Essay about Capital Punishment Must Be Abolished - 1330 Words

Capital punishment is used to bring justice to the crimes of murderers in our society, but is it really just? Studies show that the death penalty is cruel, morally wrong, and sometimes painful. It robs the criminal and the public of their humanity and undermines the value of life. The public should come to realize the cruelty of this law, and this form of punishment should be abolished from the governments criminal justice system. Philosophers first began to question the justice of capital punishment in the eighteenth century. Italian criminologist Cesare Beccaria condemned capital punishment as a grossly inhumane deterrent to crime, and modern critics argue that all killing is wrong and can never be justified, whether it is†¦show more content†¦(Johnson, 42). Most executions appear to be painless, but appearances can be misleading. People assume that there is no pain because the victims do not move or speak, but they do not move or speak because they are paralyzed (43). It is obvious that victims of public hangings and firing squads did suffer a great deal of pain. In botched executions, a hanging victims neck may not break immediately, and he would be left hanging in the air for several minutes while being strangled by the rope around his neck. If a firing squad did not aim correctly, the victim would be left bleeding to death from his wounds (44). On March 25, 1996, Pedro Medina was strapped to the electric chair. The first surge of two thousand volts of electricity coursed through his body and caused flames to leap through his mask and burned for about ten seconds. He was literally burned alive. Because of his lack of reaction, some speculated that he was instantly killed (Bidinotto, 18). Harold Hillman, a neurobiologist, stated: It is usually thought that the failure of the convict to move is a sign that he cannot feel pain. He cannot move because all of his muscles are contracted maximally. A physiological effect that in itself is enormously painful and further prevents the prisoner from crying out or providing other outward signs of other massively painful effects of electrocution [...] While the subject remains conscious, strapped to the chair, paralyzed yet aware of the gruesomeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Capital Punishment Must Be Abolished4200 Words   |  17 Pagesdeath penalty is not the most effective form of punishment for criminals. The death penalty is hypocritical; it condemns killing by killing people. Many supporters of capital punishment cite retribution as being a justification for the death penalty; however, no matter what the circumstance, murder is never justified. Ghandi once said â€Å"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.† Two wrongs can never make a right. Capital punis hment should be abolished because while even though many supporters ofRead More Capital Punishment Must be Abolished Essay1948 Words   |  8 PagesCapital Punishment Must be Abolished Is capital punishment just? The death penalty is a controversial issue for most people. Supporter’s claim that it eliminates repeat offenders, deters potential murderers and is the ultimate retribution. Opponents denounce it as murder, say that it does not cause deterrence but rather promotes violence and claim that it introduces the chance of an innocent person being executed. Due to the arguments presented by both sides and because of my own personalRead MoreAbolishing the Death Penality743 Words   |  3 PagesMurder is wrong. In modern times, execution of criminals is being used by every country in the world. Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a person by a government for serious crimes committed. Capital punishment has been used by almost all societies. 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Greg Wilhot was left a single father to care for his four months old and fourteen months old. Nearly a year after Kathy was murdered Greg was accused, arrested and charged with the murder. The evidence to convict Greg of murder was a bite mark on Kathy’s body, that two dental â€Å"experts† matched with Gregs bite. This man was behind bars with two young daughters at home, so his parents decided to hire one of Oklahoma’s â€Å"best† defense