Did anybody see this on channel 4 last night? I have to admit it affected me more than I thought it would. Incase you missed it, it was a docudrama set in "an imaginary Britain" where the death sentence had been brought back. Paul Gadd upon entering the country after being refused entry to Thailand, was only made aware of this new law after his defence lawyer told him. He goes to trial charged with the intentional rape and torture of several little girls in Vietnam. The jury find him guilty, and are then asked in lieu with the new untested law to decide wether or not he deserves sentencing or to be put to death. They vote death.
Theres a 30 day appeal period in which the courts can postpone or cancel the execution, to avoid America's long and drawn out system of appeal that can last for years. Paul Gadd appealed, and his status as a condemned man was affirmed. He was hung.

I was fearful that they were going to transform it into some fantastical jeering justice porn for the public. However I was to find the whole thing was an intelligent, subjective and open to perspective. I normally don't allow telly to sway on opinion on much but i've got to put my hand up and confess that after watching this i'm no longer in favor of execution. I used to be all for it. I was of the opinion that if you violate another human beings right you totally forgo your own. To some degree I still believe in that. I believe in substantial sentence, and a harsher and solitary life for prisoners with only the basics to live. But I can no longer justify systematically killing another human being in my mind.

I'm sorry for coming off as a sappy liberal, please don't mistake me for one. What rapists and pedophiles do is inexcusable and deserves punishment. We live in a society where real justice seems so distant that I think we are all slightly guilty of romanticizing the idea of execution. I think that we forget what that actually entails. If I was in a jury and was asked to decide wether a guilty person should live or die, regardless of how abhorrent their crime, I couldn't bring myself to choose death. I'd feel like a murderer, and i'm not sure if I could live with that. At the same time I can't justifiably take the moral high ground because i've never been the victim of abuse, or none of my family and close friends, i'd almost certainly want to kill them myself. Thats human instinct and rage kicking in. What I worry about is a government that legally and systematically supports the killing people. I think executing even the most vile human beings is a step down a very dark path.

So feel free to agree or disagree with me, I can certainly understand why people want to bring capital punishment back. Our current system of punishing criminals os woeful and unforgivable. Until recently I would of been all for the swift and immediate hanging of the bastard. Now i'm not so sure.

I saw some bits of it. Can see what your saying about the death penalty but I think for crimes of his ilk it's a just punishment. Nothing appeals about leaving pervy old men rotting away in jail who might one day get out. For the young people who suffer at their hands I would imagine it brings closure, rather than worrying if they are going to be released to do it again.

I'm very much against the death penalty because the system, like all human systems, is fallible. I also don't think it acts as much of a deterrent for many crimes.

However, like Belly, I think that a custodial sentence should be much harsher; a return to the 'bread and water', menial labour style. Prisoners shouldn't be ill-treated but their lives should be pretty hard.

It may not be a deterrent but surely it stops re-offending ?

As a general rule i'm not up for capital punishment but for any kind of serious child abuse sexual or otherwise I think I could be swayed.
Murderers, I'm not too bothered about.

you don't hang draw and quarter with a horse . . . .

Hanging, drawing and quartering 101

1) Hang victim by neck until nearly dead
2) Cut him down and cut off/out vital bits like genetalia, organs etc and set fire to them infront of still vaguely conscious victim.
3) When (mostly) dead hack into 4 easy to carry pieces so it is easier to put on a spike

the thing with wild horses is a bit more like "Being pulled apart by wild horses"
(although I can't see how you get 4 wild horses to stand close together so that you can tie someone between them)

Saw the last five minutes. It was very Channel Four.

And therefore, it can fuck right off.

did Davina make an appearance? "who goes, and how? YOU decide. vote now!".

Didnt see it, though Washington DC sniper was executed the other day, lethal injection. Do believe it was shown on american TV the way some of the reports read on it.


Society teaches us through out our lives that 2 wrongs dont make a right.
Fortunately i don't think any of us are in a situation where they can answer this, but does the death sentence actually bring any closure to the family/victims? Sure it may be nice knowing has been killed initially but that can't change what has already happened.