In Texas we have a saying, "some people just need killing" meaning that they well... need to die. and it's true. Some people are just a waste of oxygen. That simple.
I mean why should my tax dollars go towards sheltering and feeding and in some cases educating a sociopathic killer for Lord knows how many years? wouldn't that tax money be better spent on... i dunno the families of the victims?

When y'alls favorite president was governor here. he had the option of commuting a woman's (Karla Faye Tucker) death sentence to life in prison by giving her a reprieve. This woman testified in court that when she killed these people with a pick-axe that she went into orgasm doing so. Sure I guess we could've shipped her off to one of those "advanced" nations that know oh so well how to treat people like that

The real problem with the death penalty is how it's determined and who determines it. Here in Texas, the jury has the power for sentencing. so it's the PEOPLE, not the State that makes that decision in capital cases. That sounds all good and proper, but it has flaws. A sharp talking district attorney can sway a jury alot better than the usual do-nothing pro-bono defender and since usually the defendant has priors as well, juries are more inclined to go for the needle. then throw in corrupt crime labs, and questionable methods investigators got their evidence - how can a jury REALLY know they are making the correct decision?

But in that case in the UK (Portugal?) where that guy killed that little girl. Hell that dude is so damned guilty he doesn't even need a trial to confirm that. To whose benefit is it that he be kept alive?
At best he should be an organ donor. You know it's weird hearing all this anti-death penalty stuff from y'all when in the real world the people from Euroland and Australia and the UK that I've talked to seem to be real impressed with the death penalty and wish it was used where they are/were from.

but there's always that chance that the person convicted is actually innocent of the charge. a very slim one, but one nonetheless.

Quote from Racer Y :

In Texas...

I think what separates this case from most is the fact that all the guy did was drive the car that the actual murderer jumped out of to kill his victim.

From reading, I gather that it's a Texas-only law that gives him the death penalty for this.

The Governor can still award a stay of execution for 1 month if he felt it was justified...

Yeah, this guy is unquestionably guilty--definitely not "innocent" in a global sense--but he also unquestionably does not deserve the death penalty for his actions.

It's quite simple - killing people is wrong. Whether it's cold-blooded murder in the heat or passion, or institutionalised murder by the state. None of us, no human being, has the right to hand out life or death on their whim. Every living thing has the right to life, to be safe, to be protected and be loved. When we deny another person those rights, we become no better than the murders we're condemning.

Quote from DarkTimes :

It's quite simple - killing people is wrong. Whether it's cold-blooded murder in the heat or passion, or institutionalised murder by the state. None of us, no human being, has the right to hand out life or death on their whim. Every living thing has the right to life, to be safe, to be protected and be loved. When we deny another person those rights, we become no better than the murders we're condemning.

That's the path to stagnation!

Quote from Racer Y :

In Texas we have a saying, "some people just need killing"

Texas has provided the world with... some... great contributions, I'm sure, even though all of them have slipped my mind right now, but I'm beginning to understand why there is a lack of great Texan philosophers.

Quote from Racer Y :

But in that case in the UK (Portugal?) where that guy killed that little girl. Hell that dude is so damned guilty he doesn't even need a trial to confirm that.

Hahahahaha. The child is missing, there is no evidence against anybody and you want someone hung! Over here we prefer to figure out what crime occurred and who did it first before we start with the punishment.

Quote from Racer Y :

In Texas we have a saying, "some people just need killing" meaning that they well... need to die. and it's true. Some people are just a waste of oxygen. That simple.

Forgive me, but anyone at all who believes that, in our country, would be a candidate for psychological evaluation. Anyone at all with such a disregard for "god-given" life as those quoting that Texan saying would, in any civilised society, be considered a public danger and would be incarcerated for life. And I do mean *any civilized* society. People, in civilized societies, that hold such low regard for human life, do not walk the streets or run for government.

The bible belt thinkers are remarkable, to me. The same people who religiously support the death penalty also oppose abortion. It's simple: You either believe that taking life is God's work and nobody else's, or you don't. Bible-belters seem to believe both.

I think her parents killed her, personally. Always have. I'll never have more than 10% of 'the facts', and I'm not in charge of any punishments, so I am allowed to consider them guilty!

Quote from tristancliffe :

I think her parents killed her, personally. Always have. I'll never have more than 10% of 'the facts', and I'm not in charge of any punishments, so I am allowed to consider them guilty!

You're a bit quick to lay the blame on the parents. Suspiciously quick, I'd say! :detective

Quote from thisnameistaken :

You're a bit quick to lay the blame on the parents. Suspiciously quick, I'd say! :detective

Question is, what's more likely?

Some stranger knew enough to walk into the house in the mid-evening, while the parents were only meters away, went into a room where she was sleeping with two other children, stole her, smuggled her out the country and sold her on the black market.

Or that the parents killed her and hid the body.

Who was the philosopher who said that the simplest solution is usually the right one?

I know this isn`t about the topic, but I just want to cast my oppinion about death penalty.

I don`t belive that you at any circumstanses can say that anyone deserves to be killed (mark the word) for their crimes. Even if you had killed 100 people there would still not help, or been any use for giving them death as a penalty. I know some people are just pure evil, but they still somehow has the right to live, even if they did tok a life from a other person, I belive that most people can change, and if there is one thing that I`m sure on, they will not change or there will be no hope for them if they get death penalty.

Ìf we kill people as a punishment, as some states in America does, then you are NO better, then you say it`s O.K to kill people, because it is justice.
How the hell can someone say that justice is to kill people, or to say that they are a waste of oxygen while they are living on this planet?
Thats a pure evil thing to say, and by saying this you somehow are something like the murder in the mind, that someone doesn`t deserve to live.
And the same goes for example for Texas, they "punish" people by killing them. And it`s fun that USA goverment allways condembt and tells that middle east countries are countries that are set back in evolution, still.. both of them kills people as a punishment, USA just do it in a fancy chair..

Now, don`t get me wrong. I understand that some, but only SOME people in this world are born evil, but no matter how evil a person is, there is no one that can say that there is justice to kill him for the crime he/she did.

I don't believe anyone is evil. Some people are driven to evil acts, yes. But no one is born evil.

some people who have life in prison would rather die than carry on their sentence (commiting suicide) so i dont understand why people are killed. isnt is just a shortcut?

Quote from anbiddulph :

some people who have life in prison would rather die than carry on their sentence (commiting suicide) so i dont understand why people are killed. isnt is just a shortcut?

Some would say that.
I think that there is a better punishment to have a life sentence in prison than beeing executed. You got a life to think over what you did, and still it`s somehow fair. Executing isn`t fair for anyone, what does it helps for?
Free some spaces in prison I supose?

Quote :

Free some spaces in prison I supose?

You could just kick out all the pot-heads. That'd free up a lot of room.

To those who are stating the opinion against the death penalty... What would you do when you saw someone abducting your 8 year old daughter? Or you found them abusing your little girl? Sit idling by saying, "that person can be a fine person, he just needs a little rehabilitating.."

If someone touched either of my little girls, they would be sentenced to the death penalty, and not by the state. If I got a hold of them, they would be beaten and I don't think I'd stop and say, he's had enough, go ahead and rehabilitate them now.

I think opinions would differ if it would happen to your children.

This has gone off-topic of the particular person in the OP getting the death penalty, to the death penalty itself.

Quote from mrodgers :

To those who are stating the opinion against the death penalty... What would you do when you saw someone abducting your 8 year old daughter? Or you found them abusing your little girl? Sit idling by saying, "that person can be a fine person, he just needs a little rehabilitating.."

If someone touched either of my little girls, they would be sentenced to the death penalty, and not by the state. If I got a hold of them, they would be beaten and I don't think I'd stop and say, he's had enough, go ahead and rehabilitate them now.

I think opinions would differ if it would happen to your children.

This has gone off-topic of the particular person in the OP getting the death penalty, to the death penalty itself.

You canot take actions based on hate, I know that it would be a absolutely shock, and hate if someone had done that, but still - there is no justise in death penalty, and if you said you would take the actions in your own hand - thats totally wrong to do also.
The man would get a lot of punishement just in the sentence, and aswell that everyone would go around and hate him.

But to be honest to you mate, I tell you one thing -

I really REALLY dislike people that takes the actions in their own hand. I know that hate is strong, and special if the things above happend, but I really hate when I see people that have been finished with their sentence gets beaten the living hell out, or even killed, after their time in prison is done. That is just barbarian if you ask me.

Quote from SamH :

Forgive me, but anyone at all who believes that, in our country, would be a candidate for psychological evaluation. Anyone at all with such a disregard for "god-given" life as those quoting that Texan saying would, in any civilised society, be considered a public danger and would be incarcerated for life. And I do mean *any civilized* society. People, in civilized societies, that hold such low regard for human life, do not walk the streets or run for government.

The bible belt thinkers are remarkable, to me. The same people who religiously support the death penalty also oppose abortion. It's simple: You either believe that taking life is God's work and nobody else's, or you don't. Bible-belters seem to believe both.

You live in a wimpy country then
Really though, you seem to want to have and try to justify the additional burden to society of having to house some dirtbag that strangled 16 women. Why's that? cause he can rehabilitate himself? yeah, right. Ohh wait... so he can mull over his crimes suffer in silent pain and remorse? lol that translates to can he relive his glorious moments of his crimes. And don't go there that since he's locked away, he can't harm anyone.... he harms the budget. He harms the survivors' constant thoughts of if he somehow gets out - wouldn't you think? Seems a bit barbaric to allow that to happen to that victims don't you think?

And about the saying....

True story:
Here where I live we celebrate a Mexican holiday called Fiestas Patras. Down at the park people show up in droves ..bar be que... beer, lowriders, that sort of thing.
Well there was this father and son that were there. they were part of a family, which is kinda like a gang except that most are related.
Like a clan I guess. well they liked to bully people. they sorted dope deals they stole, they did all kinds of nasty crap to people. at this festival, they decided to mess with this one guy, they thought it would be cool to cut him up. This happened in the parks restroom. what the two idiots didn't think about was the guy they were going to mess with had a friend peeing in a stall. the friend also had a gun and shot them both. An ambulance and a life flight helicopter both arrived there. they were arguing over who got to take who, at least that's what it looked like to me, yeah I was there partying, when they died.
And since I'm from here, I live here and I know alot of the details, I can say I think they needed killing about 5 years earlier without loosing any sleep over it. You may not know how to handle that concept, but that's how it is.

Sorry about the Portugese/ UK thing... I got two cases all mixed up
I got it mixed up with a guy in Florida that buried some litte girl. I try not to read too many of those stories, so it's too easy for me to get them mixed up

Getting back to the original topic: If this guy can prove he had no idea whatsoever that his passenger was going to kill this person.
he won't get the death penalty, I don't really know any details, but here in Texas if his defense is something like, I just thought he was going to scare him... that won't work. Like I said, I know zilch about this particular case.

Quote from Dajmin :

Murderers gave no thought to the rights their victim had to life, so why treat them any different?

because youre supposed to be ethically above an eye for an eye for instance ?

Here's some semi-related news:

http://www.latimes.com/news/pr ... mp;ctrack=1&cset=true

Quote: The Justice Department is putting the final touches on regulations that could give Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales important new sway over death penalty cases in California and other states, including the power to shorten the time that death row inmates have to appeal convictions to federal courts.

The rules implement a little-noticed provision in last year's reauthorization of the Patriot Act that gives the attorney general the power to decide whether individual states are providing adequate counsel for defendants in death penalty cases. The authority has been held by federal judges.

Under the rules now being prepared, if a state requested it and Gonzales agreed, prosecutors could use "fast track" procedures that could shave years off the time that a death row inmate has to appeal to the federal courts after conviction in a state court.

Quote from Racer Y :

Getting back to the original topic: If this guy can prove he had no idea whatsoever that his passenger was going to kill this person.
he won't get the death penalty, I don't really know any details, but here in Texas if his defense is something like, I just thought he was going to scare him... that won't work. Like I said, I know zilch about this particular case.

Are you missing that he had beed been deemed innocent in a trial last year? And now they are going to execute him for the same thing. Double jeproady anyone? (75% chance im wrong, but, it seems it's what is going on)

Quote from SamH :

The bible belt thinkers are remarkable, to me. The same people who religiously support the death penalty also oppose abortion. It's simple: You either believe that taking life is God's work and nobody else's, or you don't. Bible-belters seem to believe both.

Or you could believe that the state has a God-given right to punish criminals, using the death penalty if the crime is deemed severe enough.

To me punishment is about retribution, not rehabilitation. Try to rehabilitate criminals if you like, but it shouldn't come at the expense of punishing them for their wrongdoing. If their wrongdoing is severe enough, execute them.

Quote from StewartFisher :

To me punishment is about retribution, not rehabilitation. Try to rehabilitate criminals if you like, but it shouldn't come at the expense of punishing them for their wrongdoing. If their wrongdoing is severe enough, execute them.

Nah, wouldn't it be better to find your loved one abused and beaten lying in a ditch somewhere, the criminal who dumped the body to go to trial, get life in prison, parolled on "good" behavior in 10 or 15 years, and be back out on the street a "rehabilitated" free man while you go visit your child's grave every year wondering why?

That was sarcasm, btw.

Quote from mrodgers :

Nah, wouldn't it be better to find your loved one abused and beaten lying in a ditch somewhere, the criminal who dumped the body to go to trial, get life in prison, parolled on "good" behavior in 10 or 15 years, and be back out on the street a "rehabilitated" free man while you go visit your child's grave every year wondering why?

That was sarcasm, btw.

and becomming him would solve what exactly ?