Execution Is First Since Ruling
Georgia executed killer William Earl Lynd last night, ending a more than seven-month nationwide hiatus on capital punishment prompted by the Supreme Court's examination of lethal injection.Lynd's execution at 7:51 p.m. was the first since the court ruled April 16 that the three-drug protocol most commonly used in executions by states and the federal government did not constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
"It was not something we wanted to necessarily be first at. It was just the fact that this had been there," Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) said at an earlier news conference, according to the Associated Press.
No doubt Lynd was a horrible human being who was convicted of killing two women. Still, putting him to death changes absolutely nothing and arguably shortens his penance.
Do you support the death penalty in this case? How about in general?
7 Responses to “Dubious distinction”
in general i don't know if i support the DP. i mean, ive told my family that if i were ever murdered i dont want who ever did it to recieve the death penalty. Then again, i have no sympathy for some heinous crimes. idk dont ask me what i believe.
At the risk of almost sounding like a Republican, I'm all for the death penalty... so long as you have the guilty party. I wouldn't want any doubt whatsoever, and I'd also strongly prefer DNA evidence of some kind. I'd also like to see the penalty administered fairly, so that no matter your color or class, if you do X, you die. No special deals.
I look at the death penalty as state-sponsored vengeance, and I don't have a real problem with that. Some people just don't deserve to live.
I oppose the death penalty in all cases and am sick to think that Georiga has resumed killing people in the name of the state.
When they schedule Troy Anthony Davis' execution, I'm going down there for a freaking vigil. This is just wrong.
Since when does killing people prove that killing people is wrong?
This will probably sound bizarre coming from me, but I agree with jac1975.
The death penalty has no deterrent effect, it is merely to "take out" people who do not deserve to live.
Certainly, reasonable people can disagree on the "aggravating factors" should constitute and I personally believe the legislature should revisit Georgia's aggravating factors because I do not believe they're sufficiently aggravating.
Two recent cases come to mind.
1. Jerry Jones, sentenced to death on Friday. He killed 3 adults and hung a 10 month old. Then he kidnapped two young girls.
2. Brian Nichols, killed four people (including a judge).
To me, these are appropriate death-eligible cases.
But I completely support a moratorium on the death penalty precisely because of cases like Troy Davis, because it's unfairly applied, because there's not sufficient procedural safeguards. Because innocent people are exonerated nearly every week.
As for William Lynd, I think it would be irresponsible of me to make a judgment on his life for a case I know nothing about.
"Vengeance" is not something I want my government to be engaged in. Let's just leave it at "justice" and hope it serves as an example to citizens.
I am with jac1975 and Jen B. I am for the death penalty. I too prefer it to be where it can be forensically proven that the accused person is guilty of the crime. I also agree that it should be across the board - if person X commits Y crime, they get the death penalty (no exceptions for anyone).
Mainly, I am for the DP for anyone that heinous acts of violence/murder against children. Cases in point: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17722385/
Or how about this guy: http://www.11alive.com/...ews_article.aspx?storyid=85214 This "person" laughed as he was mowing down women and innocent children. In this instance, I happen to know the Chief of Police for Covington. He says he's never seen anything more disturbing than the sight of those children laying there dead.
These people are the reason there is a death penalty.
My bleeding heart freezes for people like this and I really do believe that our world would be better off without people like this in it. I know this view puts me at odds with others, but we shall have to just agree to disagree.