DEATH PENALTY JOLIEN VERBRUGGEN JEF VERCAMMEN

Death Penalty  Definition  Examples »Jesus (33), Joan Of Arc (1431), »Che Guevarra (1967), Timothy McVeigh (2001), Saddam Hussein (2006)  Movies »The Green Mile »The Life Of David Gale »Dead Man Walking  Books »Charles Dickens (A Tale Of Two Cities) »Victor Hugo (The Last Day Of A Condemned Man)

Death Penalty in USA  Sanctioned by 37 of the 50 states  By the federal government and the military  Different laws  No executions under the age of 18  Controversial issue  1098 executions since the reinstatement in 1976  67% overturned  7% of the overturned sentences have been acquitted

Death Penalty in UK  1st method introduced: 5th Century »Hanging by the neck  : England and Wales »35,000 death sentences »7,000 carried out  Abolished for murder in 1965  On statute book until 1998 »Treason »Espionage »Piracy with violence

Death Penalty in UK  After abolition for murder »Parliament free vote restoration of capital punishment. »Always defeated  Last woman executed: »Ruth Ellis (July 13th 1955)  Last executions: 1964 »Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans »Murder of John Alan West

In the rest of the world  After World War II »A lot of countries abolish death penalty  Comparison »1977: 16 countries were abolitionist »Currently: countries are abolitionist  64 countries retain death penalty  Where? »Especially in Asia (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, etc.) »Africa »Middle East  European Union »Against Death Penalty

Death Penalty in the world

Methods of execution  Decapitation/Beheading »What? Removal of living organism’s head »Axe, sword, knife, wire »Honourable death »Relatively painless  Electrocution »What? Electrodes placed on the body »US and Philippines »1886 »New, more human way to replace hanging »1889: AC Electric Chair

Methods of execution  Firing Squad »Times of war »Blindfoolded/hooded + restrained »All members: fire simultaneously No interruption of procees No identification of lethal shot  Gas Chamber »Poisonous or asphyxiant gas Carbon Monoxide Carbon Dioxide Hydrogen Cyanide »1920s US »Holocaust  Genocide Program

Methods of execution  Hanging »1st method of execution in UK »Lethal suspension of a person by a ligature »Different methods  Lethal Injection »Injecting a fatal doses of poisonous drugs »More human  20th century »Method Induce rapid unconsciousness Paralysis of respiratory muscles Induce cardiac arrest through depolarization of cardiac muscle cells  Other

PRO Death Penalty  The death penalty frightens potential criminals  The cost for society is less  Chance for convict to regain freedom after good behaviour  You prevent that this criminal restarts his crimes  Executions these days are more ‘human’ then ever.  An eye for an eye.

AGAINST Death Penalty  Irreversible: some convicts are innocent  Racist  Death penalty does not deter crime  Prevents the opportunity for rehabilitation, repair, redemption, & restoration  The person who does the execution is also a murderer

Discussion  Do you think death penalty scares people of committing a serious crime?  What do you think is the worst punishment: life imprisonment or capital punishment? Why?  Why should someone’s life be ended, when they can also get life imprisonment?  On the other hand, you can also think: how can the convict be punished when he/she is dead?  There are people who commit (little) crimes to get in prison. Do think that prisons are getting more and more free hotels.

Discussion  Sometimes people are also influenced by their social environment, do you think the judge and jury should take that in account when reaching its verdict?  Some states in the USA brought back the death penalty as a solution for the overpopulated prisons. Do you think that’s a good idea and why (not)? If you are against it, what would be a good alternative to solve the problem?  This one is for the people who support the death penalty! For which crimes would you prosecute someone to the death penalty?

Discussion  Is the murderer who gives the lethal injection also a murderer or not? Why?  A lot of people found it horrible when Saddam Hussein got hung up. Some even had mercy with him when they saw the pictures of his dead. What do you think of the case? Keep in mind that Saddam was responsible for the dead of thousands of Iraqis.

Thank you