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The Death Penalty Is a Hate Crime

By TChris, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Sun Nov 23, 2008 at 07:13:50 PM EST
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This is an interesting take on the concept of hate crimes:

Former death row inmate Gordon “Randy” Steidl addressed a crowd at Illinois College’s Sibert Theatre sporting a pin on his lapel, stating “The death penalty is a hate crime.” ... Mr. Steidl hopes those listening to his speech “come away with the idea that capital punishment is not punishment,” he said in a Journal-Courier interview before the event. “The death penalty is nothing more than a hate crime. It’s a form of revenge.

Steidl should know. Twelve of the 17 years he wrongfully served in prison were on death row. TalkLeft told Steidl's story here.

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    The Death Penalty Is a Hate Crime | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    revenge (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by pluege on Sun Nov 23, 2008 at 07:50:39 PM EST
    that's exactly right: state sponsored murder is barbaric revenge, and of course sadism - pure and simple...nothing else.
    .

    As has been explored here on TL (none / 0) (#2)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sun Nov 23, 2008 at 07:58:54 PM EST
    many times before, more innocents die W/O the DP.

    Personally, my feeling is that the fewest innocents should die.

    There are plenty of (none / 0) (#3)
    by Wile ECoyote on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 01:15:59 PM EST
    posters here who think hate crimes should be punished more harsh than other crimes.

    "Execution Doctors" at State Executions (none / 0) (#4)
    by Sharon McEachern on Sun Nov 30, 2008 at 04:21:26 PM EST
    In North Carolina, the state has been unable to perform any executions for the past two years, even though there are 163 inmates on Death Row in the Raleigh prison. Concerned by a U.S. Supreme Court decision two years ago saying that execution by lethan injection may be cruel and inhumane treatment, the N.C. Correction Board says there must be a physician present. (There have been some three dozen botched executions through lethal injection.) If an unconsious inmate wakes-up and experiences extreme pain due to the heart-stopping drug, it could be judged cruel and unusual punishment. So they want a doctor to watch the prisoner's brain waves, tell them if he's gaining consciousness and then advise how much of what drug to administer, maybe even mixing the concoction. The N.C. Medical Board, which licenses physicians to practice medicine, promises to punish any doctor who participates in a state execution. The Court insists that state legislators should be the deciders; however the lawmakers refuse to pass any legislation defining what a physician's "presence" means.

    To read the Ethic Soup article, discussing the controversy in detail, go to:

    http://www.ethicsoup.com/2008/11/execution-doctors-unethical-whether-hanging-electrocution-gas-or-le than-injection.html#more

    Sharon McEachern


    The Death Penalty Is a Hate Crime | 4 comments (4 topical)

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