Argumentative Essay: Guilty Or Innocent

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In 2004, Cameron Todd Willingham was executed for the purported killing of his three daughters by intentionally setting fire to their house, in the state of Texas. Now, years after his execution, further investigation has been done, which proves that Mr. Willingham is innocent (Cameron). There have been many cases like this throughout history, where the person accused of a crime is executed and later proven innocent, or they are found innocent while serving their time on death row. Those who support the death penalty, believe that death is the best way of making a criminal suffer for their crimes. Although, death only puts an end to the misery they may feel, and the only suffering they would have for such a sentence would be the looming thought …show more content…

A study done by Michael L. Radelet says that we can never truly be one hundred percent certain of one’s innocence or guilt, even though to be accused of a crime the jury must be sure “beyond a reasonable doubt,” does not mean that there is still no doubt in the matter. Radelet gives an example of this by saying that because the probability of error is multiplicative, if we were to take one hundred inmates and execute them upon the notion of being at least ninety-five percent confident of their guilt, then we are leaving a five percent gap for error to occur. We would be willing to execute at least five innocent people on the chance that they all may be guilty (Radelet). Does society truly believe that it is worth the risk of taking an innocent person’s life just to make someone suffer, especially when we consider the essence of life so sacred and dear? There is a simple way to avoid this availing concern; sentence all those who are now deserving of capital punishment to a lifetime of prison without the possibility of parole. Prison is in no way a pleasant place to spend your time, and is an adequate punishment for those who commit murder. Today we have very high-security containment facilities for criminals. We can punish them without having to worry about whether or not an innocent person is being executed or if the act of execution opposes the constitution and a person’s right to

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