The Death Penalty: Justifiable

The Death Penalty: Justifiable

-Preface: Let it be noted now that this speech is very opinionated.

I strongly believe that the Death Penalty is a form of punishment to be

used when needed. Which opens up the question, when should it be used? That may

be the breaking point in a lot of arguments, deciding when to use the death

penalty is a very touchy subject. I believe that only murderers deserve the

death penalty, but I do not believe that all murderers should receive it as

punishment. In cases where someone was killed in self defense, the 'murderer'

should not receive the death penalty. But when someone is killed in cold blood

then there should be a consideration. Again, not all cold blooded murderers

should receive it. Premeditated and sometimes on the spot murders are also

candidates, but that depends on how the victim was treated before the murder.

Was he/she abused or tormented in a severe way? Or was the victim raped? I would

also take into account, the number of people killed by the murderer. Those are

not the only things to take into account, but I will stop here.

It was August 3, the year was 1986. A man named Esquel Banda had just

raped, stabbed and strangled a 74 year old widow by the name of Merle Laird in

her own house. Banda then sucked the blood from the woman's mouth.

Does that describe a kind, gentle man, who is not a threat to society? A

ma...