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[nomad soul]

Weird Death Penalties That Are Still Legal in the U.S.
By Ashley Jakubczyk, Takepart.com | 19 February 2015
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/weird-death-penalties-still-legal-u-204526960.html

Almost every inmate execution in the United States since 2010 has been carried out via lethal injection—but there are still some unusual death penalties on the books across the country.

Last week’s vote by the Utah House of Representatives to reinstate the firing squad as a legal method of execution has sparked concern and controversy. Though it is the most commonly used method in the states, recent botched executions and lack of drug availability for lethal injections has caused concern, and other states are looking for suitable—and humane—alternatives, some of which have always been legal in some regions.

Here are the other four legal methods of capital punishment in the United States, some more modern than others:

Firing Squad: Until last week’s vote, the firing squad hasn’t been legal in Utah since 2004. It is legal in one other state, Oklahoma, but state records show it has never been used there because it is only an option if the primary method, lethal injection, is ruled unconstitutional.

Hanging: Hanging hasn’t been the primary method of execution in the United States since the 19th century, and the last public hanging occurred in Kentucky in 1936. Since the death penalty was reinstated nationwide in 1976, only 3 inmates have been hanged, and hanging is only legal in Delaware, New Hampshire and Washington.

Electrocution: Use of the electric chair is currently legal in eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. In some states, inmates can choose between death by chair and the more standardized lethal injection. In 2014, Tennessee became the first state to make electrocution the mandatory method of execution if lethal injection is not a viable option due to drug unavailability.

Gas Chamber: The first person to be executed via gas chamber in the United States was Gee Jon, who was convicted of murder and executed in 1924. Since 1976, gas chambers have been used to carry out more 11 executions. Currently legal in California, Arizona, Missouri and Wyoming, Oklahoma is also considering reinstating this method of execution, citing the lack of supplies necessary for the state’s preferred method of lethal injection.

Death Penalty Abolished
18 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have officially banned the death penalty. Michigan was the first to do so in 1846. Maryland is the most recent state to have abolished capital punishment, signing it into law in 2013. Washington state suspended the death penalty in 2014, but there was no official long-term ban put into place.

(End of article)

[water rat]

If you follow current events, you must know there have been some botched lethal injection executions recently revealing that lethal injections really aren't any more humane than the methods you have mentioned.

Having said that I am pleased to report my own home state is moving toward abolishing capital punishment.

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/gov-wolf-announces-temporary-ban-of-death-penalty-in-pa/article_8fc8ebde-b39d-11e4-acb4-d7d0ef807578.html

Note the article is from just nine days ago.

I am no lawyer but I know words and their meanings, so I cannot understand why all executions are not thought cruel and unusual punishment, which our constitution forbids. Of course it is cruel to end someone's life, and of course death is unusual in that it will not happen to anyone more than once.

Where else but in one of my advanced English class books - I have read that killing convicted murderers actually costs the state more than life imprisonment since then there will be an endless series of appeals. Lawyers, judges, clerks and courtroom time cost far more than even 80 more years of prisoner room and board. So the pro-capital punishment's best argument is fallacious.

Another principal argument in the death penalty's favor is that it 'satisfies' the victim's loved ones. I have to wonder if anyone has followed up on that. The family may think they want the murderer killed, but I am going to guess that in the end (after the end) the loved ones come to know that 'an eye for an eye' does not satisfy. The murderer's death does not bring back their lost one.

We all know the Christian view of loving those who harm you. Buddhism knew the same centuries earlier: "Hatred never conquers hatred. Only non-hatred conquers hatred. This is an old law," -Siddhartha Gautama.

My personal view is that the goal of each one of our lives is to achieve an 'e'. We are born as human beings and it is our obligation to become humane beings. Just that is of more consequence than anything else we might do.

I have an earlier post here some months ago (it might have been a Maya Angelou quotation). She, or whoever it was, says something to the effect that no one remembers us for being smart or strong or rich or hard-working or funny or beautiful - all they recall when we are gone is if we were kind or not.

Back to English teacher stuff: my textbook also pointed out that 'execution' is a euphemism. As you know 'to execute' really means to do, to perform - nothing more. We're just too squeamish, or perhaps instinctively humane to call state-mandated murder what it really is (state-mandated murder), so we soften it by oblique reference. So you see, we don't need to be lawyers to know state-mandated murder is wrong, our language makes it clear.

[esl_prof]

[caliph]

At a public shooting range in the U.A.E., the police brought a convicted man for execution by firing squad, they asked if anyone wanted to join them. Part of the public participation program in Sharia law. Surprisingly, (or maybe not) quite a few did join in. No westerners IIRC.

Being a believer in fair chase, I took a pass.

[scot47]

Can you document that weird allegation ? Sounds like an urban myth !

[Sirens of Cyprus]

This is y'all's idea of current events, huh? No mention of being burned alive? Trying to keep us off our high horse?

[nomad soul]

[Sashadroogie]

Yet another example of Piggie cruelty.

So much more humane to ship criminal types east, and reform them through the joy of labour.

[johnslat]

Not witches or slaves. perhaps.


http://tinyurl.com/phcp2t8

Regards,
John

[nomad soul]

[johnslat]

Dear Nomad,

I suspect it was what Sirens of Cyprus was referring to.

Regards,
John

[Sirens of Cyprus]

There ya go. I knew you'd get to it. Christians burned witches; therefore ISIS ain't so bad. Give 'm a break. We did it, too, so let's get off our high horse. This thread was obviously started to support Obama's idiotic moral equivalency argument and delusional denial of Islamic terrorism.

[esl_prof]

[caliph]

Scot:

I was there when the police made the offer and observed other shooters joining the police.

[plumpy nut]