Put them in jail, we'll have less killers too. He wasn't much of a threat behind bars in leg irons. As far as I can tell, he would have been a useful asset to keep alive, since he's actually contributing to society now. Show of hands how many people here are up for a Nobel prize? Who here's a published author? Anyone? (p.s. racial flames on ET don't count....) This guy's apparently been counselling and rehabilitating scumbags in prison. With him gone, you can be sure that the quality of the inmates who are inevitably going to be released has just dropped. And now, your tax dollars will either be used to hire some counsellors to replace him, or your tax dollars will be used to recatch the reoffenders who could have been rehabilitated but weren't. All I'm saying is that we could have saved this guy till last, there's a lot bigger scumbags in prison who aren't of any use whatsoever to society. But there are too many "American Christians" screaming for his crucifixion, Arnold had to wash his hands of it and give in to their cries for blood or risk dropping in popularity yet again.
Yo Bambino..... What do think about the costs/effectiveness of my plan: #1 Catch 'em on Monday. #2 Have their trial on Tuesday. #3 Cut their head off on MTV on Wednesday. Big change in the USA, huh?
I agree with you as far as this guy turning to be a good person after murdering 4 people. But I believe we have a lot less murders every year when criminals know they can or will lose their lives if they commit murder. It's more about saving innocent lives in the long run...
Why do we bother trying to rehab people we are going to kill? If no redemption is possible, then why keep them alive at all? The fundamental decision to terminate a life by the state must serve a purpose, either a higher or lower purpose. What does termination of a life, rather than allowing nature to take its course for an inmate who will never go free benefit to society? Blood lust? Primitive urges for revenge? Deterrence? We are as evolved as the way we treat our prisoners, our poor, our indigent, or disabled, our elderly.... We ain't evolving as a civilization....obviously, as we continue to serve a lower purpose, when a higher principle is available. We don't terminate those members of society who have no contributing value to society, who are nothing but an economic drain (think severely retarded). So why do we need to terminate the life of someone who might actually help other prisoners in their rehabilitation process? Someone who might actually do something positive? Why do we ignore any of the rehabilitation process and just exterminate human life?
Sorry a convicted murderer of four and founder of one of the most notorious gangs ever..... being nominated for a Nobel Peace prize is an absolute joke. How many crimes including murder can be directly and indirectly credited to this scumbag? As the founder of the Crips I bet it is in the hundreds at least. How many lives is he saving with his books now? Who really knows. Certainly it doesn't even make a dent in damage he has done to society. If he was half the man his supporters claim he is he would ask for forgiveness for his crimes and apologize.
Doesn't work. People still kill in Texas, and they kill everyone they find guilty. So the facts show that the penalty of death does not in fact deter all potential killers. Hell, we see in the Middle East that people execute themselves for their causes (suicide bombers) so why do you think people who are not rational, are suddenly going to stop and say "I won't kill today because I am afraid if I get caught the state will executel me...." It just doesn't make sense, and statistics show that to be the case, that the death penalty does not stop people from the act of killing another human being.
ZZZZZzzzz: Death penalty purpose: Retribution. Pure and simple. Murder and face the possibility of forfeiture of your own life. Death penalty advocates give lip service to the idea of deterrence, but they don't really believe it. It's all about retribution. I don't agree with it, but life forfeiture for first degree murder is a powerful argument. Having said all that, Tookie gonna be a crisp cookie. Or is it lethal injection? How would you extend the cooking metaphor lent by electrocution (fried, zapped, baked, etc.) to lethal injection. Marinate? Stew? Tenderize?
It is the ultimate deterent. Tookie will never kill again, inside or outside the prison walls. Nothing can be done to undo his damage he did to society including writing children's books.