I too, see no sense or civility in killing as a punishment for killing. I wish we, as a people could mature beyond Hammurabi's code. I'm hopefull we can, seeing what Illinois, my neighbor state, has done. Yes, there are many people incarcerated and killed that are innocent.
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I saw someone else quote you, then went searching for your post.
I'm certainly not out to change your opinion where the DP is concerned, but I too have issues where it's concerned. I strongly feel that society sends a stronger message that we value life by imposing the ultimate punishment on someone who WILLFULLY takes the life of another. To not punish someone to this extreme is really saying, we value your life more than the life you took. You didn't care about the rights of the person you murdered, but we'll make damn sure that no one denies you any of your rights. I think it's a HORRIBLE message to send a killer.
My problem lies in the fact that it's #1, very expensive on the taxpayers to seek death. Taxpayers must foot the bill for the trial, then pay all the expenses (including college for many) all other inmates receive, then on top of that, pay out all the $$$$ required with issues dealing with the appellate process till the inmate is finally executed (if that day ever comes and in many states it doesn't, thankfully, it will in Florida). It raises costs enormously.
My #2 issue is that, it's simply not equally applied. Had Casey Anthony been a black male, they'd have sought death from day 1. Two people could live in the same town, commit the exact same crime in the exact same manner (hypothetically speaking) and the state could seek death for one, and the 2nd could end up with 5 to 10 years in prison. Hell, some killers are out within 3 years.
So, yeah, I think Casey Anthony absolutely deserves death, but, I think the entire system needs revamped if we're going to keep it around.
