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When Is It Ok To Kill?

When Is It Ok To Kill?
30 posted on March 30, 2009
28 Comments
POSTED IN: Blog Posts, Makes You Think

Our country’s capitol punishment rate has been decreasing steadily since 1999 (when in one year 98 people on Death Row were executed). On March 18, 2009, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed a bill to repeal the death penalty, making New Mexico the 3rd state in the last two years to abandon the death penalty.

“In a society which values individual life and liberty above all else, where justice and not vengeance is the singular guiding principle of our system of criminal law, the potential for wrongful conviction and, God forbid, execution of an innocent person stands as anathema to our very sensibilities as human beings. That is why I’m signing this bill into law.”  – Governor Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico

On the other hand, Alex Kozinski, Circuit Judge in the US Court of Appeals 2002 interview said:

“Immanuel Kant said it best. He said a society that is not willing to demand a life of somebody who has taken somebody else’s life is simply immoral. So the question really… when the system works and when you manage to identify somebody who has done such heinous evil, do we as a society have a right to take his life? I think the answer’s plainly yes. And I would go with Kant and I would say it is immoral for us not to.”

Capital Punishment has been the subject of movies such as The Green Mile or Dead Man Walking. While we can sometimes feel compassion for the Hollywood portrayal of the Death Row inmate in the film, it doesn’t always translate into real life since two-thirds of Americans say they are in favor of upholding the death penalty.

Are you in favor of the death penalty as the ultimate form of punishment for the US correctional system? Or do you see it as an unjust practice that needs to be abolished?

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 30th, 2009 at 8:14 am and is filed under Blog Posts, Makes You Think. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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  1. Visit My Website

    March 30, 2009

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    1 Kiel said:

    Prior to DNA testing, there were guys on death row who we thought were guilty. At the arrival of DNA testing, it did clear some.

    I think that law enforcement is getting much better at proving beyond a reasonable doubt when someone is guilty through DNA and other factors.

    Part of me thinks that only the most heinous of murderers should be executed. But I go back and forth on it.

    Kiel’s last blog post..(Almost) Daily Ramblings #63



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    March 30, 2009

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    2 Vince said:

    I cannot justify ending the life of a human that God loves.

    I’m pretty sure that when Jesus said love your enemy as yourself; He didn’t mean we should kill them.

    Vince’s last blog post..Preaching the Word



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    March 30, 2009

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    3 Abbey said:

    From a Christian viewpoint, I don’t support Capital Punishment. I believe that those Christians who use the Bible as rationalization for Capital Punishment are off-basis. The death penalty for murder is found in the Old Testament, which was God’s old covenant with the Jewish people. This is no longer in place since Jesus came/rose (the new covenant). I believe that all human life is precious, and therefore it is a heinous crime to commit murder; however, it is just as bad to kill someone in retribution for that murder. That person that is being executed could have been saved from going to Hell, in my mind. Any sin, no matter the “bigness” or “smallness” of it, has been forgiven by the cross, the way I understand it.
    Maybe I’m wrong? Maybe we shouldn’t save people? :/
    Sorry, Guess I got carried away.



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    March 30, 2009

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    4 Abbey said:

    I guess the short answer would be…it’s NOT ok to kill, whether murder or Capital Punishment.



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    March 30, 2009

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    5 Kiel said:

    Well put Abbey. But to play devil’s advocate, what do you think someone with a non-Christian viewpoint would have on this subject?

    For some people who don’t share our viewpoint, having someone executed is the ultimate punishment.

    I think we have a society that’s getting loose on its morals and need to work hard to make an impact with the younger generation and even today’s generation so that capital punishment is no longer an issue.

    A great book to read is by Chuck Colson and it’s called “Justice That Restores.” To me, he tries to get at the root of the criminal justice system and to summarize it, we live in a broken world that started with the sin of Adam and Eve.



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    March 30, 2009

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    6 ryan guard said:

    I’m against the death penalty. You can’t kill someone to teach people that killing is wrong.

    Let them sit in a cell for 60 years and think about it. Everyone falls in love with Jesus after a few days in a cell. I did.

    ryan guard’s last blog post..Where the Wild Things Are



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    March 30, 2009

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    7 Dean said:

    I agree with Abbey. I don’t believe it is okay to kill in any context.

    Dean’s last blog post..Monday Brief: The Two Weeks Later Edition



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    March 30, 2009

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    8 Jim said:

    This is clearly a difficult subject to blog or comment about… given that instead of the average 12 to 15 commenters you would normally have by now you have 4 commenters (not including my self).

    Speaking of comments… Where is your view on this Brad? This is your Blog and you did bring up the topic? I could guess, but I would rather you share it.

    As for me, well I used to be pro death penalty, but the last few years I’ve been on the fence… who are we to decide their death?

    Jim’s last blog post..Roy Tanck’s Flickr/Picasa Widget



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    March 30, 2009

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    9 Chris S. said:

    This is a tough one (OBVIOUSLY!)

    I think the real thing we need to think about here is if we are required to have a consistent ethic that runs through our lives.

    Chris S.’s last blog post..Anxiety vs. Love – Part 4



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    March 30, 2009

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    10 Juli Jarvis said:

    I don’t like killing for any reason at all — not even animals. I dread it when hunting season comes around–all those pick-up trucks with dead animals on top. But capital punishment — no, I’m not crazy about that at all, for many of the reasons above.

    Juli Jarvis’s last blog post..Loose Moose



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    March 30, 2009

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    11 Jim said:

    Well, I just had another thought… (2 thoughts in one day, I better stop soon…) though not about capital punishment and death penalty…

    For me, it is OK to kill when my self or my family’s lives are threatened by someone else. Though this will be difficult for me to do with out a firearm in the house… yet.

    Jim’s last blog post..Roy Tanck’s Flickr/Picasa Widget



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    March 30, 2009

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    12 Brad Ruggles said:

    @Jim – Oh man, calling me out on this. It’s so much easier to throw out the tough topics and watch you guys debate them. :-)

    I’ll weigh in with my opinion later this afternoon.



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    March 30, 2009

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    13 Ramon said:

    Totally against it. Think bout the logic here:
    Person A kills person B. Therefore, Person A’s life must be taken as a consequence. If you hold this to be true: then to be un-hypocritical the person who executes Person A must die as well.

    Check out Penn and Teller’s Bullshit episode on the Death Penalty. You can probably YouTube some clips.
    You’ll meet an innocent man sent to Death Row, despite the fact that the night he supposedly killed a man he was already in jail for another crime.

    You’ll see exactly what happens during an execution, and how alert the inmate is during his own death.

    Lots of interesting info there.



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    March 30, 2009

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    14 Brad Ruggles said:

    Interesting, even though national statistics state that two-thirds of Americans are in favor of the death penalty, it would appear that those stats aren’t accurate among my blog readers.



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    March 30, 2009

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    15 Aaron said:

    Generally, I’ve been of the mind that God instituted capital punishment. After all, we can remember what happened to Achan–when he stole stuff and hid it under his tent, not only was he killed, but his entire family was put to death. Or when God would instruct the Israelites to go wipe out an entire nation and take their land. There wasn’t any proselytizing of the victim nation; just summary annihilation.

    But, we are under grace now, so that puts a different spin on it.

    I wouldn’t purport that any of us know where God would stand on such an issue. Personally, I think that if there is substantial evidence (DNA, un-coerced confession, etc.), that it should be on the table.

    The death penalty doesn’t really deter too many new offenders, since many of those crimes are “heat of passion,” but it does prevent repeat offenders. I think that if executed in a consistent manner with enough supporting evidence, that capital punishment can be a tool to protect society of from its worse offenders. Still, it needs to be used with the utmost judgment.

    Aaron’s last blog post..Using WinDbg for Quick Memory Dump Analysis



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    March 30, 2009

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    16 blake said:

    what blows my mind is the percentage of evangelical christians that support the death penalty.

    and here is why – the person on death row is probably not seeking Christ in his every day life. yet we demand justice and say kill them. and in so doing we are damning them to hell. who are we that we think that we can take it upon our selves to end life.

    and another thing. isn’t it crazy that the ones who are so for the death penalty are so pro life and the ones who are so pro choice are against capital punishment.

    in the end – i am against all killing.



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    March 30, 2009

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    17 GregQualls said:

    When someone cuts me off on the highway.

    GregQualls’s last blog post..I’m running a triathlon….maybe I should train for it.



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    March 30, 2009

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    18 Brunettekoala said:

    Can I comment if I’m not American?

    What always springs to mind is that talk Jesus says when turning the laws upside down – you’ve heard it said an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth…well I say Love your enemies (totally paraphrasing cos my bible isn’t close to hand)

    To kill because someone has killed…it makes no sense. What does that say about our faith and belief in Jesus’ ability to forgive and restore?

    It also says in the Lord’s prayer …. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.

    Love is more powerful than hatred and death.

    But I’m not saying that’s easy.

    Brunettekoala’s last blog post..Birthdays, materialism & money matters



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    19 BJ said:

    Sorry guys…I will be the one with the guts to say I am in favor of the death penalty…the topic isn’t grace or forgiveness, because obviously God will forgive us of all of our sins…. BUT..there are consiquenses for all of our actions and if someone takes someone’s life premetitatively I am in favor of theirs being taken. Let’s make this very personal..if someone kills your wife or your child, you are telling me they don’t deserve death…come on seriously…let them have salvation preached to them, but that is inexcusable and not appropriate for them to keep on keeping on…. Also, are you saying Hitler, Usama, and all of the geneocidal maniacs don’t deserve the death penalty??? Again the issue isn’t grace, but consequenses for our own actions.

    BJ’s last blog post..HALLELUJAH… I am DEBT FREE!!!



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    March 31, 2009

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    20 sTim said:

    I’m not in favor of abolishing the death penalty, because I think there are people have done such evil that there really is no other acceptable punishment. However, I do think we should be extremely careful in how we apply it. Short of a complete confession, or overwhelming evidence, I’d be leery – because sentencing someone to death who is actually innocent is an incredible mistake. And I think it should be for extreme cases with multiple crimes – not simply the “eye for an eye” kind of trade.



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    March 31, 2009

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    21 blake said:

    to what BJ said – if someone kills my wife (i don’t have kids yet) – do they deserve death? absolutely. but in my view of Christ and my own depravity – i deserve death. you deserve death and everyone on earth deserves death. but by the grace of God we have another breath. by the grace of God a killer is able to eat and sleep at night – come up with a diabolical plan in order to kill my wife and then actually have the strength to carry it out.

    with hitler and saddam and bin laden and whoever else you want to talk about. i believe that punishment is necessary. but why would we not want to give them every opportunity to find salvation? the scriptures say that God wants all to come to salvation. that includes the worst of the worst. if we kill then we decide that they have had enough chances and they don’t get another.

    romans 12:19-21
    19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.



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    22 Brad Ruggles said:

    Ok, time for me to jump in with my opinion. Here’s my opinion on a few common statements for and against:

    Death Penalty as a crime deterrent
    I don’t think you can really justify the death penalty as a crime deterrent argument. Studies have shown that criminals who commit the types of crimes requiring the death penalty or life in prison simply aren’t thinking about the consequences. These criminals are in a different class from your “everyday criminal” and are motivated by their own desire to inflict pain or take lives.

    Shouldn’t we extend the same grace to these individuals that God extended to us? What about “Do not kill” or “love your enemies?”
    Justice in God’s eyes requires that the response to an offense – whether against God or against humanity – be proportionate. The lex talionis, the “law of the talion,” served as a restraint, a limitation, that punishment would be no greater than the crime. Yet, implied therein is a standard that the punishment should be at least as great as the crime.

    A common belief among Christians is that Jesus’ so-called “love-ethic” sets aside the “law of of the talion.” To the contrary, Jesus affirms the divine basis of Old Testament ethics. Nowhere does Jesus set aside the requirements of civil law.

    It leads to a perversion of legal justice to confuse the sphere of private relations (what Jesus talked about in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7) with that of civil law(Romans 13).

    While the thief on the cross found pardon in the sight of God (“Today you will be with me in Paradise”), that pardon did not extend to eliminating the consequences of his crime (“We are being justly punished, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds”).

    What about mercy?
    To quote Chuck Colson…

    “There can be no mercy where justice is not satisfied. Justice entails receiving what we in fact deserve; we did in fact know better. Mercy is not receiving what we in truth deserve. To be punished, however severely, because we indeed deserve it, as C.S. Lewis observed, is to be treated with dignity as human beings created in the image of God. Conversely, to abandon the criteria of righteous and just punishment, as Lewis also pointed out, is to abandon all criteria for punishment.

    It is for eminently social reasons that “the authorities” are to wield the sword, the ius gladii: due to human depravity and the need for moral-social order the civil magistrate punishes criminal behavior. The implication of Romans 13 is that by not punishing moral evil the authorities are not performing their God-appointed responsibility in society. Paul’s teaching in Romans 13 squares with his personal experience. Testifying before Festus, the Apostle certifies: “If…I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die.”

    My conclusion…
    I see two different codes of conduct talked about in the Bible. The first is a social code (Love your enemy, turn the other cheek) and the second is a civil code (as clearly laid out in Romans 13). In our sinful, broken world, there is no way that governments could survive according to the Beatitudes. That is why God established civil law to “wield the sword” and establish justice.

    Is the death penalty always the best punishment? I don’t think so. In my opinion the justice system needs some serious re-examination. The last thing we need to do is sentence an innocent man to death. However, in cases where the criminal has knowingly and willfully committed heinous acts of malice against his fellow man, there are times where, in my opinion, the death sentence is appropriate and necessary.

    For a much more detailed perspective on Capital Punishment as it relates to the Christian worldview, read this article by Chuck Colson.



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    March 31, 2009

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    23 Jared Woodard said:

    Im for it. No need for a long explanation,I think all of the above comments pretty much covered all of it. :D

    Jared Woodard’s last blog post..Gmail:Mail Goggles



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    April 4, 2009

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    24 Pilgrim said:

    Gods own son was executed for our sins! Gods justice had to be met. So God sent his son to upheld his justice through the sacrifice of his son Jesus. So now God is just if you call on his son Jesus to save you! Jesus can be your sin bearer. You need to turn from self!



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    April 5, 2009

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    25 Dudley Sharp said:

    SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: A Rebuttal to Governor Richardson
    Repeal of the Death Penalty in New Mexico
    Dudley Sharp, contact info below

    1) Gov. Bill Richardson states: “Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe.” (1)

    REBUTTAL: There is no proof of an innocent executed in the US since 1900. There is overwhelming proof that many thousands of innocents have been murdered because of the lack of perfection in parole, probation, early release, prison/jail management etc.

    Why did the Governor choose to end that criminal justice practice – the death penalty – which may be the least likely to result in innocent deaths?

    Lack of perfection had nothing to do with his decision.

    In addition, the death penalty protects innocents at a higher level than does a life sentence. (FOOTNOTE: “Death penalty repeal arguments are false” paragraph 2 & 3).

    No one disputes that the death penalty has greater due process than lesser sentences – meaning that actual innocents, serving life, are more likely to die in prison than are actual innocents likely to be executed.

    2) Governor Richardson stated: “The bill I am signing today .. . replaces the death penalty with true life without the possibility of parole – a sentence that ensures violent criminals are locked away from society forever .. . .” . (1)

    REBUTTAL: Governor Richardson knows that there is no such thing as true life without “possibility” of parole.

    The only absolute with sentencing is that the executive branch, a Governor or President, can commute any sentence and release criminals, early – as Governor Richardson did, in Nov. 2004, when he commuted Janet Vigil’s “life” case. (2)

    How quickly he “forgot”.

    Gov. Richardson’s buddy, former New Mexico Gov. Toney Anaya, commuted William Wayne Gilbert’s death sentence in 1986.

    Gilbert led a 7 inmate prison escape, a few months later, where Gilbert shot a guard. (3)

    Gilbert had previously murdered ” . . . his wife, Carol; a newlywed couple, Kenn and Noel Johnson, and a young model, Barbara McMullen. He bragged of other murders, as well. ‘It was very easy to kill,” he said. “It’s almost like it’s the night before Christmas when you’re 5 years old.’ ”

    Hardly a great candidate for commutation. But, this commutation wasn’t about the criminal or about the citizens of New Mexico. It was all about Gov. Anaya. His commutations of all death row, had nothing to do with allegations of protecting innocents – it did just the opposite, of course – he just didn’t like the death penalty and he takes no responsibility for the outcome.

    In addition, legislatures can write new laws which, retroactively, reduce sentences already given.

    Gov. Richardson is aware that states around the US are, now, doing just that, as more consider reducing life sentences to save money by releasing lifers, early.

    3) The Governor stated: “More than 130 death row inmates have been exonerated in the past 10 years in this country, including four New Mexicans – a fact I cannot ignore.” (1)

    REBUTTAL: The Governor has been informed, repeatedly, that the 130 exonerated is a complete fraud, as has been well documented by many and presented to the Governor, often (FOOTNOTE, paragraph 3). Not only is he not ignoring this deception, he is advancing it, even when it is so easy to disprove. Governor, how many innocents were harmed and murdered because of the lack of perfection in parole, probation, early release, prison/jail management etc.?
    ———

    4) What about law enforcements’ concerns?

    “The New Mexico Sheriffs’ and Police Association opposed repeal, saying capital punishment deters violence against police officers, jailers and prison guards. District attorneys also opposed the legislation, arguing that the death penalty was a useful prosecutorial tool.” (4)

    They told the Governor that the death penalty saves lives and helped solve cases.

    The Governor conceded that “the death penalty may be a deterrent”(1), thereby telling us that the death penalty is more likely to save innocent lives than it is to take them.

    He also conceded that by repealing the death penalty he was taken away a tool for law enforcement. (1) He didn’t speculate how many innocent lives he was sacrificing by ending that tool.

    We may never know why he really ended the death penalty. We do know that it had nothing to do with saving innocent lives.

    “Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White said law enforcement officers have ‘lost a layer of protection and it’s a sad day in New Mexico.’ ” (4)

    (1) Gov. Bill Richardson’s statement on signing the repeal of New Mexico’s death penalty (3/18/09)

    (2) ” In Loving Memory of Estevan Vigil”, http://www.nmsoh.org/vigil_estevan_mem.htm

    (3) “Let Loose by the Governor”, The Justice Story, The New York Daily News, 3/11/07
    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2007/03/11/2007-03-11_let_loose_by_the_governor.html

    (4) “New Mexico governor signs measure to abolish death penalty”
    DEBORAH BAKER, Associated Press Writer, Originally published Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 5:21 PM

    —————————————–

    FOOTNOTE: “Death penalty repeal arguments are false”

    In a message dated 3/17/2009 4:37:39 P.M. Central Daylight Time, Sharpjfa writes:

    To: Governor Richardson, staff and cabinet and
    Corrections Department and Police Agencies and media throughout New Mexico

    From: Dudley Sharp, contact info, below

    Dear Honorable Governor Richardson:

    In addition to all of the pro-repeal arguments being weak or false (see below), the death penalty should remain as the just sanction for some of the worst crimes.

    JUSTICE: The death penalty should remain in New Mexico because of justice. New Mexico is currently investigating serial murders which, to date, have reached 14 victims. Leave the death penalty option up to New Mexico jurors, for such cases as this, as well as the rape/murder of children and the murder of police officers and correction workers and other crimes.

    1) COST SAVINGS

    The LFC’s (New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee) fiscal evaluation wrongly found the North Carolina death penalty more expensive than a 20 year “life” sentence. It wasn’t. The was the only study cited (1)

    Reasonable and responsible protocols, currently in use, will produce a death penalty which will cost less or no more than LWOP. (2)

    Example: Virginia executes in 5-7 years; 65% of those sentenced to death have been executed; 15% of their death penalty cases are overturned. With the high costs of long term imprisonment, a true life sentence will be more expensive than such a death penalty protocol. (2)

    Most cost studies suffer from major problems, such as a) not crediting the death penalty for allowing plea bargains to a true life sentence ( $300,000 to $1 million savings or more, for each plea); 2) not including geriatric care for life sentences (cost of $60,000-$90, 000/year/inmate); c) deceptively inflating costs of executions, based upon putting all the costs of every death penalty case into those executed (see Florida); d) many more such problems, or even worse. (2)

    2) MORE PROTECTION FOR INNOCENTS

    Of all the government programs in the world, that put innocents at risk, is there one with a safer record and with greater protections than the US death penalty? Unlikely.

    Innocents are more protected because of enhanced due process, enhanced incapacitation and enhanced deterrence. (3)

    Anti death penalty folks claim that 130 “innocents” have been released from death row, nationally. Fact checking easily uncovers this as a scam. Study reviews have found that 70-83% of those claims are not credible. Possibly 25 “actual” innocents have been identified and released from death row. (4)

    There is no proof of an innocent executed in the US, at least since 1900.

    There is overwhelming proof that living murderers harm and murder, again. Executed ones don’t.

    3) 16 recent studies find for DETERRENCE

    16 recent studies, inclusive of their defenses, find for death penalty deterrence. No surprise. Life is preferred over death, death is feared more than life. (5)

    There is a constant within all jurisdictions — negative consequences will always deter some – a truism.

    NOTE: Repeal proponents bring up that many death penalty states have higher murder rates than non death penalty states. That has nothing to do with the deterrent effect failing, as fully explained to them and you in a previous email. (6)

    Whether a jurisdiction has high murder rates or low ones, rather rising or lowering rates, the presence of the death penalty will produce fewer net murders, the absence of the death penalty will produce more net murders.

    An analogy. Consider smoking. Whether a jurisdiction has high smoking rates or low ones, or rising or lowering rates, the knowledge of medical problems from smoking will produce fewer net smokers, the absence of any medical problems from smoking would produce more net smokers.

    4. STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT

    80% death penalty support, for specific capital murders, such as mass murder, serial murders, rape/murders, terrorism, etc. (6)

    – 82% in the US favor executing Saddam Hussein, In Great Britain: 69%, France: 58%, Germany: 53%, Spain: 51%, Italy: 46%. , Le Monde (France) , 12/06
    – 81% support Timothy McVeigh’s execution – “the consensus of all major groups, including men, women, whites, nonwhites, “liberals” and “conservatives.” 16% oppose (Gallup 5/2/01).
    – 85% of liberal Connecticut supported serial/rapist murderer Michael Ross’ “voluntary” execution. (Quinnipiac 1/12/05)
    — 79% support death penalty for terrorists (4/26/2007 New York State poll)
    — 78% of Nebraskans support death penalty for “heinous crimes.” 16% opposed. 76% opposed legislation to abolish. MPB Public Affairs Poll, 2/14/08)

    Most quoted polls wrongly poll for murder, not capital murders. The death penalty is only an option in capital cases. Possibly, 10% of all murder cases are death eligible. Those are the only cases relevant to death penalty polling.

    5) THE LEAST ARBITARY PUNISHMENT

    The US death penalty is likely the least arbitrary and capricious criminal sanctions in the US. About 60,000 murders qualified for a death penalty eligible trial, since 1973. 8000 murderers were so sentenced or 13% of those eligible. Based upon pre trial, trial, appellate and clemency/commutation realities and that high percentage (13%) of receiving the maximum sentence (absent mandatory sentences) the death penalty must be the least arbitrary and capricious sanction.

    ———————–

    Permission for distribution of this document, in whole or in part, is approved with proper attribution.

    Respectfully submitted, Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters
    e-mail sharpjfa@aol.com, 713-622-5491,
    Houston, Texas

    Mr. Sharp has appeared on ABC, BBC, CBC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, FOX, NBC, NPR, PBS , VOA and many other TV and radio networks, on such programs as Nightline, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The O’Reilly Factor, etc., has been quoted in newspapers throughout the world and is a published author.

    A former opponent of capital punishment, he has written and granted interviews about, testified on and debated the subject of the death penalty, extensively and internationally

    1) “LFC Fiscal Error: Death Penalty Repeal – For Senate Judiciary Committee Record”
    email to Senate, 3/9/2009 6:11:28 P.M. Central Daylight Time
    2) “Cost Savings: The Death Penalty: For Senate Judiciary Committee Record”, email to Senate, 3/9/2009 4:45:21 P.M. Central Daylight Time
    3) “Death Penalty: More Protection for Innocents” NM, email to Governor Richardson, legislature and media, 3/4/2009 2:49:23 P.M. Central Daylight Time
    4) “The death row 130 “innocents” scam” NM, email to Governor Richardson, legislature and media, 3/4/2009 1:36:11 P.M. Central Standard Time
    5) “The Death Penalty is a Deterrent – 16 Recent Studies”, NM, email to Governor Richardson, legislature and media on 3/4/2009 1:31:35 P.M. Central Daylight Time
    6) “Death Penalty and Deterrence: Let’s be clear” NM, email to Governor Richardson, legislators and media on 3/4/2009 1:52:09 P.M. Central Standard Time



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    April 7, 2009

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    26 Lisa T said:

    Let’s look at the Big 10:
    “Thou Shalt Not Kill”
    I don’t think man has the right to decide who lives or dies. Only God has that power.
    Just my opinion.



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    April 25, 2009

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    27 Pilgrim said:

    Some people have an Idea that God is inclusive for mans eternal destiny, that all religions and all people will be saved. That God will allow all of mankind to enter into heaven because everybody is good so God must be fair and include everyone! It is true God does love the whole world but God is exclusive about mans eternal destiny without the Savior. To keep this simple man has a problem called sin in which man refuses to believe that there are eternal consequences for having sin, which is a one way ticket to hell. God is holy and he will not allow anyone with sin to enter into heaven. God is hurt and angry about our sin, we have broken his laws. But God is just and good and he knows our need so he provided a solution to our problem. His solution to our problem is to have our sins removed by having our sins placed on someone else, a sacrifice for us; paying for the penalty of the sin we have in our lives. So that someone else would get the penalty of Gods wrath and separation on him that was meant for us. So God sent his son Jesus on a mission from heaven to earth as our sacrifice to die on the cross on our behalf after this happened three days later Jesus came back from the dead, alive. But that’s not all remember I wrote that God is exclusive about mans eternal destiny without the Savior? The only way that Gods promise can be applied to your life is for you to turn from your way of thinking and know that your sin offends and hurts God and call on the Lord Jesus who’s alive to save you. Your sins are then transferred to Jesus for what he did at the cross, dying and being abandon by God because of your sins, for you and because Jesus arose from the dead he is alive you can now enter into a relationship with God. Will you call out to Jesus to save you? It’s your choice to enter in exclusively with God’s grace for you. Where will you want to spend eternity after hearing Gods promise for you?
    If the answer was yes that you do want Jesus as your sin bearer, Savior, and you do believe God raised Jesus from the dead you can pray with your voice.
    “Dear Jesus save me.”
    Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.



  28. Visit My Website

    November 30, 2009

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    28 Victoria said:

    See I just want to say our government is meant to be based, not off of faith, but on human morality. So everyone who puts their christian issues into it will not get their say in a court. It’s not about your religious belief, American isn’s just a christian nation there is many more people who aren’t religious and just find the death penalty immoral as the rest of you but for more deeper reason than God loves everyone the same.



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    I love my family more than anything but I still struggle to keep my passions and priorities in order. I’m passionate about the Church, its influence on culture, and making it better. I’m constantly challenging the process - examining what I do, why I do it and its relevance in today’s progressive culture. read more
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