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Should James Holmes (Batman killing) get the death penalty?

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Reply 80

dinrah04

Torture and life, death is too easy of an escape. But I assume that's illegal, so no death, just life.

Reply 81

coastbeats

Original post by Americaniamh

I agree with you up until your characterisation of the death penalty as being "humanely put to sleep".

I'm on my phone right now so I can't write a screed but the death penalty is nowhere as peaceful as that.

The lethal injection is incredibly horrific - we don't know the extent of its pain and some believe over 40% of prisoners are conscious when they are killed. (Link at bottom.) Prisoners on death row are in a state of limbo - they don't know if they will live or die or not from day to day. The psychological damage this can cause is incredible.

I personally would choose life imprisonment.

http://www.newscientist.com/mobile/article/dn7269-execution-by-injection-far-from-painless.html

I'm just looking at it from the philosophical and moral perspective here.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 82

Americaniamh

Original post by Stevo F

The amount of money it costs to lock a high threat prisoner such as him away per year is ridiculous. If that money was given to cancer research or other medical research foundation, countless innocent lives would be saved but we instead prioritise "rehabilitating" somebody who has killed multiple people and in all honesty is never going to benefit society.

I think the death penalty should be used but only for those committing the worst crimes and who we are sure are guilty.

This is frustrating because it is blatantly incorrect.

By cost:
Sentencing and carrying out the death penalty > housing a high threat prisoner for life (two lives even if you want!)

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/us-death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-cost

Reply 83

emthedrummer

I could never be pro- the death penalty. I would rather they found out what went wrong in his head and rehabilitated him. It's not justice killing him, it's just revenge.

He's clearly insane. No clear thinking, rational person goes and shoots up a cinema for no reason.

If you don't find out what causes someone to act like Holmes did how can you ever prevent it in the future?

That's just my opinion, and correct me if I'm wrong: I just can't see how any sane person would commit mass murder like he did, and if a person is medically insane, then don't they deserve some form of understanding and treatment?

Reply 84

Redolent

Original post by Miracle Day

Yes I would.

I would never do it to anyone else, ever. If I was a raving murderer I wouldn't be on here arguing for him to get the death penalty, but after descriptively reading witness accounts I would happily murder that man.

And my family wouldn't be watching.

Well I don't think that's compatible with being a civilised, advanced society.

Why not hang his body in the middle of Aurora while we're at it, just to remind us all how just and civilised we all are?

Reply 85

Venomilys

Original post by benpearson1

That is an absolutely terrible and horrific idea. Of course I think it's atrocious the crimes he has committed, but that does not justify a torturous murder in the slightest.

By the way, your grammar and use of punctuation is truly awful.

he's still doing his GCSE's.

Reply 86

Americaniamh

Original post by Miracle Day

There is nothing expensive about taking this man into the middle of the sea, putting a bullet into his head and throwing him overboard.

There is if you need to finance countless appeals to do so.

And if you advocate having no court system at all and just killing people you "know" have killed, then this is a pointless discussion.

Reply 87

Miracle Day

Original post by Redolent

Or to remind us how uncivilised he was, remembering that tragic day of 18/07

Reply 88

Redolent

Original post by Miracle Day

Or to remind us how uncivilised he was, remembering that tragic day of 18/07

So you would really do it then, hang a man's corpse in the middle of a public place for all the children to see? That's justice?

Reply 89

Redolent

Original post by coastbeats

When a court sentences a person, it is not the victim who does so - it is a democratic society. If society comes to a decision that this person is not worthy to live, then the death penalty is appropriate. It's not revenge because the decision doesn't come from the emotions of a person alone but from a group of neutral people (Society) - and this is a different entity to a lone human.

There's my argument.

They're not neutral, and they call for him to die based on their gut instincts.

Just like those people who hunted "witches" down a few hundred years ago. They had the support of the masses too.

Reply 90

username358506

Original post by Miracle Day

Where did I say I support the capital punishment? I don't.

I just believe that in this such high profile case which I have such an interest in, where the person had a lust to kill and where we're 100% sure he did it.. he should be killed.

Ah, I see: pick and choose capital punishment!

Why didn't the justice system think of this before? I'm sure you could give the judges some advice on who's worth sending to prison and who's worth killing.

Whilst we're at absurd hypothetical scenarios, how should James Holmes die? Torture him first? Open him up and gut him like a fish? Stretch him until his body breaks in two? Chinese-style bamboo death? Hanging? Guillotine? Lethal injection? Shooting? Electric chair? Buried alive?

I suppose we should probably televise it to, you know, to warn the others. Who should get the rights? The BBC Sports? Sky Sports? ESPN?

Reply 91

Miracle Day

Original post by Redolent

So you would really do it then, hang a man's corpse in the middle of a public place for all the children to see? That's justice?

No I wouldn't do it. You're the one who suggested it and tried to spin an immoral twist on how bad it would be, when nobody would want that anyway. I simply stuck with your suggestion and put forth a more positive aspect with it.

Reply 92

fudgesundae

No. But simply because I believe it is the easy way out. IMO life without parole must be much worse than being executed. Sure the months or days before you are executed are hell, but then it's over. Locking him up for 23 hours a day in a tiny cell with no human contact is far worse. It will make him wish he was dead.

Reply 93

Miracle Day

Original post by Stalin

Pick and chose is what they do anyway.

If they're completely and totally convinced, without doubt that said individual is a murderer that's when the Capital punishment comes into play.

Holmes is obivously contempt with going to prison, as in his emails sent to a girl "Will you visit me in prison?" which is why I don't think he should go there.

Erm, just a bullet to the head will do.

Nope, we shouldn't televise it.. what a disgusting suggestion on your behalf.

Reply 94

Stevo F

Original post by Americaniamh

Then they need to change the system, anybody with half a brain knows that if you have a confession, video and witnesses of the crime it should be cheaper to perform the death penalty.

Another example of a country in massive debt (like most of the world) wasting money in unnecessary areas.

Reply 95

coastbeats

Original post by Redolent

They're not neutral, and they call for him to die based on their gut instincts.

Just like those people who hunted "witches" down a few hundred years ago. They had the support of the masses too.

But it's not out of self-satisfication thus it is not revenge or lust, that's all I'm saying.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 96

Marlena002

No more disgusting than taking pleasure in the "justified" killing of another person.

Reply 97

DorianGrayism

Original post by Miracle Day

You just said it.

Reply 98

Redolent

Original post by Miracle Day

Why wouldn't you do it?

Brings me back to what I was saying before, the argument that it's okay to kill a man, but not if we have to face the reality of what we have done and what our idea of justice is. I am just wondering what the the people of future society will think of this "it's okay if it's behind closed doors" attitude. I think they'll consider it barbaric and uncivilised, and I would too.

Reply 99

Scoobiedoobiedo

A death sentence will prolong his life much longer than a life sentence.

If he gets a life sentence he will get murdered in prison fairly soon.
If he gets the death penalty he will put his feet up on death row for 20+ years.