No that is the easy way out for him. The anguish of knowing he will never leave prison day after day, year after year. That is a far worse punishment than death now. Don't worry death will come someday. That is why a lot of lifers commit suicide, they prefer death.
While I'm not against the death penalty, it should not be the sentence in this case. He would become some sort of martyr rock star in the terrorist world, which we don't need. this guy should be shipped to Florence, CO, and locked up for the rest of his life, and made to eat only pork every day.
What does killing him accomplish? It proves (once again) that the state can kill while admonishing individuals not to, it deprives the guilty party of contemplating the uncivilized act he carried out, it provides another martyr for those of like mind, it gives CNN (et al) something to over analyze and regurgitate for the next week or more, it shifts the memories of those who were killed/injured away from their personal legacies to adjuncts of the perpetrator's legacy, it feeds the bloodlust within thousands of bigots and xenophobes itching for an excuse, designates another pawn for religious board games and anoints an icon for the self-righteous advocates of perpetual war.
If he is put to death (by injection), it will be a swift end for his part in that horrific day. Sitting in isolation for the remainder of his life - in a small cell with a window to the sky - devoid of association with anyone other than the guards - allowed one exercise hour a day, again alone - is a far more fitting punishment.
The idea that inmates would rather have death instead of life in prison is bull. After approx. 37 years in the prison system I never meet one inmate who said he wished he/she had the death penalty. If you really think that, why is the suicide rate in prison so low?
But the ones who did get the death penalty before NYS stop executions were all happy to know they would still live.
He took the life of a lot of people, he should have to forfeit his now.
While I understand both sides of the 'question, to my thinking, his fate should rest in whichever is cheapest in the long run.
I (somewhat) find it reprehensible to foot the HUGE bill associated in the defense, and prosecution, for lowlifes. But, that's how our system is set up.
Once they're found guilty, it should come down to dollars & cents. If WE choose the more expensive 'sentence', it only harms our country more.
I, too, agree there are reasonable arguments for the yea and nay responses. I have to agree with Bud and Bea though. While this animal deserves to die for his actions against humanity, he will be placed on the fast track to martyrdom. So many see the American government and its citizens as the world's terrorists. Death in this case will continue to fuel this ideology. Isolation in a federal prison, while costly, seems more practical. And yes, CM, that small cell should be papered with the faces of all his victims and their families.
Maybe they are unable to overcome the hard wiring of self preservation. Maybe they eventually become institutionalized. It is still mental torture to know they can never leave.
I'm pretty much aligned on the anti-death penalty side of the issue, usually.. For me, the standard of guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt" is not adequate for such an irrevocable penalty. Cm's posts best echo the way I usually think on these matters. But here we have something better than reasonable doubt -- we have the luxury of near-certainty. But since the conviction, I've found myself turned completely indifferent to the fate of this individual. Perhaps it's because of the nonchalant and wanton cruelty of his actions, I just don't care what they do with him. Let him fade into to monochrome of Florence ADX, or into some hole of a death-house somewhere. Let him disappear from us.
Certainly, he would fear death, as John alludes. That's punishment. But it's short lived. It seems inadequate.
Life in prison, perhaps is a kind of torture, depending on how he handles it, but we bear the expense and the occasional story about how he's faring in prison.
Neither outcome undoes what he did, nor will it prevent the next bent and twisted person from doing some horrible act, either out of craziness or misplaced nationalist/religious conviction.
Like Scott, I oppose the death penalty because reasonable doubt just isn't a high enough standard to justify the state taking a life. I'm pretty confident, though, in this case, we're well beyond reasonable doubt and firmly implanted in no doubt whatsoever. He did it.
If it is the death penalty, screw the so-called human method of lethal injection. Hang him or shoot him. Old school retribution. Might as well go all in if we go that route.
Surprisingly I agree with Scott on this issue. Life imprisonment or death it matters not as there is no doubt to be considered. However if we do put him to death I dont see how he can be made a martyr, how many of ours and our allies prisoners in the hands of these terrorists have been beheaded by a knife in front of cameras without the benfit of any investigation or trial.
I think the appropriate way to deal with this is sentence him to death have a couple of appeals run through the system til it fades and the terrorists lose interest then with no media coverage wisk him off to his execution and bury him in some prison cemetary. Unknown and uncelebrated. A nobody like he was before the bombings,
There is a good chance that a life sentence will result in a painful death while the guards are not paying attention. He is a high profile trophy target.
So true. And as a sidebar, let me mention how I've come to loathe the media-invented concept of "closure". Hallmark should market a line of "Happy Closure" cards for the torn and bereft. Idiocy.
"Surprisingly I agree with Scott on this issue."
Steady, Kyle. We better warn the public and check for flying pigs!
It's easy for those in favor of the death penalty to say yes to a death sentence, but if they were the one to push the plunger, or pull the switch, they wouldn't be so quick to say yes.
On one hand I say yes, kill him for the lives he took that day, and also to save the tax payers the life long financial support of him in prison.
On the other hand, I have to agree with others who say if we do put him to death, he will become a martyr, for other terrorists to emulate themselves from.
We could tie his hands behind his back, and place him in a fenced in area and turn the victim's family and loved ones on him, but then we lower ourselves to the barbaric actions of his own kind(terrorists).
No that is the easy way out
No that is the easy way out for him. The anguish of knowing he will never leave prison day after day, year after year. That is a far worse punishment than death now. Don't worry death will come someday. That is why a lot of lifers commit suicide, they prefer death.
While I'm not against the
While I'm not against the death penalty, it should not be the sentence in this case. He would become some sort of martyr rock star in the terrorist world, which we don't need. this guy should be shipped to Florence, CO, and locked up for the rest of his life, and made to eat only pork every day.
What does killing him
What does killing him accomplish? It proves (once again) that the state can kill while admonishing individuals not to, it deprives the guilty party of contemplating the uncivilized act he carried out, it provides another martyr for those of like mind, it gives CNN (et al) something to over analyze and regurgitate for the next week or more, it shifts the memories of those who were killed/injured away from their personal legacies to adjuncts of the perpetrator's legacy, it feeds the bloodlust within thousands of bigots and xenophobes itching for an excuse, designates another pawn for religious board games and anoints an icon for the self-righteous advocates of perpetual war.
"made to eat pork every day."
"made to eat pork every day." Why not (instead) wallpaper his cell with pictures of the carnage he caused? Why put yourself on his level?
If he is put to death (by
If he is put to death (by injection), it will be a swift end for his part in that horrific day. Sitting in isolation for the remainder of his life - in a small cell with a window to the sky - devoid of association with anyone other than the guards - allowed one exercise hour a day, again alone - is a far more fitting punishment.
The idea that inmates would
The idea that inmates would rather have death instead of life in prison is bull. After approx. 37 years in the prison system I never meet one inmate who said he wished he/she had the death penalty. If you really think that, why is the suicide rate in prison so low?
But the ones who did get the death penalty before NYS stop executions were all happy to know they would still live.
He took the life of a lot of people, he should have to forfeit his now.
While I understand both sides
While I understand both sides of the 'question, to my thinking, his fate should rest in whichever is cheapest in the long run.
I (somewhat) find it reprehensible to foot the HUGE bill associated in the defense, and prosecution, for lowlifes. But, that's how our system is set up.
Once they're found guilty, it should come down to dollars & cents. If WE choose the more expensive 'sentence', it only harms our country more.
I, too, agree there are
I, too, agree there are reasonable arguments for the yea and nay responses. I have to agree with Bud and Bea though. While this animal deserves to die for his actions against humanity, he will be placed on the fast track to martyrdom. So many see the American government and its citizens as the world's terrorists. Death in this case will continue to fuel this ideology. Isolation in a federal prison, while costly, seems more practical. And yes, CM, that small cell should be papered with the faces of all his victims and their families.
Maybe they are unable to
Maybe they are unable to overcome the hard wiring of self preservation. Maybe they eventually become institutionalized. It is still mental torture to know they can never leave.
I'm pretty much aligned on
I'm pretty much aligned on the anti-death penalty side of the issue, usually.. For me, the standard of guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt" is not adequate for such an irrevocable penalty. Cm's posts best echo the way I usually think on these matters. But here we have something better than reasonable doubt -- we have the luxury of near-certainty. But since the conviction, I've found myself turned completely indifferent to the fate of this individual. Perhaps it's because of the nonchalant and wanton cruelty of his actions, I just don't care what they do with him. Let him fade into to monochrome of Florence ADX, or into some hole of a death-house somewhere. Let him disappear from us.
There is no satisfactory
There is no satisfactory outcome.
Certainly, he would fear death, as John alludes. That's punishment. But it's short lived. It seems inadequate.
Life in prison, perhaps is a kind of torture, depending on how he handles it, but we bear the expense and the occasional story about how he's faring in prison.
Neither outcome undoes what he did, nor will it prevent the next bent and twisted person from doing some horrible act, either out of craziness or misplaced nationalist/religious conviction.
Like Scott, I oppose the death penalty because reasonable doubt just isn't a high enough standard to justify the state taking a life. I'm pretty confident, though, in this case, we're well beyond reasonable doubt and firmly implanted in no doubt whatsoever. He did it.
If it is the death penalty, screw the so-called human method of lethal injection. Hang him or shoot him. Old school retribution. Might as well go all in if we go that route.
Surprisingly I agree with
Surprisingly I agree with Scott on this issue. Life imprisonment or death it matters not as there is no doubt to be considered. However if we do put him to death I dont see how he can be made a martyr, how many of ours and our allies prisoners in the hands of these terrorists have been beheaded by a knife in front of cameras without the benfit of any investigation or trial.
I think the appropriate way to deal with this is sentence him to death have a couple of appeals run through the system til it fades and the terrorists lose interest then with no media coverage wisk him off to his execution and bury him in some prison cemetary. Unknown and uncelebrated. A nobody like he was before the bombings,
There is a good chance that a
There is a good chance that a life sentence will result in a painful death while the guards are not paying attention. He is a high profile trophy target.
"There is no satisfactory
"There is no satisfactory outcome."
So true. And as a sidebar, let me mention how I've come to loathe the media-invented concept of "closure". Hallmark should market a line of "Happy Closure" cards for the torn and bereft. Idiocy.
"Surprisingly I agree with Scott on this issue."
Steady, Kyle. We better warn the public and check for flying pigs!
It's easy for those in favor
It's easy for those in favor of the death penalty to say yes to a death sentence, but if they were the one to push the plunger, or pull the switch, they wouldn't be so quick to say yes.
On one hand I say yes, kill him for the lives he took that day, and also to save the tax payers the life long financial support of him in prison.
On the other hand, I have to agree with others who say if we do put him to death, he will become a martyr, for other terrorists to emulate themselves from.
We could tie his hands behind his back, and place him in a fenced in area and turn the victim's family and loved ones on him, but then we lower ourselves to the barbaric actions of his own kind(terrorists).
""Surprisingly I agree with
""Surprisingly I agree with Scott on this issue."
Steady, Kyle. We better warn the public and check for flying pigs!"
Has hell frozen over and no one told me about it? lol
"Certainly, he would fear
"Certainly, he would fear death, as John alludes. That's punishment. But it's short lived. It seems inadequate." Not so.
The average time spent on death row is now up to 18.3 years.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/images/time_on_dr.png
http://www.boston.com/news/na
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2015/04/09/how-tsarnaev-will-live-liv…
Thanks for that link, Mike.
Thanks for that link, Mike. Interesting look at the "inside".
Yep! Starting tomorrow, I'm gonna do my darndest to avoid going to ADX Florence