Life or Death
Death Penalty: death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes (Merriam-Webster). The death penalty has been around since the 1800’s. Since 1976 there has been 1,449 executions because of the death penalty. In 2016 twenty executions were carried on death row. The rate of executions has dropped dramatically since the 90’s in 1999 there was 98 executions. A total of 156 people have been exonerated from death row since 1973. The state of Texas has executed more people than any other state in the United States (deathpenaltyinfo.org). Different people have different views on the death penalty. Some believe it should not exist; others think it should only be used for the absolute worst crimes committed. Then there …show more content…
Religion sways many things including how severely a criminal should be punished. The bible states clearly that the lord is always a choice even after terrible sins are committed. Joel 2 12-13 says, “Even now,” declares the lord, “return to me with all your heart with fasting and weeping and mourning.” “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord you God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and he relents from sending calamity (biblegateway).” Joel 2 verses 12 and 13 stand behind the beliefs christians feel against the death penalty. Christians are more likely to support any other option of punishment for a criminal because the criminal could still ask for forgiveness from their sins. Not all christians support the death penalty even tho the lord clearly states people always have the chance for forgiveness. In the bible God burned the city of Sodom down completely because there was no way to get rid of all the sin and hatred in the city. Has the United States came to such a state? Where the country kills …show more content…
Since 1973 158 people have been exonerated from death row(innocence). Knowing this many people have been exonerated often causes questions. There is no way to tell how many of the more than 1,000 people executed since 1976 may have been innocent. Courts do not generally entertain claims of innocence when the defendant is dead. Defense attorneys’ move on to other cases where clients’ lives can still be saved. In 1995 Brian Terrell was convicted of a murder his case was tried three times. The third trial concluded with a conviction and a death sentence. When Terrell was executed in 2015 his last words to the nurse were “Didn’t do it.” His lawyers argued there was no physical evidence none of the thirteen fingerprints found at the crime scene matched his, and the footprints found were smaller than Terrell’s foot. He was not convicted until his cousin testified against him. His cousin later admitted that police and prosecutors had pressured him into giving false testimony (After). In Terrell’s case there was obvious issues when being tried three times before coming to a conviction. No one should be sentenced when a case shows
Death Penalty: death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes (Merriam-Webster). The death penalty has been around since the 1800’s. Since 1976 there has been 1,449 executions because of the death penalty. In 2016 twenty executions were carried on death row. The rate of executions has dropped dramatically since the 90’s in 1999 there was 98 executions. A total of 156 people have been exonerated from death row since 1973. The state of Texas has executed more people than any other state in the United States (deathpenaltyinfo.org). Different people have different views on the death penalty. Some believe it should not exist; others think it should only be used for the absolute worst crimes committed. Then there …show more content…
Religion sways many things including how severely a criminal should be punished. The bible states clearly that the lord is always a choice even after terrible sins are committed. Joel 2 12-13 says, “Even now,” declares the lord, “return to me with all your heart with fasting and weeping and mourning.” “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord you God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and he relents from sending calamity (biblegateway).” Joel 2 verses 12 and 13 stand behind the beliefs christians feel against the death penalty. Christians are more likely to support any other option of punishment for a criminal because the criminal could still ask for forgiveness from their sins. Not all christians support the death penalty even tho the lord clearly states people always have the chance for forgiveness. In the bible God burned the city of Sodom down completely because there was no way to get rid of all the sin and hatred in the city. Has the United States came to such a state? Where the country kills …show more content…
Since 1973 158 people have been exonerated from death row(innocence). Knowing this many people have been exonerated often causes questions. There is no way to tell how many of the more than 1,000 people executed since 1976 may have been innocent. Courts do not generally entertain claims of innocence when the defendant is dead. Defense attorneys’ move on to other cases where clients’ lives can still be saved. In 1995 Brian Terrell was convicted of a murder his case was tried three times. The third trial concluded with a conviction and a death sentence. When Terrell was executed in 2015 his last words to the nurse were “Didn’t do it.” His lawyers argued there was no physical evidence none of the thirteen fingerprints found at the crime scene matched his, and the footprints found were smaller than Terrell’s foot. He was not convicted until his cousin testified against him. His cousin later admitted that police and prosecutors had pressured him into giving false testimony (After). In Terrell’s case there was obvious issues when being tried three times before coming to a conviction. No one should be sentenced when a case shows