By Robin Lee

*WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER?

It is the premeditated killing of a human being. To wit – a murder.

*WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?

It is the scheduled execution of a human being by the government. To wit – a murder.

I am confused. Aren’t these two definitions basically the same? The difference is the first one is an illegal act according to the law. The second one is a legal act under the law. How can this be? Who made these laws? Who upholds these laws? That is simple – the people of the United States of America. A civilized country; a country where people are proud to live; a country who takes care of its own; a country that still puts its people to death and is proud of it! A country that cheers at its executions.

This just doesn’t make any sense. How can the same group of citizens say murder is wrong but executions are right? In their eyes it just depends on who is doing the killing. I say they are both wrong! Capital punishment needs to be abolished. It is not a safe method of punishment. It is a cruel and unusual form of punishment. Since the death penalty was re-instated in 1976, over 80 individuals have been exonerated and released from death rows all over the USA

Illinois, alone, has released more men from death row than it has executed. Thus, a moratorium was issued on executions until a study of the system, in that State, could be completed. Other states need to follow suit! Capital punishment is administered unfairly. If you happened to live in a large county, in your state then the chances of you receiving the death penalty is higher than if you live in a county that doesn’t have the resources for a capital trial. With the Public Defender you aren’t going to have expert testimony and related tests due to the lack of funds in their budget. However, the prosecution has all of the states resources at their disposal.The USA is still one of the few countries left that executes individuals who are minors at the time of their alleged crime.

Innocent people end up on death row because the prosecution, also possibly the judge and police, have an agenda of its own. The state wants another feather in its hat come election time. Because of society’s rush to judgement, innocent people may be executed. Some say that this would never happen – how do they know? DNA testing wasn’t available a few years ago to help determine innocence. I hear all the time – an eye for an eye. You certainly know that a Christian didn’t say that because s/he would know that was in Old Testament times. We are now in New Testament times! The death penalty does not deter crime. The death penalty does not make our streets safer. How can the USA speak about human rights, in this country as well as all over the world, when it still violates a human being by taking their life from them? How can we expect other countries to respect us when we kill people to teach them not to kill? What did Jesus say at the cross when He was being executed? ‘Forgive them Father because they know not what they do.” I have to agree that any society doesn’t know what it is doing when it kills a human being. Murder is wrong, no matter who does it. The killing must stop now!!