First-Degree Murder Controversy Analysis

Why is the death penalty used as a means of punishment for crime? Is this just a way to solve the nations growing problem of overcrowded prisons, or is justice really being served? Why do some view the taking of a life morally correct? These questions are discussed and debated upon in every state and national legislature throughout the country. Advantages and disadvantages for the death penalty exist, and many members of the United States, and individual State governments, have differing opinions. Yet it seems that the stronger arguments, and evidence such as cost effectiveness, should lead the common citizen to the opposition of Capital Punishment.

In the United States, the use of the death penalty continues to be a controversial issue. Every election year, politicians, wishing to appeal to the moral sentiments of voters, routinely compete with each other as to who will be toughest in extending the death penalty to those persons who have been convicted of first-degree murder. Both proponents and opponents of capital punishment present compelling arguments to support their claims. Often their arguments are made on different interpretations of what is moral in a just society. In this essay, I intend to present major arguments of those who support the death penalty and those who are opposed to state sanctioned executions application . However, I do intend to fairly and accurately

Some people think that the death penalty is a bad thing and others think that it serves the people right but I don’t really know which side to believe because there are good facts protecting both sides. The Death Penalty is a controversial issue.

HE STOOD AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE EXECUTION chamber in Huntsville, Texas,18 minutes from death by lethal injection, when official word finally came that the needle wouldn't be needed that day The rumors of a 30day reprieve were true. Ricky McGinn, a 43-year-old mechanic found guilty of raping and killing his 12-yearold stepdaughter, will get his chance to prove his innocence with advanced DNA testing that hadn't been available at the time of his 1994 conviction. The double cheeseburger, french fries and Dr Pepper he requested for dinner last Thursday night won't be his last meal after all.

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a form of punishment that has been used as far back as the Colonial Era in America. Although it has been around for the entirety of American history, most of the scrutiny and controversy involving capital punishment arose in the 1972 Supreme Court Case of Furman v. Georgia, in which it was abolished, but quickly returned in 1977. It is evident that many citizens have ambivalent stances on capital punishment; some believing it is necessary form of punishment while others believe that the death penalty is a violation of the Eighth Amendment. Although capital punishment has been used throughout history and is seen by many as a form of justified punishment, there are many reasons in favor of ending the death penalty completely. Capital punishment is an unnecessary evil that should be found unconstitutional because of it is not practical, it is corrupt, and it is unable to deter further homicides from being committed.

The death penalty has been a controversial topic for years, being a maximum punishment, giving to a person committing a horrible crime no choice but death. Though death penalty does have a small impact in the way, people think after committing a crime. It does not make a criminal pay their sentence because they executed them and the victim’s family are abandon

The death penalty has been around as early as the first civilization had begun. This execution has been used to justify the criminal’s punishment for breaking the capital law(s). While many people believe that it brings justice to families and reduce the amount of crime, it does not. However, the death penalty has done more harm than good. Today in the United States, it is not as popular, as before, to execute a criminal. One of few states, such as the state of Florida, has yet to remove this inconvenient punishment. It is essential that Florida should remove the death penalty law due to many wrongful executions and the costly expenses of an inmate’s incarceration on death row.

If your family was victim to a heinous federal crime, such as murder, rape, or abduction, would you still be opposed to capital punishment? Capital punishment can be defined as the legal authorization for the killing of someone as punishment for a crime. This is a highly controversial topic in the United States of America, debating whether taking a life in the name of the law is considered justice. While the death penalty is necessary in our society, it needs much reform. Debated topics within the subject of the death penalty are wether race and age play a factor, forms of execution and whether they are cruel and unusual, does it deter criminals from committing federal crimes, and does it provide victims and their families closure.

The controversy over the legal process widely applied in ancient times— the death penalty— has always intrigued me because of the reasonable stances from both sides on whether it should be legal or illegal. The dispute goes between the biggest issues of immorality behind the act, if it gives the best suffering over jail time, and human rights. Personally, I side with illegalization of the capital punishment, yet can resonate with some of the common legal sided thoughts.

The fight and controversy behind capital punishment is not a new idea. The death penalty has divided America down the middle, with half against and half pro the punishment. Due to the sensitivity of capital punishment, the Supreme Court has dictated which states capital punishment is legal. Despite it being legal in these states, it is up to the prosecutor’s discretion to vie for this punishment as opposed to other forms such as life in prison, rehabilitation, etc.

in the United States. This is mainly because of the many horrid attacks and mass murders that

Often time's people ask, "How effective is the death penalty economically?" The United States has found that between 1989 and 1997 the cost of a federal death penalty case cost $269,139 and grew to $620,932 in 2014. There are many things that go into the reasons why it costs the state so much to try death penalty cases. One of those reasons is the costs of attorneys. Prosecutors and defense attorneys spend more hours preparing for a case. They usually hire more staff when they work on death penalty cases. It was recorded that the average amount of hours spent on a capital punishment case was 3,557, and that was just outside of the court room gathering research. Most attorneys charge their clients $100 per hour.

Archbishop Tutu once quoted, “There is no justice in killing in the name of justice”. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment or execution, is the sentence of death imposed by courts as punishment for a crime. Since 1973, 153 people have been exonerated from death row. Day by day, millions people are sentenced to death as punishment for a variety of crimes. Death penalty is ineffective, inhumane and immoral. The Death Penalty has been a disputed and controversial topic for decades now. Thus, it should not be legalized and implemented in all parts of the world.

In the United States, decisions on capital punishment are made by members of a jury. Jurors must acquire a majority verdict in order to sentence an accused to death. Although jurors are asked to be objective, their decisions are, however, more often influenced by values than facts (Devine and Kelly, 393). In fact, based on the Capital Jury Project (CJP) which include 1,200 interviews of jurors who served in 353 death-penalty trials in 14 states (Devine and Kelly, 393), Dennis J. Devine and Christopher E. Kelly used 314 CJP juries to conduct a “bivariate and multivariate analyses” to understand how jurists make the decision (Devine and Kelly, 393). Before them, using the same method, other researchers Bowers, Steiner, and Sandys found out that

The death penalty seems to be a very debatable subject. There are arguments and support for both sides of the debate, but which side is right? That is a tough question to ask. After reading the article in the textbook, two other articles, and looking at statistics, I seem to feel that the death penalty may not be the right answer.