Beyond reasonable doubt is just an unrealised ideal most of the time. Juries do not make rational decisions, emotional arguments are used all the time by council from both sides to sway the jury.
The experts are no better. People are often convicted wrongly, what about that woman put away because some "expert" on cot death and her lawyers did not grasp the simple fact that probabilities should only be multiplied if there is not a common cause? There is currently an over reliance on DNA evidence. Do a Google for some of the errors a study in the US threw up on that one. If our wonderful scientists can test cows' brains for 6 years thinking they are sheeps' brains (or was it the other way round?) what is to stop them mixing up scene of crime and suspect evidence?
Official execution by the state is pretty distasteful in my view, we should have moved beyond that, but mainly I disike it because I simply do not trust the state machine to get things right.
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Previously on "Paedophile to be beheaded and crucified in Saudi Arabia"
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Originally posted by George Parr View PostIt could be an option for those caught in the act where there is no element of doubt.
The best deterrent is actually catching the perpetrator.
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Originally posted by Platypus View PostIn fact I tend to agree with you, but being devil's advocate, they get loads of time & opportunities to appeal, witness:
"Death row inmates in the U.S. typically spend over a decade awaiting execution. Some prisoners have been on death row for well over 20 years."
Therefore one an be sure that the conviction is safe.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/time-death-row
So, should the American system ever execute an innocent person, it will be shouted from the rooftops.
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Originally posted by DiscoStu View PostBut why does the fact that someone saw you doing it mean you deserve a more severe punishment than if you did it down a dark alley when nobody was looking?
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Originally posted by George Parr View PostPresently the courts will convict if there is proof beyond reasonable doubt. I was saying that capital punishment could be an option for sentencing a murderer if, and only if, there is no doubt at all e.g. if he was caught in the act.
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Originally posted by DiscoStu View PostIf there's an element of doubt should they be convicted in the first place?
If we had a perfect justice system that could 100% guarantee that someone was guilty, then I don't think I'd have a problem with capital punishment. Until we get one, I can't agree with it being used.
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Originally posted by DiscoStu View PostSo it's ok for the state to kill innocent people because it's no more unfair than someone being murdered. Not sure I follow your argument...
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Originally posted by alreadypacked View PostME, they like to keep their traditions alive
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Originally posted by Churchill View Post<ahem>What about the Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)...</ahem>
In that case they were on the trail but the wrong one got crucified
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Originally posted by singhr View Postagreed, but about the same degree of unfairness as someone who loses their life because matey has killed before and fancies doing it again.
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Originally posted by George Parr View PostIt could be an option for those caught in the act where there is no element of doubt.
If we had a perfect justice system that could 100% guarantee that someone was guilty, then I don't think I'd have a problem with capital punishment. Until we get one, I can't agree with it being used.
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Originally posted by DiscoStu View PostYes, but it's slightly unfair on those who may have never offended in the first place.
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