Death Penalty Decision

Today the Supreme Court ruled that those convicted of raping a child cannot be sentenced to death. I think there is no grosser crime, no other crime where the victim is left alive that has more of a negative impact on the victim than the rape of a child. People that commit this crime should be put away forever, but not sentenced to death. I firmly believe in justice and I firmly believe that people that are sick and twisted enough to do this to a child should be put away for the rest of their natural lives. However, I am so opposed to the death penalty that I don't think that even those who commit this heinous crime should be euthanized. I don't believe that we should be in the practice of killing our own citizens, and this is why.

1- Human error. There are multiple occurrences of people that have been acquitted while on Death Row. Good thing we figured it out before it was too late.

2- Cruel and unusual punishment. I don't think that we have found a method of execution yet that is not cruel and unusual punishment. Firing squad, electric chair, and even lethal injection are all inhumane ways of execution.

3- False accusations. Unfortunately, our prosecutors have too much incentive to maintain a perfect conviction record, even when the accused may be innocent. There are too many institutional incentives to prosecutors, namely the fact that many are elected, to believe that there are not incentives to convict every person that sits in the defendant's chair.

4- Stiffer sentencing. In an attempt to look tough on crime, state and local politicans are increasingly stiffening sentences for crimes, and more and more offenses are becoming federal crimes.

So, again. Don't get me wrong. I don't think there's anything more disgusting than the rape of a child, but I do not believe in the death penalty, and I'm glad Justice Kennedy and I agree on this one.