Innocents Executed

[Bro. Curtis]

I didn't see the woman in Texas as innocent. Are we to excuse everyone who claims Christ as his savior ? That kinda opens the door for abuse, I think. I'm glad she was saved, if she was indeed, but support the sentence.

The other two, England & Canada, I would need to know how long they sat, how many appeals, y'know, legal stuff. A link or two wouldn't hurt.

 

[Jim1999]

If my word isn't sufficient on the Canadian and English case, then further evidence will be taken as a lie as well..Good bye

Jim

 

[Dragoon68]

"... no way to tell ..."

On the other hand, there is probably plenty of ways to tell how many innocent victims of guilty murders, rapists, and other violent criminals never see justice served.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

If my word isn't sufficient on the Canadian and English case, then further evidence will be taken as a lie as well..Good bye

Jim

Awful thin skin there, mate. I'd like to know the specifics of each case. If you aren't willing to provide them, and the specifics you do give are "the young lad", and "a 17 year old lassie", well, as a cynic, it's really hard to find agreement with you.

 

[Jim1999]

The Canadian lads name is Stephen Truscot,,,,,,,Lots of news if you check it out. I can't remember the English lads name,,just check out the last execution in England.

There are plenty more, but who cares. They are dead, and America is waking up and will soon join the rest of the free world and humanity.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[LadyEagle]

Thanks for the insult.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

America is waking up and will soon join the rest of the free world and humanity.

I hope you are right brother. I sincerely hope so.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

When the rest of the world stops calling on us to fix their foreign policy blunders, I'll say THEY have woken up. It looks to me the rest of the world, along with several secular Americans ,are getting ready to follow the AntiChrist right straight into hell. Why would I care what they think ?

Jim, we don't sentence 14 year olds to death. I don't know the last minor we executed, but I would guess it's been at least 45 years ago.

I'll look up the other one, but I don't suppose my mind will change.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Jim, we don't sentence 14 year olds to death. I don't know the last minor we executed, but I would guess it's been at least 45 years ago.

From an article in 2000. Could have been more since it was written:

• Since 1985, the U.S. has executed more juvenile offenders than all other countries combined.
• In 1997, juvenile homicides were the lowest in the decade but still 21 percent above the average of the 1980s.
• Douglas Christopher Thomas carried a loaded shotgun to his victims' bedroom and shot them. His girlfriend's parents' still managed to struggle to their daughter's bedroom, where either he or his girlfriend-that's under dispute-fired a second shot that killed the mother.
• Steve E. Roach, executed recently by lethal injection in Virginia, robbed and murdered a 70-year-old woman in Stanardsville, Va., when he was 17.
• Americans have expressed a steadily increasing support for the death penalty. In 1965, a Harris poll reported that only 38 percent of Americans supported capital punishment; 47 percent opposed it. Today, 71 percent favor it; 21 percent oppose it.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Fair enough. But let me take two statements from your source.....

Recent declines in homicide rates among minors indicate that the threat of execution makes potential offenders think twice.

In 1965, a Harris poll reported that only 38 percent of Americans supported capital punishment; 47 percent opposed it. Today, 71 percent favor it; 21 percent oppose it.



I see you made my second point already. Sorry.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Steve Roach spent over 6 years on death row. Plenty of time to appeal & prove innocence.

Douglas Christopher Thomas was over 9 years waiting.

His girlfriend should have gotten life without parole.

 

[Mexdeaf]

From an article in 2000. Could have been more since it was written:

• Since 1985, the U.S. has executed more juvenile offenders than all other countries combined.
• In 1997, juvenile homicides were the lowest in the decade but still 21 percent above the average of the 1980s.
• Douglas Christopher Thomas carried a loaded shotgun to his victims' bedroom and shot them. His girlfriend's parents' still managed to struggle to their daughter's bedroom, where either he or his girlfriend-that's under dispute-fired a second shot that killed the mother.
• Steve E. Roach, executed recently by lethal injection in Virginia, robbed and murdered a 70-year-old woman in Stanardsville, Va., when he was 17.
• Americans have expressed a steadily increasing support for the death penalty. In 1965, a Harris poll reported that only 38 percent of Americans supported capital punishment; 47 percent opposed it. Today, 71 percent favor it; 21 percent oppose it.

As I trust we all know, chronological age is a general measure. Some "kids" at 17 are mature in the right way beyond their years. Some are mature the wrong way beyond their years. Some are immature far below their chronological age.

I don't blame the government for enforcing the death penalty. I DO blame weak parenting and a liberal society for creating a situation in which we have children who grow up with no moral compass.

I was not raised in a Christian home, but my parents were moral people. We did attend a liberal church on Sundays, and I learned enough moral lessons to know that killing, stealing, lying, etc. were wrong.

Unfortunately, most parents today either willingly or unwittingly teach their kids that there are no limits, life is a b...., there is no god, we're all going to die and rot anyway so we might as well do whatever we want to do.

The problem is not the enforcement of God's law (death penalty) but rather a lack of it.

 

[JustChristian]

As I trust we all know, chronological age is a general measure. Some "kids" at 17 are mature in the right way beyond their years. Some are mature the wrong way beyond their years. Some are immature far below their chronological age.

I don't blame the government for enforcing the death penalty. I DO blame weak parenting and a liberal society for creating a situation in which we have children who grow up with no moral compass.

I was not raised in a Christian home, but my parents were moral people. We did attend a liberal church on Sundays, and I learned enough moral lessons to know that killing, stealing, lying, etc. were wrong.

Unfortunately, most parents today either willingly or unwittingly teach their kids that there are no limits, life is a b...., there is no god, we're all going to die and rot anyway so we might as well do whatever we want to do.

The problem is not the enforcement of God's law (death penalty) but rather a lack of it.

Where does the Bible say that the death penalty is God's law, especially in the New Testament?

 

[Mexdeaf]

Where does the Bible say that the death penalty is God's law, especially in the New Testament?

You would disagree that God ever instituted a death penalty? You have to gloss over large portions of the OT to miss that. I suppose that Israel was wrong to kill all of the people that resided in the lands that they conquered in Canaan?

 

[Magnetic Poles]

While it wasn't a capital case, this shows the fact that the criminal justice system makes mistakes. Sad mistakes. CLICK HERE

 

[windcatcher]

Where does the Bible say that the death penalty is God's law, especially in the New Testament?

The Bible only has to state something once: What is different between the OT and the NT? God's Word never changes. His word is established forever! And it is not by the law that any of us are saved. We are all judged guilty by it ....... desserving of the death penalty. There is none righteous....no not one!...... If it were not for the substitutionary death of our LORD and Savior, none could ever hope to stand before the LORD in the hereafter.

I do think that any person who sits on death row, having discovered on his behalf that there is a reasonable proof that he is innocent, should have his case reopened and reexamined: The failure of any party exposed to this doubt of guilt and having power to do something about it.... be it a judge, a prosecutor, a governor who is required to sign the warant......or any other....... will bear the burden of their decision, if not in this life, then in the life to come. Any person who sits on a jury and makes this judgement without full conviction of certainty regarding the guilt.... also bears responsibility before God for his decisions and vote.

For this reason, I do truely believe that more is made of the possibilities that innocents are unjustly executed than actually occur. Is it tragic that some may be executed who are innocent......Yes! Do I wish for that to happen..... No. Do I think it happens with enough frequency to justify removing capital punishment from the possible outcome for the most heidious crimes? No. Do I think it stops crime? No....... but I do believe it is a deterrant..... but whether it is or not.... a person who justly sits on death row without chance of parole.... is not loose to commit other crimes. He does have opportunity which was not afforded the victim(s) of the crime for which he's convicted........that is, he has time, many times plenty of time to contemplate his own mortality and what brought him to this place in life..... and choices available.... to honor God and believe on his Son..... before he faces death: In the meantime, his incarceration may limit his freedom of expression in society..... but he is fed, and receives medical care.... and is treated as a human being: Life of a death row inmate is more humane than that which most if not all of them afforded to their victims.....in other words.... because they are human, society cares and governs their welfare with concern and value respecting life.....even though they may not desserve it. It is not a casual act by a civil society, but a necessary one to protect society and insure that certain crimes result in a finality preventing a repeat.

 

[Marcia]

Amazing that Christians think an occasional innocent person getting executed is just fine. I guess unless you or a loved one are the person being killed, it doesn't matter. Love thy neighbor? Indeed!

No one said this as far as I know. This is just a personal attack.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

You would disagree that God ever instituted a death penalty? You have to gloss over large portions of the OT to miss that. I suppose that Israel was wrong to kill all of the people that resided in the lands that they conquered in Canaan?

Aren't these apples and oranges Mexdeaf? Does God ever command nations to execute individuals for criminal offences? Should we adopt the same capital punishment policy as Israel instituted under the law?

I still tend to support limited capital punishment, but have a lot of questions that I am working through.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

No one said this as far as I know. This is just a personal attack.

Really? Who did I allegedly attack? Personal requires a person.

 

[Mexdeaf]

Aren't these apples and oranges Mexdeaf? Does God ever command nations to execute individuals for criminal offences? Should we adopt the same capital punishment policy as Israel instituted under the law?

I still tend to support limited capital punishment, but have a lot of questions that I am working through.

C4K, I don't think it is 'apples and oranges' at all. Time does not permit me to make a fuller response today or tomorrow but Monday I will try to explain my reasoning.