Utter insanity

[[ja...]]

I saw the most ridiculous thing on 60 minutes tonight.  Certain lawyers are trying to appeal a death sentence for someone who is "insane" because he doesn't know the ramifications.  The big question now is:  since he is on strong medicine and knows right from wrong, can he now be put to death?  Now he was tried 22 years ago, and convicted, and never pleaded insanity.  Meanwhile, they have dosed him with "very strong antipsychotics" and if they take him off "he gets violent and sees things."  This is their justification for his insanity.  Now I am not an advocate for the death sentence, but this is how bizarre the law is in the states.  Isn't this utter insanity???  Who are the crazy ones here?  Dose anyone with strong antipsychotics and who doesn't go crazy after "two days."  He said he did after he was off the medicine for two days.  Weird. 

[[Co...]]

I'm not an American, but my understanding is that for someone to be out to death, they must understand what's happening and why. To me, the death penalty is plain wrong too. People commit all sorts of dreadful crimes for all sorts of 'reasons', but the state can put people to death - completely cold bloodedly - and that's OK? I think it was sometime in the 1950's when the death penalty was abandoned here. I think the last time there was any kind of real attempt at reinstatement was under Thatcher's Government. The death penalty is outlawed in all of the EU.

 

It is bizarre that a system attempts to 'fix' someone, and once 'fixed', they are then put to death.

[[ja...]]

Exactly, Colin.  Very well put.  Janus

[[da...]]

I agree too. The United States has about 20,000 murders each year. So the death penalty is certainly not a deterrent and since laws very by state not even a uniformed punishment.

Dave