New Jersey legislature votes to end death penalty

New Jersey legislature votes to end death penalty

www.nationalpost.com

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey on Thursday became the first U.S. state to legislatively abolish the death penalty since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976.

Lawmakers in the Democrat-controlled State Assembly voted 44-36 in favor of a bill to scrap the death penalty and substitute it with life in prison without the possibility of parole for those found guilty of the most serious crimes.

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I welcome the move in New Jersey.

Death penalty solves nothing and only becomes apart of the problem. Do I believe this will spread across the whole of America? I doubt it.

From what I've read, the South executes the most within the United States, so I doubt Southern States would abolish capital punishment.

www.nationalpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by infinite


Don't be too quick to judge the south. Here in North Carolina we might surprise you.

My feelings about New Jersey's decision are mixed. After opposing the death penalty for most of my adult life, I realized I could live with it in the cases of the worst, most gruesome crimes. I didn't cry when Ted Bundy was executed. There are some times when nothing less than death seems appropriate or fitting. But those cases are rare. There have been many instances when I felt life without parole would be sufficient--it is still a very severe sentence.

I have been told that some prisoners would actually prefer execution to life in prison without parole. In those cases I think the convict should be able to choose.

Overall, I guess I'm with the majority of New Jersey residents who were polled.

[edit on 14-12-2007 by Sestias]

Surprisingly enough I think this is a good move and I hope other states follow. I've changed my opinion recently about state sentenced death penalty. I can't trust government for much of anything anymore. Lock 'em up and throw away the key. I wouldn't give them a choice. They didn't give their victim one.

However I'll still cheer on some good old fashioned homegrown justice. Someone get caught raping a kid? No questions whatsoever? No need to call the cops just yet.

[edit on 14-12-2007 by apc]

reply to post by infinite


why have state punishment
just shoot the buggers in the back and be called a Local hero