Does one believe in the death penalty?

[threaded]

1 in 6 billion DNA match.

The statistics bandied about in the newspapers and law courts are complete and utter bollox. There was a wonderful example last year or so where everyone from the area (Chinatown) that was tested matched the profile, 1 in 6 billion is utter nonsense. Especially as the plod have a DNA database, the increasing size of which pushes the chances down to about 1 in 10, and the bigger it gets the worse it will get...

Anyways, how does that prove they were the murderer?

[Moscow Mule]

The statistics bandied about in the newspapers and law courts are complete and utter bollox. There was a wonderful example last year or so where everyone from the area (Chinatown) that was tested matched the profile, 1 in 6 billion is utter nonsense. Especially as the plod have a DNA database, the increasing size of which pushes the chances down to about 1 in 10, and the bigger it gets the worse it will get...

Anyways, how does that prove they were the murderer?

Read this

It explains it almost as well as my forensic scientist friend.

[ThomasSoerensen]

How else are we going to get those Labour politicians heads on spikes?

Is head amputation no good?

For most politicians, the head is not a vital organ.

[Ardesco]

You need a better poll...

Yes for pre-meditated murder that has been conclusively proved. If there is any doubt the death penalty should not be invoked.

[KathyWoolfe]

<rant>
I agree with a few people on here that although I am in agreement with putting to death those convicted of committing murder I feel that the risk of executing those who are convicted wrongly is so high as to make it not worth taking.

However, there are those convicted murderers where EVERYONE is convinced of their guilt - Harold Shipman, The Wests, Myra Hindley etc so I would unhesitatingly approve of their being executed.

The manner of their execution should be as humane as possible though. There was a program on TV recently where Michael Portillo examined the various methods of state execution and found them all to be inhumane. He eventually found a method though that was painless and even enjoyable (by the person being executed) so I would say that unless this method of execution was used then I would be against a death penalty.

The death penalty is not a revenue earner, infact it costs money. Now if they can sentence you to the gas chamber and you own a £1 million house with a small mortgage and a few tweaks of the inheritance tax laws (100% tax on death goes to HMG) then speeding could well become a capital punishment.

Yes, it costs money to execute a criminal, but then it also costs money to have a criminal stay in gaol for the rest of his/her life and this cost is paid by the taxpayers.
So, what do you want to pay for?
1. A state execution, with all the maintenance of the means of execution
or
2. The support of a criminal in prison for the rest of their lives - and it should be for the rest of their lives if correctly convicted - with all the luxuries afforded them .e. TV in their cells, phone calls, video games, 3 meals a day etc.
</rant>

[BrilloPad]

You need a better poll...

Yes for pre-meditated murder that has been conclusively proved. If there is any doubt the death penalty should not be invoked.

I gave an other option - what is wrong with that?

If you are so clever do your own poll.

[Ardesco]

I gave an other option - what is wrong with that?

If you are so clever do your own poll.

You can't lump the other option with the andyw option dammit man!!!!

[Troll]

He eventually found a method though that was painless and even enjoyable (by the person being executed)

Did that involve oranges, ligatures & womens tights?

[Gold Dalek]

Yes
The Daleks have spoken

Ex-Ter-min-ate ex-ter-min-ate ex-ter-min-ate ex-ter-min-ate ex-ter-min-ate

[BrilloPad]

You can't lump the other option with the andyw option dammit man!!!!

But I am running out of witty andyw comments - I have never even seen a post of his!