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Would you support the reintroduction of the death penalty?

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭Me_Grapes


    With all due respect, the Geneve Chater of Human Rights was not based onw hwat you beleive or not. The basis being: he is human therefore deserves human rights.

    Even in the US States that have the death penalty, they accept this. And, asI said to BA, if you can revoke a human right, what is the point in having them?


    On the topic of Ian Huntley: here's a guy who attempte suicide twice. Is killing him not giving him exactly what he wants?


    I realise what the Geneva convention and EU law say, and I know my opinion of what rights these 'humans' have isn't going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things. Doesn't mean I'm not entitled to my opinion. You can hide behind what the convention says on murderers, just as much as I can give my view on what rights I feel they are entitled to.

    Re is it what he wants? What Ian Huntley wants or doesn't want should not come into the equation at all as far as I'm concerned.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭Ruudi_Mentari


    this country is thankfully too small, for such daring egos to develop and commit such widespread crimes to even suggest calls for a death penalty. But it's getting there...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,206 ✭✭✭✭B.A._Baracus


    Hang on, that was - and you accepted thus - a straw man argument. There is no point in me debating with you a point I never made!! You can't simply ignore the content of a post you reply to - deal with my questions regarding violation/revokatino of human rights and it's consequences, as well as the aim of a justice system, and then, when that topic is delt with, introduce the new one.

    No how about you hang on... I made points. But you said reply to yours. Fair enough. This is a discussion board. But after I got back to your points you still never replied to mine. Why? out of fear you'll loose your agument? here is is again:
    If a person raped and killed 10 people. Do you think there is a chance of them being rehabilitated?

    And have you ever seen American prison documentaries? ... What do you think happens when a extremely violent person recieves a life sentence? They don't just get locked away in a room for the rest of their life. They still are a threat to prison staff. Do you care about the prision staff? What about other prisioners lives? Do you care about them?

    You seem to value human life blindly. Not the worst trait. But what about the lives of those who have to deal with them? ... the 'causality' of taking the moral high ground, right?

    Or do you perhaps not care to think about that.

    Sounds like you are just doding the points raised.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,195 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    this country is thankfully too small, for such daring egos to develop and commit such widespread crimes to even suggest calls for a death penalty.
    it has no place in any country
    it's getting there...
    it isn't, don't believe what you read in them gutter trash rags, it will do you no good and make you paranoid.

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,088 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    It's actually a requirement of EU membership not to have the death penalty and also for membership of the Council of Europe.

    I can't see any circumstances arising where we would be likely to reintroduce it.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Hitchens wrote: »
    he'll/she'll be given due process and a fair trial, his/her guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, .............no worries there

    Except that doesnt alwas happen, hence the right to an appeal. Even if found guilty, you can still appear the severtiy of the sentence. Should/were mitigating circumstances be brought into account, for example?
    Me_Grapes wrote: »
    I realise what the Geneva convention and EU law say, and I know my opinion of what rights these 'humans' have isn't going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things. Doesn't mean I'm not entitled to my opinion. You can hide behind what the convention says on murderers, just as much as I can give my view on what rights I feel they are entitled to.

    Re is it what he wants? What Ian Huntley wants or doesn't want should not come into the equation at all as far as I'm concerned.
    Of course you do, and I've answered the point and asked a question, which seems to go unasnwered by you and BA below, which is this:

    If a human right can be revoked based on nothign mor than opinion, what is the point in having them in the first place?
    No how about you hang on... I made points. But you said reply to yours. Fair enough. This is a discussion board. But after I got back to your points you still never replied to mine. Why? out of fear you'll loose your agument? .

    No, you didn't. Here's your responce:
    Fair enough :)
    I believe that when you cross a line... you've lost your human rights. Certain evil people come to mind when I say this ... Hitler etc.

    My point was that people say killing another, who killed another, is wrong. That no matter how serious (and evil) the crime is. We should never kill them. i disagree. My opinion I know. But my opinion.


    Your turn. Reply to my points.

    Again, the two questions went unaswered:

    1 - what is the point of a human right, if you can lose it while still being human? (NOT whether or not it should be taken away!)
    2 - what do you wish the function of a justice system: vengeance or justice?

    Fruthermore, I neve made the point that "no matter how serious (and evil) the crime is. We should never kill them.". The point you make is fair enough, but not a responce to any argument I put forward, hence the straw man.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    Should/were mitigating circumstances be brought into account, for example?


    but didn't you say it's always wrong to murder someone?


  • Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    JillyQ wrote: »
    Yes in the case of child abusers, serial rapists

    There's a huge flaw in that plan that's quite apart from any moral objection I have to the State killing people.

    If you have the same penalty for rape and child abuse as you do for murder, then all you're going to do is get more rape and child abuse victims killed.

    If the rapist is going to get the death sentence anyway, he's going to be less likely to let his victims walk away and potentially identify or incriminate him or her.

    They literally have more to gain by killing their victim (and likely only witness) than they do in letting them live.

    It's been widely shown not to deter crime, and in this scenario all it would achieve would be to turn rape and abuse victims into rape/abuse and murder victims.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    Candie wrote: »

    It's been widely shown not to deter crime

    how has this been widely shown?


  • Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Hitchens wrote: »
    how has this been widely shown?

    There's a very good link in one of my previous posts on this thread.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Hitchens wrote: »
    but didn't you say it's always wrong to murder someone?

    I think you'll find that was someone else.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    Candie wrote: »
    There's a very good link in one of my previous posts on this thread.

    throw up the post number


  • Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Hitchens wrote: »
    throw up the post number

    You could do some of the work yourself :P


    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/law-enforcement-views-deterrence#lawenforcement

    In states where the death penalty is used, police officers are more likely to be killed.

    One of the most interesting things is how low Law Enforcement officers themselves rate the use of the death penalty as a tool in making society safer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,206 ✭✭✭✭B.A._Baracus


    Except that doesnt alwas happen, hence the right to an appeal. Even if found guilty, you can still appear the severtiy of the sentence. Should/were mitigating circumstances be brought into account, for example?


    Of course you do, and I've answered the point and asked a question, which seems to go unasnwered by you and BA below, which is this:

    If a human right can be revoked based on nothign mor than opinion, what is the point in having them in the first place?



    No, you didn't. Here's your responce:



    Again, the two questions went unaswered:

    1 - what is the point of a human right, if you can lose it while still being human? (NOT whether or not it should be taken away!)
    2 - what do you wish the function of a justice system: vengeance or justice?

    Fruthermore, I neve made the point that "no matter how serious (and evil) the crime is. We should never kill them.". The point you make is fair enough, but not a responce to any argument I put forward, hence the straw man.


    :pac: you clearly wont get back to me. Your reply was just a smoke screen.. "oh erm... see...erm you didnt really get back to me so... " :rolleyes: ... ah am wasting my time. You aint looking to "discuss" things. You just wanna spout your opinion and feel right. It's gas tho, you told me to reply back to your post. But when I say it? ... hypocrite.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,088 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    The death penalty has worked fantastically well in the USA. (to be read in sarcastic tone)

    Homicide Rates:

    USA : 4.8 / 100,000 deaths.
    Belgium 1.7
    Canada 1.6
    Ireland : 1.2
    UK 1.2
    France 1.1
    Australia 1.0
    Sweden 1.0
    Denmark 0.9
    Spain 0.8

    So, you're only 4 to 5 times more likely to be murdered in the US than much of Europe despite the lack of a death penalty in Europe.

    If you want to tackle the murder rate / violent crime rate in Ireland (or the US or anywhere) you need to look beyond penalties. In Ireland and the UK it's mostly gangland crime related issues.

    Rape, sexual assaults and child abuse aren't going to go away just because of a death penalty either.

    You need to look at the causes behind those too. You'll never totally eliminate them but things like Ireland's complete lack of transparency in the past and shame around anything to do with rape / sexuality played a huge factor in why those things happened. Institutional abuse was also caused by complete lack of transparency and lack of accountability.

    I also think we need to look at longer custodial sentences for people convicted of violent crimes and freeing up space for them by looking at more sensible ways of dealing with non-violent criminals. We could make a hell of a lot more use of community service orders and attachments to earnings, electronic tagging and stuff like that to free up space in prison for people who should actually be there and who are regularly getting out too soon.


  • Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭Me_Grapes


    Except that doesnt alwas happen, hence the right to an appeal. Even if found guilty, you can still appear the severtiy of the sentence. Should/were mitigating circumstances be brought into account, for example?


    Of course you do, and I've answered the point and asked a question, which seems to go unasnwered by you



    I did answer your question, the right to life is a qualified right, the simple caveat being do not take the life of another innocent.

    The concept of forfeited rights isn't the leap of logic or point of no return that you are making it out to be. Sure if it was, why do we incarcerate criminals at all, sure don't they have a right to freedom. Why do we evict people from their homes, don't they have a right to own property? The right to life, like all rights, comes with responsibilities. You don't have to have lots of money to keep your right to life, all you have to do is not murder an innocent.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    I think it's me who's wasting m time. Let's recap:

    Four times I've asked you two questions

    1 - what is the point of a human right, if you can lose it while still being human? (NOT whether or not it should be taken away!)
    2 - what do you wish the function of a justice system: vengeance or justice?
    :pac: you clearly wont get back to me. Your reply was just a smoke screen.. "oh erm... see...erm you didnt really get back to me so... " :rolleyes: ... ah am wasting my time. You aint looking to "discuss" things. You just wanna spout your opinion and feel right. It's gas tho, you told me to reply back to your post. But when I say it? ... hypocrite.

    Three straw man replies I've received and now an ad homeinem to boot. At NO POINT have you EVER addressed the points I raised. If you can't address the points made, fine - admit it and we'll move on. If you can, please do so and we'll move on.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,206 ✭✭✭✭B.A._Baracus


    I think it's me who's wasting m time. Let's recap:

    Four times I've asked you two questions

    1 - what is the point of a human right, if you can lose it while still being human? (NOT whether or not it should be taken away!)
    2 - what do you wish the function of a justice system: vengeance or justice?



    Three straw man replies I've received and now an ad homeinem to boot. At NO POINT have you EVER addressed the points I raised. If you can't address the points made, fine - admit it and we'll move on. If you can, please do so and we'll move on.

    Nice try. Know when i'm dealing with someone who just wants to be right. Best of luck.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    I would but only in circumstances where it would be appropriate and if the sentence was carried out quickly (within 12 months). I think the death penalty for some crimes is necessary, eg, premeditated murder, serial rape, child abuse. Who agrees with me?

    My granddad, my mother's godfather and my grand-aunt's husband were executed. I would not support killing by the State under any circumstances.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,033 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    I wish people would stop citing the USA when trying to judge the effectiveness, or not, of the death penalty. Their system is fundamentally broken and the results don't tell us anything useful either way.

    Getting sentenced to death is a notch on a criminal's belt, since he knows that the sentence is rarely carried out. In 2012, 43 people were executed out of 3,146 on "death row", and each of those costs $millions. In the USA, "Death Row" is not a serious deterrent, it's a record label.

    Death has this much to be said for it:
    You don’t have to get out of bed for it.
    Wherever you happen to be
    They bring it to you—free.

    — Kingsley Amis



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    Candie wrote: »
    You could do some of the work yourself :P


    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/law-enforcement-views-deterrence#lawenforcement

    In states where the death penalty is used, police officers are more likely to be killed.

    One of the most interesting things is how low Law Enforcement officers themselves rate the use of the death penalty as a tool in making society safer.

    Ha ha, as usual they didn't survey the beat cops, only the chiefs, ye'll never learn.

    have a look here: http://www.wesleylowe.com/cp.html :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Me_Grapes wrote: »
    I did answer your question, the right to life is a qualified right, the simple caveat being do not take the life of another innocent.

    The concept of forfeited rights isn't the leap of logic or point of no return that you are making it out to be. Sure if it was, why do we incarcerate criminals at all, sure don't they have a right to freedom. Why do we evict people from their homes, don't they have a right to own property? The right to life, like all rights, comes with responsibilities. You don't have to have lots of money to keep your right to life, all you have to do is not murder an innocent.

    Fair enough, I missed this.

    But if the right to life is qualified, surely the revocation of said right should also be qualified?

    The right to freedom is not actually a human right and even when imprisoned, people have certain freedoms. Their rights are restricted, but not taken away totally.

    Nor is such a thing as a right to home.
    Nice try. Know when i'm dealing with someone who just wants to be right. Best of luck.

    I take it that's a "no" then?

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    bnt wrote: »
    I wish people would stop citing the USA when trying to judge the effectiveness, or not, of the death penalty. Their system is fundamentally broken and the results don't tell us anything useful either way.

    Fair point, but then no one's even tried to come up with statistics to prove it IS a deterrent, despite repeatedly makign the claim.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    Fair point, but then no one's even tried to come up with statistics to prove it IS a deterrent, despite repeatedly makign the claim.
    of course it is, he'll never murder another helpless victim :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Hitchens wrote: »
    of course it is, he'll never murder another helpless victim :rolleyes:

    Again, I donlt think ou know what "deterrent" means

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    Again, I donlt think ou know what "deterrent" means

    oh believe it, I do ;)

    are you aware of the MAD doctrine?


  • Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭Me_Grapes


    Fair enough, I missed this.

    But if the right to life is qualified, surely the revocation of said right should also be qualified?

    Well I'll put it to you this way. We are all born with the basic fundamental human rights. In order to keep them, you must obey by the laws of the land. You risk revoking your human rights if you disobey the laws of the land. This applies to all human rights, and the right to life is no exception as far as I can see.
    The right to freedom is not actually a human right and even when imprisoned, people have certain freedoms. Their rights are restricted, but not taken away totally.
    You're splitting hairs here. You can put whatever tag you want on a right, 'it's not a 'human' right' but as far as I'm concerned the same principles apply.
    Nor is such a thing as a right to home

    What do you mean here? That the right to home is okay to be qualified but the right to life isn't?

    I agree that the right to life is the most basic, most important human right. But with that, it comes with the most responsibility, and that taking an innocent life is showing total disregard to the right, so why should they have theirs upheld?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Hitchens wrote: »
    oh believe it, I do ;)

    are you aware of the MAD doctrine?

    No, but I assume its seomthing to do with the magazine.

    A deterrent means to deter someoen from committing the crime (i.e. murder) in the first place, so nohting to do with "another" anything.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,043 ✭✭✭Hitchens


    No, but I assume its seomthing to do with the magazine.


    ha, ha :pac:


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Me_Grapes wrote: »
    Well I'll put it to you this way. We are all born with the basic fundamental human rights. In order to keep them, you must obey by the laws of the land. You risk revoking your human rights if you disobey the laws of the land. This applies to all human rights, and the right to life is no exception as far as I can see.


    You're splitting hairs here. You can put whatever tag you want on a right, 'it's not a 'human' right' but as far as I'm concerned the same principles apply.



    What do you mean here? That the right to home is okay to be qualified but the right to life isn't?

    I agree that the right to life is the most basic, most important human right. But with that, it comes with the most responsibility, and that taking an innocent life is showing total disregard to the right, so why should they have theirs upheld?

    I'm going by the official document that outlines what is and is not a human right. There's no other yardstick. It's not my definition or your opinion or anyone's tag that means anything - it';s what the damn phrase is officially defined as.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Hitchens wrote: »
    ha, ha :pac:

    What is it about this topic that suddenly renders people completly unable to engage in a logical debate? With apologies to Me-Grapes, who can at least provide something substantial, good night.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Hitchens wrote: »
    Ha ha, as usual they didn't survey the beat cops, only the chiefs, ye'll never learn.

    have a look here: http://www.wesleylowe.com/cp.html :)


    How does that negate the findings? You know that police chiefs are promoted from officers in the ranks, right?

    And the website you quoted has a very interesting take on the interpretation of those statistics, but I wouldn't put any faith in it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭Ruudi_Mentari


    "They have the death penalty, don't they?"

    Never a good reflection on a nation even if merited, and is an absolute last resort! ..we may see our share of terrible crimes that we'd love to see those people burn for, but not nearly enough to stain a nations reputation at a glance from an outsiders point of view.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,221 ✭✭✭Greentopia


    Absolutely not. Not in any case.
    And judging by some of the posts here I'm glad it will never be put to a public vote, as long as we're party to the European Convention on Human Rights and remain an EU member.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭Jumboman


    Are people here really concerned about the "Human Rights" of people like Larry Murphy Anders Breivik and Jon Venables etc ?

    Why should we care about their "Human Rights" ?


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  • Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Jumboman wrote: »


    Why should we care about their "Human Rights" ?

    Because as civilised non-criminal people, we're supposed to behave better than they do. Otherwise we aren't much better than they are.


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 4,621 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr. G


    No.

    There were issues with the new abortion legislation here, so I don't think this will be allowed. I've no doubt Catholic Bishops will probably make strong statements about this, when really they're not in a position to do so, especially after what they have done ruining other peoples lives etc.

    I do think prison for life should be for life though.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭Jumboman


    Candie wrote: »
    Because as civilised non-criminal people, we're supposed to behave better than they do. Otherwise we aren't much better than they are.

    Those people are animals we should only be concerned about the "Human Rights" of victims. Theirs too many liberal do gooders out there who want to excuse the behaviour of scumbags its no wonder crime is out of control.
    I remember when Larry Murphy was relased from jail the former Governor of Mountjoy John Lonergan was saying that Larry Murphy should be "left alone" yes thats right someone like Larry Murphy should be let get on with his business. This is the mentality of the fools running our "Justice" system.


  • Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Jumboman wrote: »
    Those people are animals we should only be concerned about the "Human Rights" of victims. Theirs too many liberal do gooders out there who want to excuse the behaviour of scumbags its no wonder crime is out of control.
    I remember when Larry Murphy was relased from jail the former Governor of Mountjoy John Lonergan was saying that Larry Murphy should be "left alone" yes thats right someone like Larry Murphy should be let get on with his business. This is the mentality of the fools running our "Justice" system.

    Just because you don't want anyone killed doesn't mean you aren't concerned with victims rights. The two are not incompatible or mutally exculsive.

    And it's not excusing any crime to not want to kill someone else, nor is it liberal do gooding to consider it wrong to kill someone, even if they are a guilty party.

    Don't forget that the guilty have families too, and their families will also be made victims by more killing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,694 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    Jumboman wrote: »
    Those people are animals we should only be concerned about the "Human Rights" of victims. Theirs too many liberal do gooders out there who want to excuse the behaviour of scumbags its no wonder crime is out of control.
    This is one of the most annoying misrepresentations of the argument of people who oppose the death penalty.

    I don't oppose the death penalty because I want to excuse the behaviour of scumbags, or because I care more about the perpetrator than the victim, or other such nonsense. They deserve to stay in prison for a long time, even until they die if that is necessary for the safety of others.

    It's not because I care about the criminal, it's because I care about society. I would hate to think that Irish people, as a society, believed that giving the state the power to end the life of a criminal, was the right thing to do.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,772 ✭✭✭meathstevie


    namloc1980 wrote: »
    No. It has no place in Ireland whatsoever. It is completely illegal anyway under the constitution and also under EU law. And we're also a party to the European Convention on Human Rights where it is completely illegal in all circumstances. The 21st amendment removed all mention from our constitution and I doubt there is any significant movement to bring it back in Ireland.

    I think you're wrong; below is a verbatim quote of the European Convention;

    "Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to life The article contains a limited exception for the cases of lawful executions and sets out strictly controlled circumstances in which the deprivation of life may be justified. The exemption for the case of lawful executions has been subsequently further restricted by Protocols 6 (restriction of the death penalty to war time) and 13 (abolition of the death penalty), for those parties who are also parties to those protocols. The European Court of Human Rights has commented that "Article 2 ranks as one of the most fundamental provisions in the Convention"[1] The obligations on a State under Article 2 consist of three principal aspects: the duty to refrain from unlawful deprivation of life, the duty to investigate suspicious deaths; and in certain circumstances, a positive obligation to take steps to prevent avoidable losses of life.



    “Article 2 – Right to life
    1. Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.

    2. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:
    a. in defence of any person from unlawful violence;

    b. in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained.

    c. in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection. "

    It's just a simple fact of life that Western European countries have taken a step further and have given up on the death penalty as a fit for purpose means of punishment for crime in their own legislation but have kept adequate provisions in place for a state to be able to take someone's life as an outcome of policing/military activity with the goal of protecting their populations from extremely violent crime.

    Simple example would be a Garda shooting at an armed robber if the Garda was certain at the time and based on what he/she knew at the time that not to fire would result in potential loss of life other than that of the armed robber.

    From a personal point of view; I'm not a great believer in the death penalty as there's no such thing as a flawless justice system. European countries in general have solid justice systems in place but just like everything else in life it's not infallable and to be able to take someone's life as a matter of procedure as a civilised country you can not afford to make any mistakes which is a big difference with on the spot life or death decisions.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,398 ✭✭✭StinkyMunkey


    I think you're wrong; below is a verbatim quote of the European Convention;

    "Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to life The article contains a limited exception for the cases of lawful executions and sets out strictly controlled circumstances in which the deprivation of life may be justified. The exemption for the case of lawful executions has been subsequently further restricted by Protocols 6 (restriction of the death penalty to war time) and 13 (abolition of the death penalty), for those parties who are also parties to those protocols. The European Court of Human Rights has commented that "Article 2 ranks as one of the most fundamental provisions in the Convention"[1] The obligations on a State under Article 2 consist of three principal aspects: the duty to refrain from unlawful deprivation of life, the duty to investigate suspicious deaths; and in certain circumstances, a positive obligation to take steps to prevent avoidable losses of life.



    “Article 2 – Right to life
    1. Everyone's right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.

    2. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:
    a. in defence of any person from unlawful violence;

    b. in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained.

    c. in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection. "

    It's just a simple fact of life that Western European countries have taken a step further and have given up on the death penalty as a fit for purpose means of punishment for crime in their own legislation but have kept adequate provisions in place for a state to be able to take someone's life as an outcome of policing/military activity with the goal of protecting their populations from extremely violent crime.

    Simple example would be a Garda shooting at an armed robber if the Garda was certain at the time and based on what he/she knew at the time that not to fire would result in potential loss of life other than that of the armed robber.

    So if I'm sent to court for none payment of my property tax and try escape after been given a custodial sentence I can be shot?

    But if I go out and shoot up a school and decide to come peacefully when the Guards arrive, I can look forward to 3 meals a day, TV, free health care, being free from expenses, my human rights being put before my victims and protection custody?

    Hmmmmm............ Am I missing something?

    I really can't get my head around the "we are a civilised society, we would be no better than them brigade", guess they must be living with thier heads buried in the ground. I'd call our society a lot of things, civilised is not one of them.

    I say yes, bring back the death penalty.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,429 ✭✭✭Cedrus


    bnt wrote: »
    I wish people would stop citing the USA when trying to judge the effectiveness, or not, of the death penalty. Their system is fundamentally broken and the results don't tell us anything useful either way.

    Getting sentenced to death is a notch on a criminal's belt, since he knows that the sentence is rarely carried out. In 2012, 43 people were executed out of 3,146 on "death row", and each of those costs $millions. In the USA, "Death Row" is not a serious deterrent, it's a record label.

    ?????????????????????????????????????????


  • Registered Users Posts: 453 ✭✭Tarkus


    Take 1 innocent life out of error & the whole idea of the death penalty is worthless.

    Going down to their level is more about revenge & outrage than some fallacy about being a deterrent. In some arguments the cost of keeping them alive is cited as tho it's more about cutting the overhead of taxpayers.

    It's the dark side of life, so get used to it...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 931 ✭✭✭periodictable


    I would but only in circumstances where it would be appropriate and if the sentence was carried out quickly (within 12 months). I think the death penalty for some crimes is necessary, eg, premeditated murder, serial rape, child abuse. Who agrees with me?

    No. Politicians would soon add other crimes to the list. Not to mention killing the wrong person.


  • Registered Users Posts: 420 ✭✭CuriousG


    Yes.


  • Registered Users Posts: 420 ✭✭CuriousG


    Mr. G wrote: »

    There were issues with the new abortion legislation here, so I don't think this will be allowed.

    But surely there is a huge difference between unborn babies and born criminals? Criminals give up their 'rights' as soon as they take away someone elses.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,772 ✭✭✭meathstevie


    So if I'm sent to court for none payment of my property tax and try escape after been given a custodial sentence I can be shot?

    But if I go out and shoot up a school and decide to come peacefully when the Guards arrive, I can look forward to 3 meals a day, TV, free health care, being free from expenses, my human rights being put before my victims and protection custody?

    Hmmmmm............ Am I missing something?

    I really can't get my head around the "we are a civilised society, we would be no better than them brigade", guess they must be living with thier heads buried in the ground. I'd call our society a lot of things, civilised is not one of them.

    I say yes, bring back the death penalty.

    I think you've lost your sense of proportionality a little bit, for starters you wouldn't be detained if you're attending court for tax matter unless you were there on a bench warrant.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,500 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    Pierrepoint apparently never recovered after the Timothy Evans case came to light. An innocent man hung.

    Albert ran his own system, he'd spy on the condemned individual and apparently could judge their height and weight appropriate for hanging.

    When the body was cut down from the rope after 2-3 hours he became very protective. Famously he beat the sh1t out of an intern who he caught messing around with a hanged corpse. He said 'he's even with the house now, he paid for what he did.'

    This Line was quoted in 'The Green Mile' Film.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭Jumboman


    Better to kill someone off if their a total scumbag like a child killer or serial rapist etc, other wise you will have the human rights brigade calling for them to be released at some point in the future.



    http://news.sky.com/story/1113395/whole-life-inmates-win-human-rights-victory

    Whole-Life Inmates Win Human Rights Victory



    Locking up some of Britain's most notorious killers for life without any prospect of release is a breach of their human rights, European judges have ruled.
    Murderer Jeremy Bamber is among those facing a review of their whole-life tariffs after winning an appeal that the sentences were "inhuman and degrading".
    The judges found that for a life sentence to remain compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights there had to be both a possibility of release and a possibility of review.
    It means the Government must amend the law to ensure it complies with human rights legislation, and opens the door to demands for early release from prisoners who were told they could never walk free.


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