[Cheffy]

ZTWsquared,May 3 2006, 09:12 PM Wrote:I'm generally against capital punishment because it is for the most part ineffective as a deterrent, but I think there are valid exceptions to this line of thinking (eg. cops, children) and I would have also made an exception in this case.

I still don't understand the logic behind automatic death penalties for killing police officers. Are their lives worth more than anyone else? Are they such a more valuable member of society that we should kill their murderers? Because no one in my family is a cop, and I think their lives are just as worthwhile as any police officer. In my mind, more so. I'm sure anyone here would feel the same.
However, if it is done to "send a message", it falls on deaf ears. Anyone who would otherwise kill a cop isn't going to be deterred by the death penalty. They already know they'd be in deep s**t, and don't really care. Hell, in some cases it adds even bigger bragging rights to the idiots who glamourise the criminal lifestyle.

I'm not necessarily opposed to the concept of capital punishment, but my main concern is - what if they didn't actually do it? There is often that very slight., faint doubt. Numerous cases throughout recent US history have shown errors made where innocent people have been killed. Not just one or two here and there. We're talking a lot of people. Capital punishment is irreversable. What if David Milgard had been put to death? The murder of that nurse was vicious, and if anyone deserved to be killed for their crime it was her murderer. Not the innnocent in his place, David Milgard. Short of cases that include video evidence combined with DNA and witness testimony, there are few instances where there isn't a shadow of doubt invovled. I wouldn't want that on my conscience, would you?

Now I'm not saying there is much doubt in Moussaoui's case, to be honest I haven't followed it at all. I'd imagine it's probably pretty exaustively researched, and a pretty much open and shut case. But the entire 9/11 investigation has been severely flawed from the start, including listing several terrorists who supposedly died on the planes that in fact were living alive and well overseas. Oops.

Bet this starts a bit of discussion... ;)

P.S. - As a side note, I find it a bit perplexing that he shouted "America you lost - I won" after the verdict was read. If his goal was to die for his cause, as a suicide bomber, then wouldn't the ultimate "victory" for him would have been to be put to death in this instance, making him a historical martyr? Then why would he rather live. Does he really have no idea how awful his life will be in prison?

Or, maybe things won't be as bad for him as we think. Given the high publicity in this case, there will probably be many scummy lawyers looking to protect him, and if anything happens, they may sounds some very loud bells. :unsure: