

WASHINGTON (AP) — Proponents and opponents of imposing the death penalty for rape of a child underwent intense questioning Wednesday from a seemingly divided Supreme Court.

The hour-long argument came in the case of inmate Patrick Kennedy, sentenced to death for raping his 8-year-old stepdaughter.

Kennedy's lawyer, Jeffrey L. Fisher, told the court the death penalty for child rape under Louisiana law violates the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Antonin Scalia challenged Fisher's position that the Louisiana law is too broad and that not enough states have enacted the death penalty for child rape to justify the Supreme Court's support for it.

"The trend has been more and more states are imposing the death penalty," said Roberts.

Louisiana is among five states that have imposed the death penalty for child rape since 1995.

The case represents a potentially different direction for a court that in recent years has narrowed the death penalty, overturning it for murderers who are juveniles or are mentally retarded.

Kennedy is "exquisitely culpable" and he has committed a crime that is "just unspeakable," Texas Solicitor General R. Ted Cruz told the court.

Louisiana prosecutor Juliet Clark described the injuries of Kennedy's stepdaughter, which required surgery, arguing that a crime of such savagery warrants Kennedy's execution.

Justice Stephen Breyer expressed concern that "suddenly we will be in the business" of broadening the death penalty for crimes other than murder.

"I am not a moralist, I am a judge," said Breyer.

Kennedy is one of only two people, both in Louisiana, on death row in the United States for raping a child without also killing the victim.

No one has been executed for anything other than murder in 44 years. In 1977, the court ruled out executions for rapists whose victims are adults.

It left open the issue of whether raping a child could lead to death.

Arguments in the Louisiana case came on the same day the high court settled an issue that had put executions across the nation on hold for months. The justices turned back a challenge to procedures for execution by lethal injection in Kentucky. Similar methods are used by roughly three dozen states.

Besides Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas also allow executions of someone convicted of child rape, although the latter four states never have applied the death penalty to child rapists. Missouri, led by Gov. Matt Blunt, is considering a similar law.

Those states say there is a trend toward toughening penalties for people who victimize children and contend that death is an appropriate punishment for so horrific a crime as the rape of a child.

Kennedy's lawyers say more states have rejected the death penalty for child rapists and that the reasoning of the court's 1977 decision — that death is an excessive penalty for a rapist who does not also kill — should apply even when the victim is a child.

Groups that work to prevent sexual violence also have sided with Kennedy. They say victims often know their attacker — a relative or family friend — and that more rapes will go unreported if children have to worry that their words might lead to an execution.

The other inmate, Richard Davis, was sentenced to death in the Shreveport area in December. He has just begun appealing his conviction and sentence.

The case is Kennedy v. Louisiana, 07-343.

I'm for an expansion of the death penalty in general and this is a logical place to start. There is really no way we can invite a child rapist back into society and they are even unwelcome in the prison environment. There is nothing good that is going to come out of their lives continuing so why not put it to an end?

[electriclite]

I'm not seeing a problem here.

[MadsenOMC]

So what would the guidelines be? Rape of a child under a certain age is worthy of the death penalty? Aren't a lot of people unwelcome is a prison environment? Do we execute all of them? Do we start executing people if it's determined that nothing good can come of their life? And has it been decided that a person who rapes a child can never be rehabilitated?

[Mopar Fanatic]

So what would the guidelines be? Rape of a child under a certain age is worthy of the death penalty? Aren't a lot of people unwelcome is a prison environment? Do we execute all of them? Do we start executing people if it's determined that nothing good can come of their life? And has it been decided that a person who rapes a child can never be rehabilitated?

I thought it was rather self explanatory. Many pros and cons to point out in this.

I made some Pros so now I'll simply present you with the cons.

-Should we really be looking for more ways to execute our citizens?

-Do you think The problem with a death penalty for child rape (or any rape) is that it would then provide an incentive for the rapist to kill the child since he faces a death penalty anyway. Where is the incentive of keeping the victim alive?

Basically what I want out of this thread is your thoughts and opinion on the subject matter not only regarding this issue but some criteria provided along with capital punishment in general.

[MadsenOMC]

The death penalty does not deter crime and I am against it.

[Mopar Fanatic]

The death penalty does not deter crime and I am against it.

Can you elaborate?

People against Death Penalty:

Taxpayers should provide the funds for admitted serial killers like John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy (or anyone where there is zero doubt as to their guilt) to get 3 squares and a color tv until they die of old age?

[MadsenOMC]

It's more expensive to execute someone than it is to keep them in prison for life. Are taxpayers complaining about that?

No evidence exists to support the claim that the death penalty deters crime. States with the death penalty have the highest rates of violent crime in the nation.

[Mopar Fanatic]

It's more expensive to execute someone than it is to keep them in prison for life. Are taxpayers complaining about that?

That's not a flaw in the concept of capital punishment, more a problem of american bureaucracy.

Rehabilitation doesn't work. Punishment is meant to punish, not reintegrate people into society. If someone breaks the rules, that's their choice, and by doing so, they've abandoned society, and don't deserve its benefits.

[Badbird]

We are the only country in "western civilization" that still uses it. Do we really want to have that in common with the likes of Iran, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, etc?

The death penalty does not deter crime. Evidence: there is still crime.

The prison system is broken. It doesn't rehabilitate like it should. Most who go through it end up unfit for society, or find society is unwilling to deal with them, which often leads to the need to lead a life of crime (good luck finding a job if you're a convicted felon). It just perpetuates crime and needs to be reformed big time.

Once someone has served their time, they should be reintroduced to society properly. Living the rest of your life a second class citizen wasn't part of the punishment.

[MadsenOMC]

Good points Badbird. Also, since when is life in prison without the possibility of parole not punishment?

Also, rehabilitation doesn't work is a generalization isn't it? Or are you saying that rehabilitation literally never works?

[Mopar Fanatic]

Also, since when is life in prison without the possibility of parole not punishment?


Taxpayers should provide the funds for admitted serial killers like John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy (or anyone where there is zero doubt as to their guilt) to get 3 squares and a color tv until they die of old age?

.....


Also, rehabilitation doesn't work is a generalization isn't it?

In regards or any similar crimes committed as presented in the article then yes that would be a vast generalization

It goes to the question of whether or not we want these people back in society, and Most Americans don't want criminals back in mainstream society.

We are the only country in "western civilization" that still uses it. Do we really want to have that in common with the likes of Iran, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, etc?

The death penalty does not deter crime. Evidence: there is still crime.

The prison system is broken. It doesn't rehabilitate like it should. Most who go through it end up unfit for society, or find society is unwilling to deal with them, which often leads to the need to lead a life of crime (good luck finding a job if you're a convicted felon). It just perpetuates crime and needs to be reformed big time.

China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq and Sudan executions are probably impossible to righteously justify, on a bunch of levels.

[MadsenOMC]

So life in prison without the possibility of parole is not punishment because they get to eat and watch color TV?

When you say most Americans don't want criminals back in mainstream society, do you mean just violent criminals or all criminals?

[Brando @$$ Fat]

I support the death penalty for people Osama bin Laden and Timothy McVeigh, but since there are so few criminals of that magnitude I think the death penalty should be a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of thing.

But, I also agree that the purpose of prison should be punishment. I guess it depends on the prison, but violent criminals should be virtually sealed from the rest of the world with nothing but a bed, a toilet, and a copy of the Koran.

[MadsenOMC]

violent criminals should be virtually sealed from the rest of the world with nothing but a bed, a toilet, and a copy of the Koran.

For someone like McVeigh, isn't 60 years of this as much punishment as executing him via lethal injection? Granted he's dead, but someone like him doesn't value life in the first place, including their own. Plus, it was extremely expensive to execute him.

[someguy]

Penn and Teller did an episode about how the death penalty is bullshit and I remember they had sources saying it cost more to execute a prisoner than to keep them in jail. I know some people will roll their eyes at the P&T mention but it's a pretty interesting fact.

[The Heart Collector]

I'm for an expansion of the death penalty in general and this is a logical place to start. There is really no way we can invite a child rapist back into society and they are even unwelcome in the prison environment. There is nothing good that is going to come out of their lives continuing so why not put it to an end?


This isn't even remotely an argument. Just because "nothing good could come out of their lives continuing" doesn't mean the state gets to execute them, jesus. I don't think you understand how this works.

[The Heart Collector]

Taxpayers should provide the funds for admitted serial killers like John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy (or anyone where there is zero doubt as to their guilt) to get 3 squares and a color tv until they die of old age?

Did you honestly just suggest that because taxpayers would be inconvenienced with paying a few measly dollars per head to pay for the prison system, we should just execute prisoners? hahahaha. This isn't an argument, sorry.

I don't think you understand "law". I don't give a shit what taxpayers feel. There's a bunch of taxpayers that don't like paying money for public education that teaches evolution, but that doesn't mean they should be paid attention. Especially over something as extinguishing a human life.

[Mopar Fanatic]

Got the impression you just posted in this thread just being argumentative for the sake of itself. If you want to come here and have a conversation, then cool. If you just want to come in playing the bitch routine by insulting someones intelligence by proving nothing, you're going to get awful fucking lonely that way.

Capital Punishment can be made cheaper, with a revamping of the appeals process, to legally administer capital punishment than to house criminals for life.

Of course the death penalty won't be much of a deterrent if actual death isn't a reasonable possibility. With the endless appeals, criminals spend an absurd amount of time waiting for their sentence to be carried out.

There are about 3,300 people on death row in the united states. 42 people were actually executed last year.

The average prisoner who actually gets executed spends 12 years on death row. That doesn't even speak to how long those who haven't been killed have been there.

Texas is the only state with a CP policy that could be reasonably be considered a deterrent. Even that's a huge stretch at this point.

I guess if you like the idea for a pedophile/rapist to be in the comfort with these luxuries such as tv, air conditioning, clothed and fed every day, then released back into society to only repeat the offense, to each his own and far be it from me to interrupt that happiness.

Think a little bit before you respond.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

I guess if you like the idea for a pedophile/rapist to be in the comfort with these luxuries such as tv, air conditioning, clothed and fed every day, then released back into society to only repeat the offense, to each his own and far be it from me to interrupt that happiness.

Think a little bit before you respond.


This might be the dumbest thing I've ever read in my four years of being a member here. What you just presented is not an argument. I could just as easily say, "Well, if you like fetuses to be brutally terminated, be my guest," but I won't because I like to argue like someone who has reached the Age of Enlightenment. The ironic part, of course, being that you warned him to think before he responds, as if your stinging repartee carried any weight whatsoever.

Are you saying the death penalty should be enforced because the justice system has occasionally failed to provide worthy punishments for criminals? Instead of working out these kinks, we should just kill anyone who commits a crime?

[Vong]

There really isn't much I can say, there have already been some fantastic posts made. It feels though like we renew the same debates every year with at least one blood-thirsty person for capital punishment and the rest morally opposed to killing another just because of his/her crimes.

In regards to the OP, yes child rape is sick and perverse, but rather than killing said rapist why not see what motivated him to commit this crime and tackle the issue from a psychological perspective. Down-right executing him would just continue the United States quick-fix, "easy bake oven" approach to everything: tackle the problem through the simplist means possible. Why not give the guy a chance to realize his faults and become something better? Even if it doesn't work, at least the effort was made to rehabilitate the person.

[Mopar Fanatic]

This might be the dumbest thing I've ever read in my four years of being a member here. What you just presented is not an argument. I could just as easily say, "Well, if you like fetuses to be brutally terminated, be my guest," but I won't because I like to argue like someone who has reached the Age of Enlightenment. The ironic part, of course, being that you warned him to think before he responds, as if your stinging repartee carried any weight whatsoever.

Are you saying the death penalty should be enforced because the justice system has occasionally failed to provide worthy punishments for criminals? Instead of working out these kinks, we should just kill anyone who commits a crime?

You are completely misrepresenting a lot of what I say, simply to enhance your own point. Did you really just say Occasionally? understatement of the year right there. Kill anyone who commits a crime as hanus and Brutal as child rape and rape in general, then yes that's exactly what I'm saying.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

You are completely misrepresenting a lot of what I say, simply to enhance your own point. Did you really just say Occasionally? understatement of the year right there. Kill anyone who commits a crime as hanus and Brutal as child rape and rape in general, then yes that's exactly what I'm saying.

If I am misrepresenting your opinion then tell me what your opinion is. It seems like what you're saying is that, since rehabilitating certain criminals is pointless, then they should be sentenced to death. Also by sentencing them to prison, criminals will be pampered and not receive the punishment they deserve. Prison is not like the Swiss Family Robinson. It is not paradise for them. Anyone with a sore buttcheek will tell you the same.

Although, to be fair, what you posted earlier wasn't the dumbest thing I've read here (*ahem*"Korn has more artistic integrity than Bob Dylan"*ahem*). Still, it's out there.

[electriclite]

.

-Do you think The problem with a death penalty for child rape (or any rape) is that it would then provide an incentive for the rapist to kill the child since he faces a death penalty anyway. Where is the incentive of keeping the victim alive?


http://www.foxnews.com/images/261197/0_61_Walsh_Adam.jpg

http://www.lakebloodhoundkennels.com/sitebuilder/images/JimmyRyce-180x210.jpg

Where's that incentive now or before?


In the case of Jimmy Ryce (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Ryce):

"The Jimmy Ryce Act

The Jimmy Ryce Act (Jimmy Ryce Involuntary Civil Commitment for Sexually Violent Predators' Treatment And Care Act) was passed unanimously by the Florida legislature and was signed by Governor Lawton Chiles on May 19, 1998, becoming effective on January 1, 1999. The act calls for inmates with sex offense histories to be reviewed by the Florida Department of Corrections, the Department of Children and Family Services (CFS), and state attorneys to determine the level of risk for re-offense. Upon release from incarceration, these inmates may be subject to civil proceedings and commitment to a secure facility for treatment. That treatment center, located in Arcadia, has come under fire due to the fact that treatment is lacking (less than 5 hours per week), it lacks security (several incidents of murder on site, riots requiring hundreds of officers to quell) there is no method of restoring civil liberties (the program has no release stage) being underfunded, understaffed and located in an old condemned correctional facility.[citation needed] After running the center for 7 years, Liberty Healthcare was released by the state as the vendor, and GEO corp was retained."


Keep in mind, ideally I don't believe in the death penalty. In the case of child rape, ideally I do.

[The Heart Collector]

I guess if you like the idea for a pedophile/rapist to be in the comfort with these luxuries such as tv, air conditioning, clothed and fed every day, then released back into society to only repeat the offense, to each his own and far be it from me to interrupt that happiness.



Yeah, I like the idea of prisoners being treated as human beings. Luxuries such as being fed and having clothes? Jesus christ. There you go: am i comfortable with my tax money being used for that? Yes. Should tax money be used for that? Yes.


If you think for one second that the monetary cost of keeping prisons running is in any way usable as an argument to support the ending of a human life, YOU should be on death row. Hell, since apparently these are some luxurious prisons, why don't you go to jail for a while, enjoy all these luxuries, and then come back out later and tell us all about how awesome it was.

[Scarfather]

I like this 'human life is worth something' thing this thread's got going.

It's adorable.

[Badbird]

The death penalty serves up nothing but revenge. Revenge is not justice.

I get tired of: "But what if it was your daughter/mother/wife..." argument. That shouldn't mean anything. The crime is the crime. Killing for revenge solves nothing.

Besides, how many times do we need to hear about stories of someone on death row for ten years and then found innocent of the crime? I mean, thank god for red tape it that case. Can we really take the chance of an innocent person getting but to death?

[Homyrrh]

The death penalty is an act of justice, but only when administered as a consequence for Murder, and even then only in the first degree. Child rape is the most loathesome and despicable of crimes, and the criminal should be punished before being rehabilitated, but not put to death.

[SpoonMan999]

The death penalty does not deter crime. Evidence: there is still crime.

By this logic the prison system doesn't work at all either.

[Homyrrh]

By this logic the prison system doesn't work at all either.
Not all too well, but there has to exist a prison system, no matter how imperfect it may be. Criminals leave bigger, stronger, smarter, and, most infamously, much more connected. But there are no Tom Joads; they still don't want to be there

[Badbird]

By this logic the prison system doesn't work at all either.

Read the rest of my post. It totally doesn't.

[SpoonMan999]

Read the rest of my post. It totally doesn't.

I read the rest of your post, what I mean is if this is the way we judge whether it works or not then all anti-crime programs have failed us completely. Why? Because there is still crime. So, that argument doesn't really work because if that's enough to abolish the death sentence then shouldn't the entire prison system be disbanded? By the logic of that statement, yes.

I personally am for the death penalty but only in cases with more than one credible witness and enough physical evidence to show the person is guilty without a doubt. I'm a firm believer in, "if you kill someone we will kill you back."

[Badbird]

I'm a firm believer in, "if you kill someone we will kill you back."

How enlightened.

Look. At some point, someone has to be the bigger man. Why stoop to the level of a criminal?

[Vong]

I'm a firm believer in, "if you kill someone we will kill you back."

You'd think in this day and age the "eye for an eye" mentality would be dead by now.

[Homyrrh]

I have to objectively ask whether the role of the criminal justice system is to first punish, then rehabilitate, or vice versa (?).

[Scarfather]

enlightened.

in this day and age

LOL

[SpoonMan999]

How enlightened.

Look. At some point, someone has to be the bigger man. Why stoop to the level of a criminal?

That was a joke from a Robin Williams stand up...I do believe in the death penalty but as I described above only when the proof is overwhelming. In the case of serial killers and killers who show no remorse for their actions I think the idea of them having a chance at getting back on the streets at all is absurd. I also feel people who violently rape or murder children don't deserve to breath anymore.

[Kevin Lockard]

How many people here who are against the death penality are for Abortion? I'm Pro-Choice, but nevertheless, it seems almost everyone I know who is against the death penalty is for abortion, and most who are against abortion are for the death penalty. Kind of fucked up if you ask me, yet I'm more than willing to bet that some of you who are against all the "blood thirsty" supporters of capital punishment in this thread are the same people I'd see in an abortion thread posting sentence after sentence about how a woman, due to her 'freedom of choice', has every right to abort her unborn child at ANY stage, regardless of what that stage is.

[Badbird]

How many people here who are against the death penality are for Abortion? I'm Pro-Choice, but nevertheless, it seems almost everyone I know who is against the death penalty is for abortion, and most who are against abortion are for the death penalty. Kind of fucked up if you ask me, yet I'm more than willing to bet that some of you who are against all the "blood thirsty" supporters of capital punishment in this thread are the same people I'd see in an abortion thread posting sentence after sentence about how a woman, due to her 'freedom of choice', has every right to abort her unborn child at ANY stage, regardless of what that stage is.

A fetus is not a human being.

[Vong]

A fetus is not a human being.

Here we go...

[jolanar]

I have to objectively ask whether the role of the criminal justice system is to first punish, then rehabilitate, or vice versa (?).

Well in reality punishment and rehabilitation are just about opposite things and you can't really do them both at the same time.

[Kevin Lockard]

A fetus is not a human being.

Then what is it?

I'm not looking to start an abortion debate, but it seems being against the death penalty simply because it's the killing of a person, and being for abortion simple because of a simple term that stops it, somehow, from being "murder" is kind of absurd.

And regardless of what we think a fetus is or isn't, I don't think mere labels of what an unborn child is proves that one kind of killing is 'right' or 'wrong', and another is not. And just by the mere fact that it needs to be killed means it's alive, and if it's not human, what is it?

[RicochetShaw]

Well in reality punishment and rehabilitation are just about opposite things and you can't really do them both at the same time.

They may be different, but how are they opposite? The opposite of punish is reward. The opposite of rehabilitate is debilitate.

[jolanar]

They may be different, but how are they opposite? The opposite of punish is reward. The opposite of rehabilitate is debilitate.

I meant more opposite in nature as in one is a good thing and the other is a bad thing.

As in if we reaaaally wanted to rehabilitate prisoners there would have to be some serious tax dollars spent on job training, counseling and a much much much better parole system.

But then looking at it from the victims perspective how is that fair at all? You get raped and he gets free job training? They would very likely see it as being rewarded for doing bad things.

[Mopar Fanatic]

I like this 'human life is worth something' thing this thread's got going.

It's adorable.

Nobody lives forever and that includes me and you. Euthanasia, war, abortion, capital punishment--all acceptable IMO if they lead to a better long-term outcome for society. I don't really care what a bunch of religious sheep or whining hippies have to say about it.

[MadsenOMC]

I don't really care what a bunch of religious sheep or whining hippies have to say about it.

That made me laugh, something much appreciated on a Monday morning. Something we agree on as well.

[MISFITS_Fiend]

You'd think in this day and age the "eye for an eye" mentality would be dead by now.

Nope. Welcome to reality.

[The Heart Collector]

Nobody lives forever and that includes me and you. Euthanasia, war, abortion, capital punishment--all acceptable IMO if they lead to a better long-term outcome for society. I don't really care what a bunch of religious sheep or whining hippies have to say about it.

Removing all of the jews instead of six million would have led to a better long-term outcome for society, according to some.

[countchocula]

I'm sorry, but child rapists should be killed. Why keep these people alive? Seriously, why? These people don't value the lives of those they victimize. In my eyes, their lives should not be seen as having value. They don't deserve rehabilitation. In a perfect world, child rapists would be shot and killed upon being found guilty. But capital punishment is expensive. I would rather pay for the death of a child rapist, as opposed to paying to keep that child rapist alive.

[Elgyn]

I would rather pay for the death of a child rapist, as opposed to paying to keep that child rapist alive.




Yes, BUT..........in all liklihood, said child rapist would probably be killed in prison. The other prisoners usually don`t take kindly to 'child rapist' types.
Which does the child rapist deserve more: a nice peaceful injection with a needle and then going to sleep painlessly........or being violently murdered in prison?

[someguy]

I'm sorry, but child rapists should be killed. Why keep these people alive? Seriously, why? These people don't value the lives of those they victimize. In my eyes, their lives should not be seen as having value. They don't deserve rehabilitation. In a perfect world, child rapists would be shot and killed upon being found guilty. But capital punishment is expensive. I would rather pay for the death of a child rapist, as opposed to paying to keep that child rapist alive.

I don't know, I'd prefer to pay for child rapists to go insane in a tiny box for 60 years rather than paying money for them to go through a few seconds of unrest before dying.

[Elgyn]

I don't know, I'd prefer to pay for child rapists to go insane in a tiny box for 60 years rather than paying money for them to go through a few seconds of unrest before dying.



......and, again, the child raptist would probably face violent beatings every day as well.

[countchocula]

I don't care how they die. It's the principal of the matter. They don't deserve to breathe period. Painless, anal rape, lethal injection, hammer to the groin, electric chair, whatever...they need to be dead.

PS-Elgyn is a cocksucker. Nobody likes him.

[Jon Lyrik]

So, why hasn't anyone brought up the effects the death penalty has on society/culture, which is certainly more than the evil video games and The Matrix? Am I just pissing in the wind here? Is it possible that the death penalty being implemented just might be something that adds a little leniency in our collective conscience towards violence in general?

Plus, think of what can be learned from some of these fruitballs. Serial killers, rapists of all stripes, psychopaths in general have only been seriously studied for maybe three decades, and neuro-science certainly isn't done rapidly expanding.

The problem with complex moral and legalistic topics like this is that nobody sits down and thinks about these things in a larger sense, but rather, case by case.

[countchocula]

Yeah, maybe they can study pedophiles, and create a pill that makes you stop being a pedophile.

[The Heart Collector]

I'm sorry, but child rapists should be killed. Why keep these people alive? Seriously, why? These people don't value the lives of those they victimize. In my eyes, their lives should not be seen as having value. They don't deserve rehabilitation. In a perfect world, child rapists would be shot and killed upon being found guilty. But capital punishment is expensive. I would rather pay for the death of a child rapist, as opposed to paying to keep that child rapist alive.

They fucked a kid or ten, they didn't set America on fire.

[Homyrrh]

They fucked a kid or ten, they didn't set America on fire.
I move for lockout.

[MISFITS_Fiend]

They fucked a kid or ten, they didn't set America on fire.

And you're okay with that? Are you seriously this indifferent towards the damage being done to children who are raped, or just trying to stir up shit?

[Homyrrh]

And you're okay with that? Are you seriously this indifferent towards the damage being done to children who are raped, or just trying to stir up shit?
Obviously the latter; it is gravely unfortunate the lenthgs to which someone will go to be some sort of Devil's advocate and garner selfish, negative attention.

[someguy]

I don't care how they die. It's the principal of the matter. They don't deserve to breathe period. Painless, anal rape, lethal injection, hammer to the groin, electric chair, whatever...they need to be dead.

PS-Elgyn is a cocksucker. Nobody likes him.

A decision like allowing the death penalty for anyone shouldn't be based on emotions and you're obviously doing that.

[Homyrrh]

Yeah. As was the statement on the original post: "I am not a moralist. I am a judge."

[Vong]

A decision like allowing the death penalty for anyone shouldn't be based on emotions and you're obviously doing that.

To seek the death of another human being is to revert back to our basic instincts...countchocula has succeeded in demonstrating this.

[countchocula]

My opinion is not based on emotion. I don't know any childen who have been molested and/or killed. It's purely pragmatic. I don't think there should be a blanket rule, and I don't think that the death penalty should be the default consequence of being a really, really bad person. It should be used sparingly. However, any clinically sane person who could molest or murder a child/infant should be murdered. This isn't about being morally righteous. There is no rational argument for keeping a child rapist/killer alive. And "it costs money" is bullshit.