Why Is Death Penalty Wrong

Capital punishment, also known as death penalty, is an act of execution of an offender that is sentenced to death after they were convicted by a court of law of a criminal offence (Hood). In American society, the threat of capital punishment stands as the ultimate sentence for a criminal. The moral complications of the taking another life, whether it is by murder or as legally accepted punishment, remains an unresolved conflict between Americans. Death penalty has always been and continues to be a very controversial issue. Many people believe that death penalty is not a justifiable approach for murderers, but does not justice mandate that criminals receive what they deserve?

From the beginning of the foundation of America, men have tried to figure out the correct way to deal with law-opposing criminals. From crucifixion and slavery, to death by firing squad and life sentences, the world has utilized different forms of discipline. The death penalty has formed into the most questionable form of punishment, drawing the most attention from the public eye. This sanction is used to punish criminals for committing the most heinous crimes and offenses. The crimes that obtain the death penalty mostly consist of murder which include murder during a kidnapping, murder for hire, drug-related drive by shooting, and genocide.

What exactly does the phrase, “Eye for an eye” really mean then? An “Eye for an Eye” means if a person commits a crime, they too should be punished. The Death Penalty is the “Eye for an Eye” punishment of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. But is this form of punishment the most fair and just way for society, the community, the perpetrator, or even the family members whose loved one was killed? What justice does it bring, except for the

The cost of the death penalty is ridiculous. Mainly the death penalty is against colored. The cost of the death penalty is far more expensive than the criminals that are in jail for life. Death of innocent people is caused by the death penalty, the government has mistakenly killed several people because they didn’t find enough evidence to prove innocent but after the death of the victim the government notice they had killed wrong, could you bring the dead back? Do people really deserve to die?

The topic is debated whether or not the Capital Punishment should be legal. The government is already involved in the lives of those who commit crimes, but the idea of it taking away someone’s life creates an uneasy thought. Some people believe that execution is wrong, inhumane and should be abolished while others believe that it projects positive impacts and

Walter McMillan suffered due to the perjury of witnesses, whom law enforcement coerced to provide false testimonies placing McMillan at the scene of a murder. Similar situations could be prevented by only placing a person on death row if there exists irrefutable, incriminating evidence, such as DNA evidence or camera footage. The use of DNA analysis in modern day death penalty cases has almost nullified the chance that an innocent person is put on death row, as such evidence or the lack thereof guards an innocent defendant against perjury (Bradbury, "The Death Penalty Affirms the Sanctity of Life"). The tragic story of McMillan also indicates the biased perception of the local courts that condemned him; he had already been framed as a vicious murderer by the media and, at that time, was predisposed to a conviction of capital punishment simply by being a black man in Alabama. However, today’s review of capital punishment cases by both state and federal courts makes such a bias highly unlikely.

If a person gets caught for treason it involves a way crueler punishment than just getting hung. For example the person’s head will get cut off because they were going against their government. In the Elizabethan Era people should not go against their government because the people find it very disrespectful. Also, there were way more grievous punishment than that. One of the most grievous punishments was when the “officers” hang the prisoner until they are half dead, then bring them down.

People in the upper class are sometimes accused of spying, murder, and rebellion. The Commoners, being accused of a small crime could be a death sentence. People in the lower class are sometimes accused of theft, begging, and poaching. Throughout Elizabethan Era, the disciplines were narcotic and just plain inhumane. Crime and punishment is important because we now know how history is different from today's

Since the earliest civilizations, people have been executed for an assortment of crimes. The Babylonians wrote the first ever death penalty laws over 3,700 years ago, and to this day several countries such as China and the United States continue to enforce capital punishment against those proven guilty of murder, treason, espionage and other crimes. Despite its extensive history, the implementation of the death penalty in modern societies raises an underlying question: Is the execution of criminals truly justifiable? Proponents of capital punishment claim that it dissuades criminals from committing extreme crimes. Potential murderers will be much less inclined to kill for fear of being executed, while criminals with no intent to kill would

People would not be able to get away with such a cruel action towards other humans, that they might of been allowed to in the Elizabethan era times. Why in the world were punishments for crimes so cruel during the Elizabethan era? In this time period, punishments were a lot more harsh than they are now. People kill others in this time and just get sentenced to life in prison, they are still fed and have shelter. Torture then at that time was used to punish a person for his or her crimes, intimidate them and the group to which he or she belongs, gather information, and/or obtain a confession.

Murdering or sentencing one to death row is not just, even if the individual is guilty of treason. By saying the individual on trial shall not live because they murdered another, this reflects back on the decision makers. It deems those making the decisions hypocrites. The court members are choosing whether one lives or dies, and if they choose the death option they are performing the exact crime the individual could be on trial for. Murder.