I have a question. If someone is convicted and sentenced to death, why do they have to linger in death row for years before (and if) they are fried.

It would seem to me that if one was sentenced to death, they would execute him on that same day he was sentenced.

What am I missing?

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Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

appeals

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

First, not that many executions overall. Number of Executions by State and Region Since 1976 | Death Penalty Information Center

Less than 1,500 in the last 40 years. If you pay attention to the media, it sounds like dozens are happening every week. Keep in mind all the horrible folks doing really horrible things. Take the flip side: one person is claimed "innocent" and the entire US justice system is accused of being so, so horrible. Does it happen? Absolutely ... how often in reality? Get real ... Not much thought about the victims and how their family's , friends', and loved ones lives are ruined forever.

It's a final decision so to speak and a decision which needs to be made. Personally, these horrible folks should suffer years and years in really horrible conditions, as brutal as possible. Unfortunately, we cannot treat prisoners this way.

On the other hand we have numerous cases of people convicted of serious crimes cleared by DNA or confessions of other people years, sometimes decades later.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Here's a list of more than 150 men and women who were sentenced to death and exonerated before their date of execution since 1973. Innocence: List of Those Freed From Death Row | Death Penalty Information CenterIf you click on their names you can read about their cases.

So roughly, for every 10 people put to death in the last 40 or so years, one was later found to be unjustly sentenced.

Yow! Like in China!!

Guilty or innocent, I think we can thank the lawyers, , , , ,


(What do you throw to a drowning lawyer?)

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"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

See the 5th/14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

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Christopher
'06 Mercedes E350 station wagon (silver/black)
'85 Mercedes 300D (black pearl/palomino)
'85 Mercedes 300SD (smoke silver/burgundy)
'79 Cadillac Sedan DeVille

'05 Toyota Camry (because always running is nice)

'85 Mercedes 300D sold back to orig. owner 8-1-06
'84 Volvo 264GL Diesel, owned 2000-2013

What are you missing? That our justice system is terminally f**ked up, and we'd "fry" quite a few innocent people without the safeguards. Actually, we do that even with safeguards.

Read about the Willingham case.

The death penalty is more of a sick lottery than a penalty. Time to get rid of it and make the maximum sentence 25 years to life. Even hardened crims can reform, and it should be up to a parole board to determine eligibility for release. Many ex-gang members (for example) can be rehabilitated. Manson? Probably not, but he keeps getting denied for parole. Funny how that works!

Gee, I thought Benhogan would post to this thread more than once, since he's the one who initiated it. Ben, where are you?

Death penalty does not deter crime or murder. It's revenge for victims. The state often kills innocent men. I wish it was abolished.

It's also much more costly.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

All life is sacred.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

I agree. When you support the death penalty you have given your rulers ultimate power.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I do not know why you placed "innocent" in quotes. People have indeed been found innocent of the rimes they were convicted of. Out of curiosity. How many innocent lives are expendable in your view?

I guess it is no big deal until it is a family member of yours who's "innocent" life is on the block.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

My dad knew a fellow who served 7 years on a murder charge and was released when a fellow confessed to the crime. Dad said it was astonishing....the innocent man was not bitter about it.

Oh yes, the man was black.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.