No problem DTB, believe me she stands on her own 2 feet! I may as well throw in my 2 cents on this since everyone else is. This topic has been debated / argued MANY times at this household. In fact, our first date was spent arguing this very topic for 5 hours :argue: I wanted to strangle her for sure until I finally grew to respect her for her own feelings and opinions :tmi: Anyway, I argue the DP IS a deterent. Logic would only tell you it isnt causing people to commit murder, and while it doesnt deter very many, if it has detered 1 single person from commiting the crime, then it IS a deterent. Maybe not a very affective one but it is none the less. Also, I think you would almost have to grant that over all these years at least 1 person who was innocent was probably put to death. Long before we were as sophisticated as we are now with forensics and everything. And I will also grant you that it may happen again, although its highly unlikely. Im willing to take the chance that this could happen, 1 innocent person in a million say, to ensure crimes are being punished. I want to see these people killed and justice served. I want more of them killed, and faster. The ones that come out and say yes, I killed that little girl--BYE, outta here, gonzo. Give the others a few years to appeal and all that and then youre gone too. What the fuk is the point of 5 life sentences? That is the stupidest thing going.
Now I do agree with her that the way the DP is implemented and applied is flawed. The fact that one person: IE Arnold, can make that decision, is scary and should be tweaked. But we need to STOP protecting these slimeballs and START punishing them. Hell if Im ever convicted of a crime and sentenced to death and Im innocent, I would rather they kill me than let me rot in a cell knowing Im innocent for 40 or 50 years.