If the death penalty was brought back, someone innocent would inevitably be killed at some point
Right-wing blogger Guido Fawkes (Paul Staines) is pushing a Number 10 e-petition to reinstate the death penalty. His campaign has already gained widespread support, from Murdoch newspaper The Sun to Tory MP Philip Davies (from ‘let the disabled be exploited at below the minimum wage’ and ‘can’t we bring back blacking up’ fame). Mr Davies said:
“It’s something where once again the public are a long way ahead of the politicians. I’d go further and restore it for all murderers.”
However, a quick google search and look through the ‘Innocent‘ database finds that murder charges are fairly regularly overturned in the British Courts. People whose original conviction for murder that have been quashed include:
Andrew Adams who was convicted of murdering science teacher Jack Royal in 1990. Members of the jury later come forward to say they had considered evidence not put before the court, the police had been in contact with witnesses during the trial, and that verdicts of not guilty were returned on others involved in the case, inconsistent with Adams’ guilty verdict
Soldier Andrew Evans, who was convicted of the murder of 14-year-old Judith Roberts on the basis of a dream he experienced
Sean Hodgson, who was convicted of the murder of bar worker Theresa de Simone in 1979, and served 27 years despite David Lace confessing to the murder in 1983
Josephine Smith, whose conviction of murder for her husband was changed to manslaughter, after it was established he had repeatedly beat her and subject her to sexual abuse. Smith had originally pleaded guilty to manslaughter
Tony Martin, whose conviction of murder was reduced to manslaughter for shooting burglars who entered his home, which he had done in a ‘blind panic’
And there are dozens more. It seems odd that a libertarian such as Staines thinks that the state is incompetent to do almost anything other than decide who to kill. Under Davies’s policy, all these people would have now been killed by the state in cold blood.
Under Staines’s plan (cop-killers and child murderers would be liable for the death penalty), Andrew Evans would now have been killed.
So what price a life? Is it right that some innocent people are killed so that others receive thier comeuppance? If, as MP Priti Patel believes, deterence did work (which would imply murderers rationally weigh out risks and benefits to actions, and that a life sentence is seen as a fair risk), how many is it OK to kill to ensure that murderers are put off?
All this ‘ends justifies the means’ thinking and trading of lives feels bizarrely stalinist for conservatives and libertarians. If the death penalty is brought back, it is only a matter of time until someone is innocent is killed – an odd outcome to a campaign based on abhorrence of murder.
85 Responses to “Five good reasons why the death penalty should not be reinstated”
Gus
@ekklesiaComment @catholicherald @NewsFromAmnesty 5 good reasons why the death penalty should not be reinstated: http://t.co/szcVGZU :
Hitchin England
@ekklesiaComment @catholicherald @NewsFromAmnesty 5 good reasons why the death penalty should not be reinstated: http://t.co/szcVGZU :
Leon Wolfson
@4 – Yes, what a surprise, you like the concept of murder and can’t stop talking about it. There are dozens of studies showing that it, if anything, raises the rate…and two (including as one the study which was “re-written”) there which contradict that. Moreover, studies for a gun-owning society are (unsurprisingly) quite different from one where there is not (although societies with guns AND compulsory military training, well…eh, this is a sideline)
And yes, prison works – at generating crime. Study after study shows this. But mere facts can’t deter you! Hang em high!
This is also a typical attack on the EU. Yes, I know you want us to be firewalled from the common market, smashing our economy, and leading to large numbers of UK nationals coming back jobless for that matter. I mean, it’s not as if you are not yelling “more, more” as the economy flatlines anyway, but the misery you want to inflict on every non-rich person in this country is entirely typical of the nasty party, and nicely debunks your bleating on the issue.
That a system generally works, and small numbers – and it IS small numbers – of antisocial and otherwise deranged personalities commit murders is something which is very hard to prevent. Indeed, you cheared as the best way (sure, it needed *revision*) to do this was switched off and deleted – contactpoint. Child Protection in this country is now in a dire state: The workers in it have been slashed, and instead of a computer database of contacts, they’re still writing letters and collecting paper files.
This displays your true interest, as ever. And it’s not for the kids. It’s for revenge, in blood. Uncivilised, feral and dangerous.
Anon E Mouse
Leon Wolfson – Well excuse me. I’m here offering you support and the thanks I get is by you lying and smearing me. Charming Wolfster.
For the record, on this fine blog you have said you have been shot at and twice you have been nearly bombed and “ambushed” by a marauding BNP gang.
Can you deny that if the gunman, bombers or BNP criminals that attacked you for a SECOND time had been locked up at their first offence then you COULDN’T have been attacked if they were in a jail cell.
That’s why prison works.
It’s common sense Wolfy Boy if you stop and and think about it.
By the way my partner has been a Child Protection Social worker for over 25 years on the front line (despite having a Masters she refuses management) in this country and your description of that service is bulsh*t. They have had laptops and secure USB sticks for at least 5 years and that is in an extremely poor area…
No offence….
Leon Wolfson
Because you are not supporting me in any way, you’re on a right-wing crusade which has nothing to do with me. And indeed, you have said nothing I remotely agree with, but thanks for trying to paint me as bloody handed as you.
And you have no concept of what ContactPoint was doing, I see, which is entirely typical of those throwing stones on the issue. Yes, of course the workers have laptops. But to get details of contacts between the child and various social workers, police and doctors, they’ve been forced back into writing letters and paper files. A slow method, which can and does miss some contacts, especially if the parents move.
This is PRECISELY what ContactPoint was supposed to address – by having a central record of every contact without needing to send letters, and if appropriately cut down to just the children at-risk (yes, it was over-broad, which is a good argument for revising it, not scrapping it with NO replacement) it would – and was, in fact – doing a much better job.
And yes, I’ve twice been attacked by the BNP, been near a bomb blast in London (the IRA’s last, I believe), another bomb blast in Jerusalem, and shot at over the border in Israel. Your point?
Of course you have to twist and turn and invent and come up with excuses like “oh if they were locked up”…what? Different thugs, in incidents years apart.
Your jail arguments are still incoherent as ever, given your utter inability to understand the difference between incapacitation and deterrence.