On 13 Apr 2009 14:45:01 -0500, Dave wrote:

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:37:40 -0700, "Capt. JG" said:

The "Human Rights" folks don't get nearly as het up about a life sentence,
as compared to a death sentence. Doesn't bring in as many contributions or
get as much publicity for them.


So, you're saying that people concerned about human rights shouldn't be too
concerned about those in prison?

I think what I said was pretty clear. But I'm sure you'll insist on the last
word.

It would make sense for Jon to have the last word, since you've run of
valid rebuttals.

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:52:39 +0200, Marc Heusser
d wrote:

I believe it would be a strong signal for human rights to abolish
capital punishment in the US, as in any other country.

Piracy is Federal, but there never has been much Federal death
penalty. Maybe thirty in 80 years. One hanging in Iowa in 1962, and
McVeigh who bombed that Federal Bldg. There was a soldier who hosed a
formation of marching men with a M-16 on death row. I don't know if
they have killed him yet. There are a few others waiting. They have
recently built a Federal death facility, they had been having the
nearest state kill people.

Casady

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:26:34 -0700, wrote:

You can also check out
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/numb...nd-region-1976
and see that as of March this year, a total of 1156 prisoners have been
executed, across the country, since 1976. About 35 executions per year
on average (there were 37 last year). According to DOJ, we have about
3300 death row inmates. That's about 94 years worth at the current
rate, so while there may be other confounding variables that would
affect that 94 year timeframe, it's clear that a death sentence is a
*very lengthy* prison stay, possibly ending in execution, but likely
actually being equivalent to life without parole.

The death penalty may well be much more expensive than LWOP, or it may
be somewhat cheaper, but clearly not by a large margin.

I have the impression that it usually takes about ten years to run
through all the lawyering and kill someone. I understand that in the
UK, when they had the death penalty, in the average murder case, it
took six weeks from the crime to the hanging. Basically if you were
caught killing someone, you would swing in weeks, rather than years.
It took almost exactly three years for Saddam, from capture to death.
[Ain't Google wonderful. of course I couldn't remember]

Casady

In article ,
Richard Casady wrote:

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:52:39 +0200, Marc Heusser
d wrote:

I believe it would be a strong signal for human rights to abolish
capital punishment in the US, as in any other country.

Piracy is Federal, but there never has been much Federal death
penalty. Maybe thirty in 80 years. One hanging in Iowa in 1962, and
McVeigh who bombed that Federal Bldg. There was a soldier who hosed a
formation of marching men with a M-16 on death row. I don't know if
they have killed him yet. There are a few others waiting. They have
recently built a Federal death facility, they had been having the
nearest state kill people.


Still, many states in the US have death penalty:
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/FactSheet.pdf
3300 current inmates, 20 executiony this year up to now, more than half
of it in Texas.

It would help criticise governments such as China, where executions
abound, or islamistic states, if the US decided to abolish death penalty
altogether. There are good arguments against capital punishment in a
democratic state.

Do not get me wrong: In actual danger I'd value a hostage's life higher
than a pirate's anytime - and it is the pirate that provoked this.

I do hope Switzerland decides to send some elite troups to protect ships
as well.

Marc

--
remove bye and from mercial to get valid e-mail
http://www.heusser.com

On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:48:06 +0200, Marc Heusser
d wrote:

I do hope Switzerland decides to send some elite troups to protect ships
as well.

I accused a Vatican guard with a halberd of having a pistol strapped
to his right thigh, inside those shorts, and he said he was left
handed.

Casady

Richard Casady wrote:
On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:48:06 +0200, Marc Heusser
d wrote:

I do hope Switzerland decides to send some elite troups to protect ships
as well.

I accused a Vatican guard with a halberd of having a pistol strapped
to his right thigh, inside those shorts, and he said he was left
handed.

Casady


Hehe...keep 'em coming!

Brian W

Yes, "Major problems with firearms on commercial vessels..."
So what we need is an "ICE REMOVAL DEVICE".
Also know as a flame thrower.

wrote:
Yes, "Major problems with firearms on commercial vessels..."
So what we need is an "ICE REMOVAL DEVICE".
Also know as a flame thrower.
Throw them a lifeline with 20KV attached....