Even more disturbing

[Sharon]

O’Malley favors repeal of state’s death penalty
http://somdnews.com/stories/022307/indytop94110_32085.shtml

Gov. Martin O’Malley told a packed Senate committee Wednesday that Maryland should repeal its capital punishment law because it is not a deterrent and is far costlier than incarcerating criminals for the rest of their lives.

Maryland has used capital punishment five times since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1978. Six people are on Maryland’s death row.

In December, the Maryland Court of Appeals blocked the state’s use of lethal injection because the regulations creating its use were adopted without public input.

Another step backward for Maryland's (we will set you) "Free" state.

 

[hvp05]

O’Malley favors repeal of state’s death penalty

Yeah, we know. (Thread.)

 

[Penn]

I don't quite see how he can make that statement, that the death penalty is not a deterrent.

If the ultimate penalty - is your azz frying in an electric chair, or death by lethal injection, does he mean to say it would not give you pause, that there would not be some serious consideration on the minds of would-be lawbreakers to think twice before comitting such an injurious crime?

How many felons would be willing to take the gamble?

 

[I like it]

oh great.

 

[Charles]

As long as the correct person is executed, it is most definitely a deterrent. That particular piece of slime has been deterred from ever causing anyone any grief, ever. IMO, there should be no circumstantial evidence involved in a death penalty.

 

[PsyOps]

Now you folks just aren't getting it. This is what MD voted for and this is what they get. Cry all you want.

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

Now you folks just aren't getting it. This is what MD voter for and this is what they get. Cry all you want.

I didnot vote for him, but we are stuck with him for at least 4 years.

He could not run his city now he runs the state.

 

[SamSpade]

Geez, when was the last time anyone was EXECUTED in Maryland? Hell, until now I thought we didn't have the death penalty.


A punishment which is never USED is never going to be a deterrent.

 

[Ken King]

Geez, when was the last time anyone was EXECUTED in Maryland? Hell, until now I thought we didn't have the death penalty.


A punishment which is never USED is never going to be a deterrent.

Wesley Eugene Baker, 12/05/2005

 

[Bustem' Down]

Only five since the 70's? Check out Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individuals_executed_in_Texas

Just knocked one out last Thurs.

 

[SamSpade]

Only five since the 70's? Check out Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individuals_executed_in_Texas

Just knocked one out last Thurs.

See, to me, five times in almost thirty years is almost like not having it at all. It means that no matter the situation, the courts aren't going to put it on the table all that often.

What's the difference between not getting the death penalty, and it being extremely unlikely? How is there a measurable difference in deterrence? Once I saw "five times since 1978" all of the stats meant nothing to me. It's like watching a kid go amok while a parent idly threatens a spanking he'll never follow through on. It's not a deterrent to a child who's pretty sure it ain't happening.

 

[ylexot]

Geez, when was the last time anyone was EXECUTED in Maryland? Hell, until now I thought we didn't have the death penalty.


A punishment which is never USED is never going to be a deterrent.

 

[Pandora]

I mentioned this in another thread weeks back and I don't understand his rational in all of this. He says it cost the tax payers too much $ and wants life sentences instead but I think the appeals process would be just as complex and costly with a life sentence. If it is that expensive, change the process but not the outcome.

It is a huge step back but O’Malley has other things working now that I don’t necessarily agree with either. I have a feeling Maryland will see a lot of changes over the next 4 years that are not in the public's best interest.

 

[hvp05]

How many felons would be willing to take the gamble?

Someone who is in a rage typically will not stop to think, "Gosh, if I kill this guy I could be put on death row," and the other possible consequences. Many of the thugs on the street today expect to die early one way or another. So if somebody pizzes them off they just react because they are already amoral and don't care about tomorrow.

You and I and most other folks are rational and do care for life... but we are not likely to commit a death penalty level crime anyway.

I don't know the statistics on if the DP is any deterrent or not, but I still believe it should be on the table because some people are worthless scum and can not be rehabilitated. Save space, save money, save peace of mind.

 

[2ndAmendment]

The DP sure deters that guy executed from doing anything DP worthy again.

 

[SamSpade]

Someone who is in a rage typically will not stop to think, "Gosh, if I kill this guy I could be put on death row,".

This is one of the usual arguments - but I knew punks in Boston who would regularly thump people for money, cars, whatever, as though they were ATM machines. They NEVER got caught, never got retribution, and never had to do one second in court over it, much less go to jail. They did it because there were NO CONSEQUENCES. If there were under 18, they weren't getting the death penalty even IF they were caught in a death penalty state.

When you see your buds rolling some homeless drunk for 10 bucks - and you don't get caught or punished - there's no reason not to do it. A *lack* of punishment is not just poor deterrence, it encourages law-breaking - unlike the idocy purported in the article, where they try to suggest that the death penalty itself encourages violent crime.

 

[SamSpade]

And I still think the best response to the question is what Vrai often quotes - you don't put down a rabid dog as a deterrent to other dogs.

 

[2ndAmendment]

And I still think the best response to the question is what Vrai often quotes - you don't put down a rabid dog as a deterrent to other dogs.

 

[sparkyaclown]

I can remember him saying something about not repealing the death penalty when he was campaigning. I knew it was only a matter of time before he tried to slide that one in.

Of course it's more cost effective for life sentences, they pretty much sit on death row for life anyhow. They need to do something about them being able to avoid it for 20+ years. If they do that maybe it would be more of a detterent.

 

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

Geez, when was the last time anyone was EXECUTED in Maryland? Hell, until now I thought we didn't have the death penalty.


A punishment which is never USED is never going to be a deterrent.

Why do you hate America?
Why do you hate our troops?
Why are you a terrorist-loving islamocrat?