Capital Punishment

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Recommended: Controversy surrounding capital punishment

Capital Punishment in Dead Man Walking “This is not a nice man … innocent is not a word that suits him in any way,” says Brian Webster when speaking of Matthew Poncelet, the man on death row in the movie Dead Man Walking. Many people feel that the death penalty is immoral and it should not be used; however I feel completely opposite. I believe that capital punishment is a fair sentence for a murderer to receive. In the movie Dead Man Walking, the main character Matthew Poncelet, is on death row waiting for the lethal injection that will soon put him to death for good. Dead Man Walking shows the audience what life is like for a man on death row, who was sentenced for the murder of two young adults. I feel that the movie does not support the death penalty and it tries to show that a person can be redeemed for his actions and therefore should not be put to death. “The film definitely has its opinion on the death penalty, it is against it” (Williams). Even though I support the death penalty, I still feel that the movie accurately described what life on death row was like for Matthew Poncelet. At the beginning of the movie Matthew Poncelet had no respect for life and death, he had never really thought about the life he was taking away from the two young adults. However, he transforms from a murderer to an actually human being, thinking logically as his life and the movie come to an end. For each of us, death is a subject that not only fascinates, but creates fear in our hearts as well. Death is something we avoid in our minds with the hope that it will not touch us. As a society we all fear death; especially in violent cases, which occur naturally and arise through the unusual forces in our society. When such an event takes place we want revenge. In Dead Man Walking, the parents of the murdered girl are left with so much anger that they verbally attack Sister Helen Prejean, when they find out she is still on Matthew Poncelet’s side. "Ain't nobody with money on death row,” said James Berardinelli when speaking about the possibility ... ... middle of paper ... ...hould need to know more. The argument of justice is so strong and decisive that this one argument is enough to introduce the death penalty (Anderson 26).” The movie Dead Man Walking portrays the life of a man living on death row. However, I disagree with some of the concepts the movie presents. I believe that the death penalty has great advantages in which the movie disagrees with. All in all the death penalty eliminates the harmful people in our world and saves the innocent. Works Cited Anderson, David. “The Death Penalty.” 24 April 2004. . Berardinelli, James. “Review: Dead Man Walking.” 24 April 2004. . Edwards, ed. “Supporters Grapple with new Doubt.” Minneapolis Star Tribune 31 May 1999. Halperin, Rick. “A Chance Reprieve, and Another Chance at Life.” 29 June 2002. 24 April 2004. . Jones ed. “Letters To the Editor for the Death Penalty.” International Herald Tribune 25 April 200. Rhodes, Steve. “Dead Man Walking.” 24 April 2004. 1996. . Webster, Brian. “Apollo Movie Guide’s Review of Dead Man Walking.” 24 April 2004. 1995. http://www.apolloguide.com/mov_fullrev.asp?CID=1890&Specific=1710>. Williams, Madeleine. “Dead Man Walking.” 24 April 2004. .

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