Innocent(?) man to be executed in 19 hours

[Silver Springs]

I would never condone the death penalty, no matter what the crime. It's barbaric, draconian and archaic. The only true punishment is to be left in prison to truly live with what they have done, of course for the time frame that the crime calls for. The death penalty relies on the idea that the person would be facing God or Hell when they died. That's no punishment. If there is a God, then they'll do so in due time. We shouldn't have the right to play God and decide for ourselves that somebody needs to die. Even if they did take a life. We're just lowering ourselves to their standards, for which they were punished.

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Wikipedia fails to list any murder of an Alabama Senator.

I lol at the idea of Wikipedia being deemed a fitting source of information.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Another perspective:

http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2011-09-21.html

Gah. Really?
Anyhoo, no one said Davis should walk, just that he shouldn't be put to death if seven of the nine witnesses recanted, all seven saying their stories had been coerced by investigators.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

I lol at the idea of Wikipedia being deemed a fitting source of information.

Well then pick your source and find any news that a Senator from Alabama has been murdered by a black man on work release. That's pretty specific info that should be easy to find right?

[KarmaContestant]

While I understand the need for justice - and I support our justice system entirely, it seems pretty clear that this case was mishandled. Witnesses were coerced and the investigation used tactics that are at best underhanded, and at worst downright criminal.

Ultimately it is still possible that Troy Davis is (was?) guilty, but for me that's not the issue I am bothered by; it's more upsetting to me that a man was essentially murdered at the hands of our government for a crime that he possibly did not commit.

I suppose the ultimate hypocrisy here is that it's always the most "christian" populations (American South) that seem the most eager and willing to enforce the death penalty, in spite of the teachings of the man/son of God they claim to hold in highest regard.

I am not a Christian or even a religious person, but even I have the foresight to sometimes ask myself "What would Jesus do?" If only his supposed followers would more often do the same... Inevitably I will have offended someone with my comments on this matter, but I can live with that.

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Wikipedia fails to list any murder of an Alabama Senator.

How dare you. That's the lowest post I've ever
seen on the Ledge. I didn't post his name because
I like my privacy here. But since my Uncle's last
name is different from mine here you go.

The Honorable Roland Cooper, former State
Senator for Alabama and Judge.

[Silver Springs]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

How dare you. That's the lowest post I've ever
seen on the Ledge. I didn't post his name because
I like my privacy here. But since my Uncle's last
name is different from mine here you go.

The Honorable Roland Cooper, former State
Senator for Alabama and Judge.

http://www.eji.org/eji/files/alabamasexonerated.pdf

^ Proof if you need it, lol. Thus why I don't trust Wikipedia. This came up in a couple of moments.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

How dare you. That's the lowest post I've ever
seen on the Ledge. I didn't post his name because
I like my privacy here. But since my Uncle's last
name is different from mine here you go.

The Honorable Roland Cooper, former State
Senator for Alabama and Judge.

I'm sorry. It must be especially difficult for you watching this case when the alleged perpetrator in your uncle's case was sentenced to death and then acquitted.
I certainly don't want to bash Officer McPhail's family. His mother has said that this execution needed to continue because she needed closure. What if it turns out Davis isn't the shooter? Is there still closure?

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

http://www.eji.org/eji/files/alabamasexonerated.pdf

^ Proof if you need it, lol. Thus why I don't trust Wikipedia. This came up in a couple of moments.

And yet it took you four hours to post it.

[Silver Springs]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

And yet it took you four hours to post it.

Because I was working, and thus not ferreting through the internet. Ya know, doing other things besides The Ledge

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I'm sorry. It must be especially difficult for you watching this case when the alleged perpetrator in your uncle's case sentenced to death and then acquitted.
I certainly don't want to bash Officer McPhail's family. His mother has said that this execution needed to continue because she needed closure. What if it turns out Davis isn't the shooter? Is there still closure.

Though my opinion is worth diddly squat, I really don't believe that death brings any closure. Especially when there is such a glaring grey area. Who knows how she'll feel if it turns out he was innocent. The guilt would be there to add to an already existing grief. I don't believe in such "final" punishments, with no room to change minds.

[BombaySapphire3]

That the death penalty even exists in this country in 2011 is an embarrasment .While watching the Republican candidates 'Tea Party" debate and hearing the audience cheer when Rick Perry proudly mentioned the number of people he had put to death in TexasI became nauseous.This same group also cheered and applauded at the prospect of a 30 year old dying because he did not have health insurance for 6 months.

[GateandGarden]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Another perspective:

http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2011-09-21.html

...from a biased, deplorable human being.

And though I'm ashamed to be part of the same breed of mammal as she is, I'd still defend her as much as all the rest if she were on death row, since murder is wrong whether it's an individual or a government committing it.

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

That the death penalty even exists in this country in 2011 is an embarrasment .While watching the Republican candidates 'Tea Party" debate and hearing the audience cheer when Rick Perry proudly mentioned the number of people he had put to death in TexasI became nauseous.This same group also cheered and applauded at the prospect of a 30 year old dying because he did not have health insurance for 6 months.

^This.

Anywho, while we are on the topic of the death penalty, anyone here seen The Life Of David Gale? Probably my favorite movie ever. You should def check it out.

[mezzoforte]

Some posts have mentioned the support from the Christian right for the death penalty, but what truly stuns me is the support from prominent Dems. Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Gore--all of our most recent serious presidential candidates have been pro-death penalty. Boggles the mind that none of these people have a problem with such a policy. BombaySaphires is right--the death penalty is an embarrassment.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by mezzoforte

Some posts have mentioned the support from the Christian right for the death penalty, but what truly stuns me is the support from prominent Dems. Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Gore--all of our most recent serious presidential candidates have been pro-death penalty. Boggles the mind that none of these people have a problem with such a policy. BombaySaphires is right--the death penalty is an embarrassment.

I have noticed this as well, and I'll share what I think about it.

I don't believe any of those you mentioned truly support the death penalty. In the same way that I do not believe Obama is truly opposed to gay marriage, or Bush Jr. was anti-gay marriage, or John McCain either. Americans are beyond fickle when it comes to politics, and candidates have to say certain things to woo voters, even if those things are not necessarily what they want to say. Hard-line conservatives and far-left liberals alone cannot elect anyone - they require that huge pool of swing voters in the middle that swing back and forth between parties, choosing the candidate that they feel will best preserve their day-to-day comfort zone. Had Bush said he supported marriage equality, he could not have been elected. Had Obama said he was opposed to the death penalty, he could not have been elected.

This is just my opinion. Deep down inside, behind closed doors, I think most politicians are just normal people who have a work persona they have to put on every day to get the job done. Please take note that I said 'most', because there are definitely some crazies out there.

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I'm sorry. It must be especially difficult for you watching this case when the alleged perpetrator in your uncle's case was sentenced to death and then acquitted.

I appreciate you saying that.

The man that was acquitted in murdering my Uncle Roland
was set free to do as he pleased. And with his freedom he
decided to move to another state and rape a woman.
He also commited other crimes. This time he was sentenced
to years in jail.

I do believe in capital punishment. It's an unfortunate necessity.
I actually believe life in prison without a chance for parol is a
worse sentence than death.