The death penalty is an issue of debate in the United States used as a form of punishment for violent crimes. There are no crimes that deserve this punishment. It is too extreme. Cornell’s death penalty overview states that “Congress or any state legislature may prescribe the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, for murder and other capital crimes” (“Death Penalty”). It is not okay to take a human’s life for the right or for the wrong. In 2015, statistics shows that twenty-seven people were executed from the death penalty (“Part I: History”). Innocent lives are at risk with the use of the death penalty. For example, a fourteen-year-old boy was executed with the use of the death penalty, to find out he was innocent. Racial inequality
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Life is a gift, to be able to see another day is something special. Even though some crimes can be terribly wrong and uncalled for, the death penalty should not be put to use. The eighth amendment tells us that there should not be cruel punishment. The death penalty is a cruel punishment. People argue that the criminal deserves the pain and torture before they die because of the crime they committed. A human should not be tortured or put through any sort of physical pain for what they have done. Even the guilty have a right for life. To learn from mistakes and make a better life for themselves. Nick Gillespie states, “ The state’s first role—and arguably its only one—is protecting the lives and property of its citizens” (“Get Rid of the Death Penalty”). This is proving that the death penalty is wrong because if the government 's first and only rule is to keep the lives of citizens safe, then why would there be a death penalty …show more content…
In certain places, criminals may be put to the death penalty simply because of their race. As stated by the Oregonians for the Alternatives to the death penalty, “ Those who kill whites are more likely to be sentenced to die than those who kill African-Americans” (oadp.org). This proves that people who kill Caucasians are more likely to be sentenced to the death penalty. Oregon is the state that uses the death penalty the most. Kavanaugh states, “In every case there is a ‘higher’ value that provides an exception to ‘Thou shalt not kill’”. This is saying that people who are more known in the world are more likely to not be sentenced to the death penalty then people who are not as known. More than seventy years later Stinney’s family is still trying to prove that he is innocent of murder and was only guilty because of the racist justice system in the Jim Crow South. Racial equality was not present in the case. Mark Costanzo states, “A black murderer whose victim is white is the most likely to end up in the execution chamber while a white murderer whose victim is black has the best chance of avoiding the executioner.” This clearly shows that whites have the favor of not being sentenced to the death penalty than
Life is a gift, to be able to see another day is something special. Even though some crimes can be terribly wrong and uncalled for, the death penalty should not be put to use. The eighth amendment tells us that there should not be cruel punishment. The death penalty is a cruel punishment. People argue that the criminal deserves the pain and torture before they die because of the crime they committed. A human should not be tortured or put through any sort of physical pain for what they have done. Even the guilty have a right for life. To learn from mistakes and make a better life for themselves. Nick Gillespie states, “ The state’s first role—and arguably its only one—is protecting the lives and property of its citizens” (“Get Rid of the Death Penalty”). This is proving that the death penalty is wrong because if the government 's first and only rule is to keep the lives of citizens safe, then why would there be a death penalty …show more content…
In certain places, criminals may be put to the death penalty simply because of their race. As stated by the Oregonians for the Alternatives to the death penalty, “ Those who kill whites are more likely to be sentenced to die than those who kill African-Americans” (oadp.org). This proves that people who kill Caucasians are more likely to be sentenced to the death penalty. Oregon is the state that uses the death penalty the most. Kavanaugh states, “In every case there is a ‘higher’ value that provides an exception to ‘Thou shalt not kill’”. This is saying that people who are more known in the world are more likely to not be sentenced to the death penalty then people who are not as known. More than seventy years later Stinney’s family is still trying to prove that he is innocent of murder and was only guilty because of the racist justice system in the Jim Crow South. Racial equality was not present in the case. Mark Costanzo states, “A black murderer whose victim is white is the most likely to end up in the execution chamber while a white murderer whose victim is black has the best chance of avoiding the executioner.” This clearly shows that whites have the favor of not being sentenced to the death penalty than