Hundreds of years ago, public executions were made to degrade and dehumanize a criminal in the worst possible way. In those days executions were performed by hanging, and that punishment was very demeaning to the criminal and his family. In 1791, the eighth amendment of the constitution had done away with that cruel and unusual punishment. In the modern era, criminals are now being executed by lethal injection. Why should an execution be televised? Especially in this day and era of reality television. Are viewers really interested in watching something so horrific, especially if it a botched execution? Executions have been held behind closed doors since the 1930’s with only a small amount of witnesses to view the execution. In the execution …show more content…
Many states have been executing fewer people in the past decade and some states like Maryland and the District of Columbia have abolished capital punishment altogether. Many people shake and are repulsed by the live executions they see on television from the Middle East. From all the Western Countries, the United States is the only country that still upholds the death penalty. Even though the death penalty is legal in most states, just a few of them do still carry out executions. Reason for this could be that Americans are somehow okay with the idea of the states using the lethal injection as the best way to put a sick human being to endless sleep. Botched executions have also been exposed as a large problem seemingly unknown to the American public. The drugs that have been used for the lethal injections also seem to be experimental, untested and are sometimes proving to be ineffective at killing prisoners without some form of excruciating pain. Just because the prison is using pharmaceutical drugs does not necessarily mean that this is a painless process. Richard Dieter, Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, says sceptism of lethal injection is “not driven by sympathy for the defendants, who committed terrible crimes,” but rather, “(the public) doesn’t want to hear gruesome facts,” such as prisoners writhing in agony while strapped to a gurney as their loved one’s watch. When the procedure is botched, it is anything but
Zachary Shemtob and David Lat wrote an artical, " Executions Should Be Televised", was first published in the New York Times in 2011. Shemot and Lat argue that execution should be televised or opened to public. The following is a summary of this artical.
The United States is supposed to represent freedom, liberty, and peace. However, the death penalty contradicts everything the founding fathers built America on. Everyone is entailed to life even though they commit terrible crimes. Technology advancements are rapidly growing which is supposed to allow less pain in time of execution. So far in 2011 there have been eight executions and three more executions are going to be taken place on March 10, 29 and 31. Many people are killed by lethal injections, electrocutions, gas chamber, hanging, or a firing squad. These killing methods are both immoral and unconstitutional because they are killing the people like animals. This is an endless vicious cycle of murder and revenge that continues because the people have a desire to get revenge on the people who killed their loved one. Even thought that loved one will never return and enjoy life before it was quickly taken away.
On discussing the appeal of the highly-rated CBS television show, "Survivor," host Jeff Probst said the "appeal of the show lies in the idea that it is truly a human experience" (Mason par. 3). Now imagine a show in which American television viewers are permitted to watch the live execution of a Death Row inmate. Would broadcasting a live execution have the same "appeal" as "Survivor"? Or would televising an inmate's execution have horrific and harmful consequences on the American public, putting the issue of capital punishment, as well as their ethical standards, in jeopardy?
The essay “Executions Should Be Televised” by Zachary Shemtob and David Lat was published in the New York Times in 2011. It provides an outlook of the death penalty in the US. The main focus with respect to this issue is the discussion of whether it is necessary to broadcast executions publicly or not. The central argument on which the essay is built is connected with an idea that the executions in the democratic society should be videotaped and then accessible via open sources.
Worded perfectly by The Scientific American, a magazine analyzing controversial issues in America said, “About two thirds of the states use a combination of barbituric, paralytic and toxic agents for executions, despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness.” The procedure is still subject to FDA approval, the agency has avoided questions ruling on the mixtures efficacy in “delivering a merciful death” (citation). This brings to light a harsh topic: is lethal injection truly cruel and unusual? Human Rights Watch is an international non government aided organization dedicated to protecting and establishing the appearance of human rights around the world. The report the HRW released, “So Long as They Die: Lethal Injection in the United States” (citation) The report highlighted a fact not a lot of people consider, “Prisoners in the United States are executed by means that the American Veterinary Medical Association regards as too cruel to use on cats and dogs.” A lot of the civilians who simply only read about death
“And despite scientific efforts to implement capital punishment in a "humane" fashion, time and again executions have resulted in degrading spectacles, including the botched lethal injection in April 2014 that took more than 40 minutes to kill Oklahoma inmate Clayton Derrell Lockett and prompted Glossip v. Gross” (Heyns and Mendez). Capital punishment is an inhumane and outdated way for punishing criminals. The use of capital punishment is hundreds of years old in America. It is used as a punishment for criminals who have committed a violent crime in which they physically harm others. The point of the death penalty is to show that these kinds of crimes are not tolerated, and to deter criminals from committing these kinds of crimes. Unfortunately
Lethal injections have been around for many years with the same basic idea and procedure. Lethal injection uses three drugs, a fast acting barbiturate that sedates the inmate and the drug Tubocurarine that paralyzes the inmate, and finally potassium chloride is used to stop his heart. These methods have been a controversial issue for many reasons. People that supports lethal injection believes that it is more humane method of execution than any other because it cause little or no pain. It also argued that it is less expensive than detaining or placing someone in jail for life. As far as lethal injection been unconstitutional because the procedure causes unusual pain and suffering, some people believe that someone who has kill countless people deserve to physical
In the 1800s during the time of prison reform, the use of capital punishment and conviction with the death penalty became increasingly stigmatized- less and less was this an acceptable form of punishment and grew to be seen in a much more negative light. Throughout American history, the death penalty through hangings and other execution styles was a part of public society and was often a form of entertainment. Gradually these executions moved out of the public limelight and into a more private sphere, often within the prison walls, and eventually made their way to death by electric chair and lethal injection. Increasing focus on morality led the states and country to tend toward these more ethical ways execution, yet the death penalty has still
In this article it states what all methods are used for the death penalty. In Eight states it allows electrocution (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia). Three states it allows the gas chamber (Arizona, Missouri, and Wyoming). Three other states allow hanging (Delaware, New Hampshire, and Washington). Two other states allow the firing squad (Oklahoma and Utah), though only Oklahoma is the one that uses it. Utah allowed that option before it was banned in 2004.
Now there is a question to if they should stop and go back to old school ways, using the electric chair. This is because the lethal injections are easier, but they cost much more money. In Flordia of 1976-2000 each execution has costed up to 24million dollars (Dieter, Richard C.). The economy has collapsed and the US cannot afford the outrageous prices. The people who were making the poison for the injections were not from the US, they also did not realize what we were using it for. The intended purpose for the poison was not to kill people intentionally, but to have a easier way to die. The US are not the only people having trouble with way to kill people on death row. In 1789 the French were having a Revolution of their own people, this lead to many deaths. What famous killing machine that came out of the revolution was the guillotine, this was a wooden frame holding a large blade in the air. People would place their heads at the bottom of the contraption and the blade would drop, cutting off their head. This lead to the French people going mad, they were killing peasant people one after another and soon their own king and queen would get beheaded. The US never adopted this form of killing due to the history of its use and the mess it makes to kill people that way. When Hitler took over and started killing Jews with the gas chambers he killed many people at once. With all this history of killing people it tends to make other countries go crazy with power. The death penalty supports the want to kill other as revenge for the crimes they’ve committed. This was why Christians had the “Thou Shall Not Kill” rule showing people forgiveness as the Christian way and saving people's lives so they can
Tutankhamun’s tomb is the only royal tomb in Egypt to have escaped the discovery of looters and was discovered by archeologist Howard Carter. The death of Tutankhamun was a sudden tragedy that til this day has yet to be solved. The cause of the famous teenage king’s death has been a long drawn out mystery with a range of theories as to how he met his end. There are no historical records explaining the cause or circumstances of his death, nor is there no positive evidence to suggest how he died. However, there are several theories and many of which have changed over the years.
Moral decadence At the beginning of The Tragedy of Macbeth, William Shakespeare describes Macbeth as a brave and recognized hero, but when we actually meet him, we can analyze the way he thinks. The soliloquys and asides are the key to understand this character since he thinks at loud we are able to determine what he really seeks. We realize that his perception of things changes quickly, and he is easily manipulated. The witches introduce Macbeth to his fate, he does not need to become king but when he hears that he is capable of achieving this rank, something in his mind woke up and he begins a new face in his life.
The death penalty is also widely opposed by people across America because it is argued to be immoral, a form of torture, economically biased, susceptible to error and does not act as a deterrent. In contrast to the opponent’s view, supporters believe that religiously the death penalty is wrong because the Bible says “Thou shalt not kill”. (sixth commandment) It is also argued that if killing is wrong, then the government should not use it as a form of punishment (Death Row on Trial 2001: video) “how can we kill people who kill people to show its wrong” (Death Row on Trial 2001: video) Also when a person is sentenced to death, they are told how they will be killed and when, until finally they are taken to be executed, which could be years after receiving the original sentence. (Washington Post 2008: e.data) This period in which the convicted person must wait is considered to be a form of torture, (Washington Post 2008: e.data; Death Row on Trial 2001: video) especially when in some cases the person will often see or even hear being tested the chair in which they will be executed. (Death Row on Trial 2001: video) Another major
The death penalty is faulty in its age and obsolete in its usage, and frankly should be put out of its misery. Capital punishment began its time in the Middle Ages, as people were executed for simply thinking differently from the rest of society. Even now, as we look back on history we find their ways of execution purely barbaric and malicious in all its forms. However, we continue to practice these forms of butchery; the traditional method of execution, hanging, is still an option available in certain states. In addition, couple of states also still allow firing squads, and the electrocution chairs has been readily used throughout the last century. The United States stands as one of the few developed nations with a death penalty still in place. There’s a reason most of the European countries have banned the usage of death as punishment, it’s cruel, unusual and barbaric! Is that the image the U.S. wants to portray the alling regions, one of intolerance and unforgiveness? The United States surpasses those barbaric ways, with its exceedingly advanced ways and state-of-the-art technology, yet it’s one of the only countries left of the Western world that still has
A 15 year old girl was at school with all of her friends. One of them said hey you guys let's go outside and everybody agreed when they got outside a 17 year old boy asked them if they wanted to buy some and they said lets try it. The 15 year old tried it and she bought 3 pounds of marijuana and cocaine. They were doing drugs for a year now.