Capital Punishment Essay: A Life For A Life

A Life for a Life When it comes to capital punishment, how severe does the crime have to be in order for an individual to believe that the offender should be sentenced to death? Consider this story taken from an excerpt in an article that supports the death penalty. A woman named Donna was told by McCorquodale that she was beautiful. He suddenly raised his fist and smacked her across the face. McCorquodale removed her clothes, lit up a cigarette, and burned Donna’s breasts, thigh, and navel. He then bit one of Donna’s nipples, asked for a razorblade, and slit her other nipple. He asked his roommate, Leroy, for a box of salt and poured it into the wounds he had made on her breasts. McCorquodale lit a candle and dripped hot wax over Donna’s

The idea that the offender will no longer be alive after sentenced to death provides peace for families of the victims. This assures the victim’s families that the killer will not strike again. Of course putting the murderer to death does not bring back their loved one, but it sure does provide a sense of justice. On the contrary, opponents of capital punishment believe that instead of sentencing offenders to death, they should not seek revenge and should instead decide to give them life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, for most people, their suffering is immeasurably increased knowing that the person who murdered their family member or friend –and who in many cases, inflicted unimaginable terror– is not only alive, but also being cared for (Prager). It is important to not lose objectiveness and remember that the killers did the initial wrong and they should be punished for their actions. Recalling the murder provided in the beginning, do you believe that instead of McCorquodale receiving the death penalty, he should have been given life in prison because capital punishment is “inhumane”? The death penalty is an easy way out for murderers, and serves some sense of