[Westside]

My uncle (my mom's brother) was released this past Monday after serving 22 years in prison for killing his wife and her boyfriend. He is now 69 years old. Before going to prison he had been very successful in the coal industry. I visited four times while he was in prison, but haven't talked to him in over twenty years. It just seems weird he is now out and two people's lives were cut short and will never be released. It kind of puts things in perspective. I must add I could see myself doing what he did because crimes of passion can be extreme.

What are your views on the death penalty?

[panther nation]

My personel thoughts on this matter may not be the same as others on here. With that said I firmly believe that if you murder someone and found guilty by a jury of your pears that you should be sentence to death. And there shouldn't be this 20 years of appeals sitting on death row. If found guilty and sentenced then this should be carried out very swiftly. And by swiftly I mean right away no more than 2-3 days later. The people you murdered didn't get time for you to think it over before you did. So why should you have the benefit of time either. If this country did more of this maybe people would think twice before taking someones life.
An eye for an eye.

[Westside]

My personel thoughts on this matter may not be the same as others on here. With that said I firmly believe that if you murder someone and found guilty by a jury of your pears that you should be sentence to death. And there shouldn't be this 20 years of appeals sitting on death row. If found guilty and sentenced then this should be carried out very swiftly. And by swiftly I mean right away no more than 2-3 days later. The people you murdered didn't get time for you to think it over before you did. So why should you have the benefit of time either. If this country did more of this maybe people would think twice before taking someones life.
An eye for an eye.

After he shot and killed them, he called the police and told them to come and arrest him. I agree and disagree with what you're saying. For example, if someone broke into your house with a gun and you shot them before they could shoot you vs. someone randomly robbing and murdering someone.

[Panther Thunder]

I am a liberal on this. I believe it should be used much more liberally.

[Do-double-gg]

Here is the way I see it. I have no problem with killers, molesters and rapists being put to death. The problem is that if one person is put to death innocently then that is one person way too much. We all know this system isn't perfect and you know a few people here and there have been put to death who were innocent and that is unacceptable. Just look at how many people were let go after DNA was recognized. Some of those people were on death row. Just imagine being on death row knowing your innocent and then being put to death.
It has happened and will happen again and that to me is reason enough to put a stop to it.

[Granny Bear]

You talk about a subject with a SPECTRUM of emotion! Like Do-double-gg said, one innocent victim is too many. However, my brother sat on a jury one time where a man was being tried for murder. The man absolutely killed another man, but he caught him raping his 5 year old daughter. To me, that man should've been killed...perhaps by public hanging after being castrated.

To me anyway, there is nothing black and white about the death penalty. In a perfect world, each individual should be tried (theoretically by a jury of their peers) and the sentence carried out. But there is nothing perfect about our justice system, IMO. I even wince when I have to call it the "justice" system.

[Westside]

You talk about a subject with a SPECTRUM of emotion! Like Do-double-gg said, one innocent victim is too many. However, my brother sat on a jury one time where a man was being tried for murder. The man absolutely killed another man, but he caught him raping his 5 year old daughter. To me, that man should've been killed...perhaps by public hanging after being castrated.

To me anyway, there is nothing black and white about the death penalty. In a perfect world, each individual should be tried (theoretically by a jury of their peers) and the sentence carried out. But there is nothing perfect about our justice system, IMO. I even wince when I have to call it the "justice" system.

I agree, Granny Bear. My uncle had thought out this murder and had planned it for some time. He basically ambushed them. I was never really close to either and to be honest thought they were both evil. When you knew her though and suddenly she's was gone and never came back and now twenty some years later he's out. It makes you think about the death penalty.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Personally until I had a criminal justice class in college at EKU I was a 100% pro death.
However it is a proven fact that sentencing someone to death is MUCH more costly than putting them in prison with life without parole. That should tell you all you need to know about our justice system.
If the system were changed to limit the number of appeals and also the time frame then it might be better but on the other hand it has freed innocent men who were convicted before DNA testing.

One thing I am certain of is no plea agreements. If you kill someone and you either A. Admit and confess to the crime or B. Have undoubted proof against you then you should only have death or life without parole. No getting out for sure no matter the circumstance unless of course self defense but that's not murder.

In the end I'm still pro death so long as it doesn't kill the taxpayers wallet however I'd rather see someone sentence to life without parole if they are going to cost millions in tax payers money. It also removes any burden put on the wardens and executioners.

[Do-double-gg]

Trust me, and this is coming from someone who was a correctional officer for about 6 years. I worked both state and federal corrections. If I was ever given a life sentence in a penitentiary I would rather be dead. Prison life ain't the cushy, three meals a day and free cable joy ride people think it is. I saw some horrible things behind those walls and if they were all honest I would say about 90% of inmates with 20 or more years have suicidal thoughts. I have personally witnessed inmates trying to take their own life. I'm not going to get into any gory stories of things I've seen in prison (unless you want) lol, but if I had to go I would probably take myself out first.

[panther nation]

After he shot and killed them, he called the police and told them to come and arrest him. I agree and disagree with what you're saying. For . example, if someone broke into your house with a gun and you shot them before they coulprocessot you vs. someone randomly robbing and murdering someone.

Let me correct this a little, if you thought out or planed the murder yes you should get death, but if it was in self defense that is a little different circumstances. Cold blooded murder is what I'm talking about. With all the resources today the appeal process shouldn't take as long as it does

[Demarcus ware]

I really dont see why it takes so long on these appeals, I mean back in the day when I had to go in front of a judge a few times, and by back in the day I mean 4 years ago nicker: they was moving me through rather quickly. Are they that backed up? I do believe and support the death penalty no doubt, it should just be done a little quicker

[RunItUpTheGut]

Let me correct this a little, if you thought out or planed the murder yes you should get death, but if it was in self defense that is a little different circumstances. Cold blooded murder is what I'm talking about. With all the resources today the appeal process shouldn't take as long as it does

If the prosecution can prove premeditated, youre done in every state. Either life without parole or death, except for some rare circumstances.

Its sad, but there are several different types of murder charges, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, but also manslaughter and involuntary/reckless homicide. the wide range of the list always has different mandatory sentences.

1st degree - pre meditated or killing by means of poison, or by lying in wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated action.

2nd degree - is a homicide committed by an individual engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony.

3rd degree - Any other murder (e.g. when the intent was not to kill, but to harm the victim/for example street fight).

1st degree manslaughter- is when someone goes in with the intent to harm someone or cause damage and ends up killing someone. (Pretty much going to far in a fight when that last punch kills the guy) OR when you go in with the intent to kill someone, and end up killing a third person as well or by themselves. (Like you go into beat the crap out of your wifes boyfriend and end up knocking your wife over dead) Ive never understood why states doesn't use a lesser degree murder charge for this. More or less the same thing.

2nd degree manslaughter- is your DUI wrecks that you cause that kill someone else, or ALSO leaving your kid in a hot car and it dying. Usually never gets you life, but you might as well have it as long as they'll put you away for.

3rd degree manslaughter (actually called reckless homicide)- Lets say you go to do a drive by of Granny Bears rival gang and you shoot but miss and the bullet ricochets into another home killing someone unintentionally. this is the charge you usually see.

With all of this said, each charge is a different level class of felony.

You have capital offenses in KY, (all murder chargers are capital) and the judge only has four options to charge you with. Death. LWOP. 25 to life, or 20-50 years with possibility of parole. (I guess this is why the lesser manslaughter charges exist for certain circumstances.)

Then you have a class A felony which is punishable by 20 to 50 years in prison, or life imprisonment. (These usually includes you molesters)

Then you have class B felony which is Class B felonies in Kentucky are punishable by ten to 20 years’ imprisonment. (Example here would be Granny came over to shoot me dead but was a bad shot and I ended up living)

Then you have class C felony which can result in a prison term of five to ten years. (You rob a store and get away with 10,000 or more in cash, or steal 10,000 or more worth of valuables. note: being armed brings on a whole new set of felonies) This can include the white collar crimes.

Then you have class D felony which is punishable by one to five years in prison. (Dealing dope near schools, etc.)

Also note, anytime your convicted of a felony, you will be fined thousands.


Every person in each state should know there laws, and it should be taught in school what can happen if you get caught doing them.

Im glad I got bored with the ideal law school and went the business route. The laws on the books are more of an entangled web than the internet.

[Granny Bear]

Then add to all of that web, the layers of injustice in our "justice" system. How many are able to flee..hire dishonest lawers..dig a tunnel across the border, etc. Money talks BS doesn't walk in this case.

[nky]

Isn't killing killing no matter who does it? I can't be pro-life and support the death penalty. Also too many innocent people have been sentenced to death. For me it's more painfull to be sentenced to life with no parole and be put into the general population. Let prison justice do it's thing (see Jeffery Dalmmer). By the way it's cheaper to sentenced someone to life without parole than to execute them.

[nky]

http://www.ncadp.org/pages/innocence
Read this

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

It takes to long.