Should There Be A National Referendum On Bringing Back Capital Punishment?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ukip-leadership-candidate-would-have-a-referendum-on-capital-punishment_uk_5815becfe4b0672ea688f17f

[mikey4444]

I can find only 1 post that in favour of of a Referendum, and that is from fender, so 99% not in favour then, which is near enough to 100% to please
our more pedantic correspondents !

[naomi24]

Mikey, I'll repeat what I said yesterday - you don't seem to have understood it. Some people have simply answered the question on whether or not there should be a referendum. They haven't given their opinion on whether or not capital punishment should be reintroduced.

[Baldric]

///And back date it to 1900///

What a daft statement given that;

The last executions in the United Kingdom were by hanging, and took place in 1964, prior to capital punishment being abolished for murder (in 1965 in Great Britain and in 1973 in Northern Ireland).
Wiki.
Was there something wrong with the way people were hanged between 1900 and 1964?

[andy-hughes]

Perhaps a supplemental question should be -'Should Capital Punishment Be Re-Introduced?' - although I think we can predict the response on here at least.

[mikey4444]

Baldric...While I have an issue with the issue of "and backdate it to 1990" Timothy Evans was wrongly convicted of murder and hanged in 1950. The court case was a disgrace to justice.

I would say that there was "something definitely wrong with the way he was hanged", wouldn't you ?

[mikey4444]

Overwhelming evidence, on this thread, that there should be no return to the Death Penalty.

[anotheoldgit]

With modern day evidence DNA for example, should those who are found 100% guilty of certain murders, be given the death sentence?

Take Lee Rigby's murderer for example, he was actually caught with Lee's blood on his hands.

[andy-hughes]

Mikey - with reference to your statement that there was something wrong with the way Timothy Evans was hanged - I would extend that to anyone and everyone who has been hanged - they were murdered by the state, there was something wrong with the way every one of them was hanged.

[andy-hughes]

Further to my last post - I am waiting for someone to say "You'd feel different if they had murdered a member of your family!"

Please let me save you and I a post - no, I wouldn't.

[Baldric]

Mikey, the question asked was,
///Should There Be A National Referendum On Bringing Back Capital Punishment?///
If you have a problem with something else why not start another thread, especially as you seem to be in a position to overturn Evans conviction.

[andy-hughes]

AOG - To me the application of the death penalty has parallels with the argument about fox hunting - albeit the circumstances are far more serious -

If you -the generic 'you', not you personally - want to put forward the argument that hunting foxes is a viable way of maintain the fox population, I would say that you are not only wrong, you are using a supposedly valid argument to defend the fact that you like hunting foxes.

The parallel is - if you want to put forward the argument that capital punishment is a criminal deterrent, I would say that you are not only wrong, you are using a supposedly valid argument to defend the fact that you like taking revenge.

[mikey4444]

Andy...I will agree with you there. The Death Penalty is a barbaric method of punishment, and has rightly been consigned to history.

AOG....while there is no doubt in my mind that the person responsible for poor Lee Rigby's murder are indeed guilty, I still don't believe in the Death Penalty. It won't deter anybody else from murdering anyone.

In Rigbys case, we are clearly dealing with two extremist, who wanted to be caught, and no deterrent issue could or would have been effective.

But you asked whether a Referendum should be held about bring back the Death Penalty, or rather you were repeating what a candidate for the Leadership of UKIP was saying, and this thread clearly states that, at least among us here on AB, there is no enthusiasm for its return.

[jim360]

No.

[mikey4444]

Baldric...I have addressed the question in the OP quite clearly, and the answer on here appears to be a resounding NO.

You asked the following question ::

"Was there something wrong with the way people were hanged between 1900 and 1964? "

I was replying to your post as to the 1900 bit, and thought it germane to this thread to point out the great injustice done to Timothy Evans.

So I am unsure why you are having a go at me for replying to your question !

[Baldric]

Nothing to do with this thread (Referendum) at all Mikey.

[mikey4444]

Yes it is Baldric....I was replying to your post of 09:12.

If you didn't want anybody to address your post, you should have made that clear !

[Baldric]

If you chose to misinterpret my question for whatever reason that is up to you, Evans has nothing to do with a referendum.

[mikey4444]

Baldric....your question needed no interpretation :::::

" Was there something wrong with the way people were hanged between 1900 and 1964? "

Its quite clear, and Andy and I have addressed it. I repeat, if you don't want an answer, don't ask a question !

[Baldric]

Mikey,
AH @ 09:48 responded to your answer and did not address my question and then went on to talk about Fox Hunting

[anotheoldgit]

Mikey4444

/// It won't deter anybody else from murdering anyone. ///

You are completely missing the point, also using the usual 'Anti-Capital Punishment' excuse, this is not about deterring anybody else from murdering anyone, but what is is about is removing those who have taken another's life, from carrying on with theirs.

For example, if a savage dog kills a small child, it is not put down to deter other dogs from committing the same deed, it is put down so it does not repeat it's savage action.