Should Loughner be executed for his crime?

[Kaleva]

If first found competent to stand trial and he is found guilty by a jury of his peers.

[seabeyond]

1. i dont believe in the death penalty. nt

[Kaleva]

4. I don't either but wouldn't weep for him if he were to be executed.

[Bluebear]

14. Think about this: it's much too easy for him.

Let him fester in a cell thinking about it for 50 years.

[Kaleva]

35. That'd be my preference but like the execution of the DC sniper...

it wouldn't bother me none if this guy were to suffer the same fate.

[sabrina 1]

13. I don't either. Voted no.

The culture of death and violence is why these things happen. And a country that still practices the barbarism of state sponsored murder promotes revenge rather than justice.

We are the only 'civilized' nation that still uses the death penalty. And when you have a SC justice who states that even if there is evidence that a defendant is innocence, once there is a conviction, it should not be overturned, you know it is not about justice.

[oldtime dfl_er]

19. I don't either

I don't believe he should be tortured, eitheer, except by his own soul, if he has one.

[OhioChick]

2. Yes. n/t

[some guy]

3. self-delete

[LynneSin]

5. Even with the worst of crimes out there I do not believe in the death penalty

I remember how Matthew Shepard's father ask that the murderer of his son be spared the death penalty. For a father to see his son die such a tragic death and not demand the death penalty made me realize that we are no better when we use murder to punish murderers.

[Tansy_Gold]

12. Same here. n/t

[LAGC]

6. He won't be found competent.

I have a feeling this one is going to be committed to a mental hospital for a very long time.

[varkam]

40. I don't know.

Competency is a pretty low standard, even lower when the crime is sensational.

[lonestarnot]

7. Supermax for a few years will cook his goose just like I likes it.

[Chimichurri]

8. Death is the easy way out for him. Let him rot in jail for rest of his life without

any chance for parole.

[B Calm]

9. No, he and Sarah should get life in prison!

[EFerrari]

10. What we really need in this situation is more violence. That always helps.

[H2O Man]

62. Truth.

I so appreciate you and your contributions on this forum!

[stillwaiting]

67. Yep. Capital punishment continues to send the message that violence and killing is an answer to

violence and killing.

That continues to not work well for our society.

Killing should NEVER be justifiable in a civilized country.

This does not mean that if we were attacked I would not sanction fighting back with force.

[RegieRocker]

11. I don't believe in the death penalty if

there are no witnesses to the shooting that can positively identify the killer. In this case he created his own punishment. Death

[MrSlayer]

15. Of course.

This is an open and shut job. One appeal and then off to the gallows.

[jus_the_facts]

77. InDEED... staunch anti-torture folks here always show they're FOR it.....

....when they prefer life in prison instead of the death penalty....O thy hypocrisy knows NO bounds! :nopity:

:hi: friend...long time no see!

[Horse with no Name]

16. I don't believe in the death penalty

and especially for someone where is the question of sanity involved.

[begin_within]

17. No, he's just a patsy. Sarah Palin, Jan Brewer, Rush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdoch should be

tried for treason! As to the gunman himself, he should serve hard labor in some hellhole for the rest of his miserable useless life and never see or hear of the outside world again.

[killbotfactory]

18. We can't torture prisoners, deny them necessary medical care, but we can kill them.

What good does killing an obviously mentally unsound person do?

[Webster Green]

20. Of course not.

That would just be more killing. State sponsored killing is the creepiest sort of killing. (IMO)

It is completely pre-meditated and still murder.

[Davis_X_Machina]

21. If first found competent to stand trial and he is found guilty by a jury of his peers?

What are you doing on DU?

This is more the DU Way.

Reason, and temperate language? Good luck.

[Kaleva]

25. He may not be found competent.....

and given the notoriety of the crime, it's a possibility he may be considered to be guilty and deserving of the death penalty even before a trial starts. I should have just assumed that everyone here would have opposed the death penalty for him if he were found not to be competent and didn't get a fair trial and thus there was no need to mention that.

[demmiblue]

22. You need a poll for this?

I am sure you are aware that most DUers do not believe in the death penalty. Pointless.

:shrug:

[Kaleva]

27. Isn't it rather pointless to point out a pointless poll?

From what I've seen, very few polls here at DU have surprising results.

[Puregonzo1188]

23. I don't believe in the death penalty and the more I read it appears he had some very serious,

maybe untreated, mental illness. And if that's the case than I feel sorry for him. He seemed very disturbed and in need of help, and unfortunately it came to this. Very tragic situation all around.

[Edweird]

24. Yes. I know I'm in the minority....

In this case there's zero chance of him being incorrectly identified or wrongly convicted.

[Rowdyboy]

26. Political assassination (the judge) and attempted assassination deserve the ultimate penalty....

Yes. If you choose to attempt to subvert democracy, then yes.

[sabrina 1]

33. Democracies generally do not use the death penalty these days.

It doesn't deter crime, it is a barbaric practice and only diminishes us as a nation.

It is about revenge, not justice and that weakens our system of justice and puts the focus on revenge.

It is a violent act which only perpetuates the violence we say we are trying to stop.

It is a weak response to crime, an immature reaction which only teaches the next generation that while we preach against violence, we do not practice what we preach.

No wonder so many young people think violence is the solution for everything.

It takes a wise and strong nation not to give in to the lowest instincts of humanity.

I guess we are not nearly there yet.

[Kerrytravelers]

28. I am against the death penalty.

[beyurslf]

29. Yes.

[Ishoutandscream2]

30. Against the death penalty

Life without parole...

[uppityperson]

31. No, don't believe in death penalty because it is too easily misused.

[backscatter712]

He's mentally ill - he's just the murder weapon. The real murderers, on the other hand...

Rupert Murdoch, Sarah Palin, the Koch Brothers, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, etc... Maybe they should be tried for capital crimes.

(DISCLAIMER - I'm advocating judicial executions, not assassinations!)

[DBoon]

32. the state has no right to take anyone's life

period

[Cleita]

34. He will join John Hinckley in the coo coo's nest.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hinckley/hbio.htm

[2Design]

36. how about a trial first - we are a nation of laws

[Kaleva]

37. I did specify that in my comments.

[Odin2005]

38. No, because he is obviously mentally ill.

I'm OK with executing his 50yo accomplice, though.

[Mimosa]

44. You don't think in such a thing as premeditated evil actions?

If there was any doubt the man murdered 6 human beings I would not support the death penalty.

The death penalty gives a clear message that the lives of the innocent are of value. And very few murderers do not fight their own execution. They value their own lives, but not the lives of their victims.

The death penalty sends an appropriate intimidating message. I'm glad Timothy McVeigh received it, for instance.

[Odin2005]

45. This guy is obviously Schozophrenic.

[varkam]

39. No. The State ought not be in the business of killing people for retributive purposes. eom

[ScreamingMeemie]

41. No. I don't believe in the death penalty.

I do believe in sitting him a cell with pictures of his victims for the rest of his life.

[Mimosa]

42. Yes.

Why should he be allowed to live and supported in comfort by the taxpayers, including the survivors of his victims, for the remainder of his life?

There is no doubt that the man did the heinous acts. When there is a reasonable doubt, I oppose the death penalty. It's all a matter of proportionality.

[flvegan]

43. HELL NO!

If convicted, this 22 year old should be given every single day of his life. I figure a good 60 years in prison before he dies. 60 years of suffering, 60 years of worry about his safety, looking over his shoulder.

Imagine 21,600 days of suffering. Each day starts the same, ends the same.

That, my friends, is Punishment.

[Mimosa]

46. I've known people in prison. They don't mind it all that much.

If U.S. prisons were all that horrible the recidivism rate wouldn't be as high as it is. I've known people in federal and state prisons. I'd visited them. Prison isn't fun. But many inmates find the routine and predictability comfortable. They don't have to work. They don't have to worry about working or paying bills.

[flvegan]

52. I'll disagree with you here.

With respect. US prisons are horrible, not worrying about working or paying bills aside.

[Mimosa]

80. How many people have you known in prison?

This man KILLED 6 human beings and wounded 12 others.

Sorry, some of us have limits.

[lumberjack_jeff]

47. I'm having a hard time working up any emotion about this - other than sadness. n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

56. amen to that. Plus,

I don't think even the Saudi's kill full-blown schizophrenics, do they? Even on the off chance that they do - not a standard we should aspire to.

[Dappleganger]

48. No.

I will not suspend my values just because someone else decides to perform acts of evil.

[Suji to Seoul]

49. I'm the lone "generally opposed", but the bastard killed a nine year old child

I'd personally flip the switch and laugh doing it.

Kill a child = lose your right to life.

[Kaleva]

73. I thought there'd be a few more then just you picking the 3rd option.

[Volaris]

50. I voted yes and I think that that deserves an explanation....

because I know that the Democratic party platform is against the Death Penalty, and this is, after all DEMOCRATIC underground....disagreements with Party wisdom should carry with it an at least an attempt at justification....

If this person is found to be in his right (if not right-thinking mind)and is, in fact, NOT medically insane, then this act is the demonstration of a lack of desire to function properly within the boundaries of a civilized society. That, in my opinion, makes him actually worse than a rabid animal, because a rabid animal at least has an excuse for not being in it's right mind (and so does this guy, if he's found to be insane). If this person is NOT medically nuts, he is the most dangerous kind of animal, the kind that is still in command of his faculties, but completely WITHOUT the mitigating factor of any kind of empathy or conscience, and that is someone that I don't want to feed for the next 50 years.
I do NOT believe in a FEDERAL death penalty, but if the citizens of Arizona (or any other state for that matter)happen to agree with me, so be it. I understand that the State of California Does not carry a death penalty, I'm ok with California (or any other State for that matter) caring for and feeding its population of wild Human animals, I don't live there, so it's not my concern.

If the guy is nuts, lets do all we can to get him whatever help we can deliver to him so that he can at least TRY to live a normal and productive life.

If the guy is not found to be medically insane, then he ASSASSINATED a FEDERAL JUDGE and killed a little girl. Fuck him, put him DOWN.
arguments are welcome, as always, and this time, I think probably more than others.....

[Iggo]

51. California has the death penalty.

And we have places for people who lack the "desire to function properly within the boundaries of a civilized society". We call them prisons.

[Volaris]

55. I thought California got rid of the death penalty...

Thats my mistake, and I apologize. I won't make it again.
If I agree that prisons are where we put those people, is their purpose to rehabilitate? or to remove unwanted elements from society as a punishment? (I know we like to THINK that their purpose is the former...)
I think there some criminals that can't be rehabilitated...
Heres where I surmise that you're going with this...I just want to be sure I understand your position=)

Prisons fulfill a dual purpose in society, the first is to rehabilitate those who can be "saved", the second is to remove from society those who are a danger to society at large, because removing them TO PRISON is a more humane and less violent solution than having them put to death by the State.
If this is what your saying, let me know, I agree unconditionally with the first part, not so much with the second. This is why its important(for me) NOT to have a FEDERAL death penalty, because you don't agree with my assessment that not everyone can be saved, and not everyone SHOULD be saved, and I DON'T want my point of view imposed over what you believe is the right thing to do.
I am truly sorry about the California thing, now I feel like an idiot, but thank you for making me smarter tonight, it's something I will ALWAYS welcome.=)

[Iggo]

74. Declared uncostitutional 1972. Reinstated 1977. (n/t)

[LTR]

53. Death penalty's a cop-out

Life in Supermax (or any prison) is way, way worse!

The death penalty just ends an already shitty life early. Many on death row WANT to end it.

[NuclearDem]

54. No, not at all

Killing him won't bring Gabe Zimmerman, the 9 year old child, Judge Roll, or his three other victims back. There's been enough blood spilled over this...and I won't have my government putting blood on my hands.

[Raine]

57. That's what he probably wants so no

I think he should rot in jail getting uglier and uglier as he eats all that starchy jail food.

[Abq_Sarah]

82. That's kind of what I'm thinking

I really don't believe he expected to come out of this alive. Why grant him his wish?

[Name removed]

58. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DearAbby]

59. The Death of this person will serve no purpose

other than revenge, It's barbaric.

If the purpose is to protect society, full life term in prison will be sufficient.

[LeftishBrit]

60. No

It is a horrible crime, but (a) he seems to be mentally ill; (b) I don't support the DP for anyone.

He does need to be locked up to protect the rest of society.

[AsahinaKimi]

61. I don't care for the Death Penalty ..

at all.

[Ilsa]

63. No, I don't believe in executing insane people. nt

[rbrnmw]

64. Wallpaper his jail cell with pictures of his youngest victim

and above everyone of them write was it worth it?

[mmonk]

65. Killing him won't cure the disease in this country.

He is a product of it and there will be more. We need to address the problem.

[TBF]

66. Yes -

He killed multiple folks, including a federal judge and a child. The first time I decided that there is a use for the death penalty the criminal was Timothy McVeigh, this is the second.

[Rabrrrrrr]

68. Of course not.

Civilized and humane societies don't execute people.

[Mudoria]

69. give him the needle

[Mimosa]

81. What's his life worth and why?

The lives of his victims matter more to me.

The death penalty does discourage some. If murderers did not fear death they would not challenge the death penalty as most of them do.

[quaker bill]

70. Don't support the death penalty

If convicted, life in prison is the right choice.

[spanone]

71. killing the killer is only more killing

[TheCowsCameHome]

72. yes

[Statistical]

75. If he is mentally ill and unable to determine right or wrong due to his delussions then no.

We just don't have enough information at this time.

[backscatter712]

86. Judging by his Myspace page and what was found at his house,

there's significant evidence of premeditation. I don't know whether to buy the insanity argument or not anymore.

[AmandaMae]

76. I don't believe in the death penalty.

[PBS Poll-435]

78. He needs to be studied like a lab rat nt

[TheKentuckian]

79. I do not support state sponsored executions

[HEyHEY]

83. No, people like that should be studied, not executed.

[jmowreader]

84. I put down no

If we didn't execute any of Charlie Manson's family, we shouldn't execute any of Sarah Palin Manson's family either.

[backscatter712]

85. The emotional part of me says...

Give him the electric chair, with a dry sponge, like in the Green Mile.

The intellectual part of me says no, give him a life sentence in accordance with how the rule of law should be functioning in this country, and get rid of the death penalty so as to prevent innocent people from being executed.