Is Capital Punishment Necessary?
In the year 1623, Daniel Frank had the unfortunate opportunity of being the first person in America to be executed. The charge was for theft of a calf, which took place in the developing state of Virginia. Before stealing the baby cow, Frank had two choices: steal or starve. As he walked to the gallows, people cheered for the conquering of a criminal. In the 17th century, ending someone’s life was a fit punishment for crime. Death was used as a punishment against treason, theft, murder, assault, and arson. Many things in the justice system have changed since the 17th century, so why not the age old penalty of death? In 2016, shouldn’t these ideals have been altered to fit our world today? Capital punishment …show more content…
A judge ruled that California’s three-drug cocktail could possibly be cruel and unusual punishment if the drugs failed to do their job and kill painlessly and quickly (McDermott 3). In the justice system, cruel and unusual punishment is illegal. Yet, the death penalty is still legal in many states. In 2012, a statewide poll in California to revoke capital punishment was unsuccessful 52 to 48 (McDermott 2). There have been many botched executions where the accused have suffered a very cruel punishment indeed. Pain is abundant while being pumped full of powerful drugs that are supposed to knock a person out, and then kill them. For the accused, sometimes they are not knocked fully out. A man who was to be executed, Stephen McCoy from Texas, had “such a violent physical reaction to the drugs (heaving chest, gasping, choking, back arching off the gurney, etc.) that one of the witnesses fainted, crashing into and knocking over another witness.” This happened during the year of 1989. It was later made in a statement by the Texas Attorney General that McCoy "seemed to have a somewhat stronger reaction," and that "The drugs might have been administered in a heavier dose or more rapidly" (Radelet 10). With these pieces of information in mind, doubt is definitely arisen when questioning the process of capital punishment. Unfortunately, there are no two people that are the exact same. Not everyone will react the same to lethal drugs. They may knock out one person and make the whole thing painless, but for another, it may cause seizures, heart attacks, and major suffering. If this can not be perfected, then how can it be assured that the person being put to death “peacefully” will not suffer? This is just one of the many issues with the death penalty that cannot be
In the year 1623, Daniel Frank had the unfortunate opportunity of being the first person in America to be executed. The charge was for theft of a calf, which took place in the developing state of Virginia. Before stealing the baby cow, Frank had two choices: steal or starve. As he walked to the gallows, people cheered for the conquering of a criminal. In the 17th century, ending someone’s life was a fit punishment for crime. Death was used as a punishment against treason, theft, murder, assault, and arson. Many things in the justice system have changed since the 17th century, so why not the age old penalty of death? In 2016, shouldn’t these ideals have been altered to fit our world today? Capital punishment …show more content…
A judge ruled that California’s three-drug cocktail could possibly be cruel and unusual punishment if the drugs failed to do their job and kill painlessly and quickly (McDermott 3). In the justice system, cruel and unusual punishment is illegal. Yet, the death penalty is still legal in many states. In 2012, a statewide poll in California to revoke capital punishment was unsuccessful 52 to 48 (McDermott 2). There have been many botched executions where the accused have suffered a very cruel punishment indeed. Pain is abundant while being pumped full of powerful drugs that are supposed to knock a person out, and then kill them. For the accused, sometimes they are not knocked fully out. A man who was to be executed, Stephen McCoy from Texas, had “such a violent physical reaction to the drugs (heaving chest, gasping, choking, back arching off the gurney, etc.) that one of the witnesses fainted, crashing into and knocking over another witness.” This happened during the year of 1989. It was later made in a statement by the Texas Attorney General that McCoy "seemed to have a somewhat stronger reaction," and that "The drugs might have been administered in a heavier dose or more rapidly" (Radelet 10). With these pieces of information in mind, doubt is definitely arisen when questioning the process of capital punishment. Unfortunately, there are no two people that are the exact same. Not everyone will react the same to lethal drugs. They may knock out one person and make the whole thing painless, but for another, it may cause seizures, heart attacks, and major suffering. If this can not be perfected, then how can it be assured that the person being put to death “peacefully” will not suffer? This is just one of the many issues with the death penalty that cannot be