Capital Punishment and the US Constitution

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Cruel: Disposed to inflict pain or suffering.

"the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment there is."

The United States are in a list of nations, mostly from parts of Africa, or Asia that still use the death penalty, the only 'western' nation to still have it. Isn't it about time America joins this list?
Since January 1990 Amnesty International has documented 35 executions of child offenders in eight countries� the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the USA, China and Yemen. The USA carried out 19 executions � more than all other countries combined.

"If we execute murderers and there is in fact no deterrent effect, we have killed a bunch of murderers. If we fail to execute murderers, and doing so would in fact have deterred other murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims. I would much rather risk the former. This, to me, is not a tough call."
-John McAdams - Marquette University/Department of Political Science, on deterrence

But I guess better safe then sorry? Is this the attitude of most? What if an innocent person is put to death, is that only a small price to pay, a means to the end? Doesn't it also violate the right to life part of life, liberty and persuit of happiness? When you see the list of countries that have and don't have the death penalty, the United States seems out of place.

The three drugs used are in order they are used:
Sodium thiopental (Anesthetic)-> Pancuronium bromide (Paralyzing agent) -> Potassium chloride (Toxic agent)

It is generaly assumed that because there is no violent reaction, that it is painless. But with our the Paralyzing agent leathal injection would induce a much more violent, and scary reaction.

I'm a firm believer in the death penalty and also a firm believer that we don't use the death penalty nearly enough than we should. We should have harsher penalties than lethal injection. We need to put the fear into people whoi wish to do wrong.

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