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SwadianZunist t1_j917ali wrote

Reply to comment by affenage in Pennsylvania lawmaker to introduce legislation repealing death penalty by Waterwebgrasshopper

If you rely on life-in-prison being cheaper as the reason why the death penalty is wrong, then they’ll just try to make the death penalty cheaper in order to justify using it more.

I don’t trust the state with the power to execute it’s own citizens. We’ve all seen what can go wrong when they have that power. That’s why I think the death penalty is wrong.

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cpr4life8 t1_j91lgpu wrote

That's not the only reason, it's just one of them because so many people who are pro death penalty think that it's more expensive to imprison someone for life than to execute them.

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SwadianZunist t1_j91rh9z wrote

That’s fair. I just think that people rely too heavily on the “life-in-prison is cheaper” argument. I can understand leading with that argument, but you shouldn’t end it there.

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cpr4life8 t1_j91sbz2 wrote

I think a lot of that stems from the uninformed who think it's cheaper to execute than to imprison for life. Some of those uninformed will then go on to argue that the appeals process should be changed so the state can expedite murder of a citizen. And they willfully ignore the fact that many who were wrongfully convicted no longer have the chance to appeal because the state killed them. Sometimes due to a technicality in which new evidence is still ignored.

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B-Eze t1_j91wn62 wrote

What if it is more of a spacial reason. Who wants another prison in their area. How many more trees are we going to cut down?

One could argue in making our current prisons taller on the same foot print for increased space.

What if death is what the victim/family feel is justice. If you murdered my child in your rape/homicide spree, I would want you dead. I would personally like to make that happen but that isn't what a civilized society does. We let the court system decide and administer the humane, expensive, 3 round shot series if sentenced to death.

If I remember correctly no one has been sentenced to death in PA since the 70's?

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cpr4life8 t1_j91xya3 wrote

What if we make more room for people who truly should in prison by setting free people who are there for minor offenses like marijuana possession? Then we don't have to build new ones.

Before Trump there had been no federal executions for 17 years. All it takes is the "right" person in office to crank up that death machine again. 1999 was the last execution in PA.

And last time I checked, I don't believe our legal system allows victims of a crime to decide the punishment - nor should it.

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B-Eze t1_j9233ao wrote

I agree with more room by releasing minor offenses, a lot of places do this right now.

I was speaking on state executions which I believe was in the 70's, I could be wrong but PA hasn't sentenced anyone to death in a long time. Edit I just reread your comment, 1999 got it ty for the update.

Our legal system does not allow the victims to determine. We live in a civilized society as I said, the judge determines the sentences after the accused is judged by 12 of their peers.

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cpr4life8 t1_j923vez wrote

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_M._Heidnik

There have been 3 executions by the state of PA since 1976. All were in the 90s during the Tom Ridge administration.

I'm glad we can agree that there are many imprison who don't belong there. Now if only prisons weren't operated for profit that might not be as big an issue as it is.

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B-Eze t1_j925io7 wrote

Ty for the sauce.

That is the biggest problem, the privatized prisons.

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affenage t1_j9214bv wrote

Personally, I am not relying on this, nor suggesting it as a reason. I simply wanted to record those facts for use to dispel others who come back to you and say “but I don’t want my taxes paying to support the person in prison for life”. Personally I don’t want my taxes paying to murder anyone, so that is why I am against the death penalty. It is state sanctioned murder.

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LadyBugTango t1_j9a9rpg wrote

The death penalty is wrong in my opinion. And I agree with you. But what is also wrong is letting inmates out of prison before their sentence is up. One of your guys law makers is a all for letting inmates out early who are not reformed. If you're gonna do away with death penalty, then keep inmates in prison til their sentence is over. I work in a prison and am not from there, but my family is and I follow your guys news daily.

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