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Ending Executions

Bryan Stevenson once said, “The death penalty is not about whether people deserve to

die for the crimes they commit. The real question of capital punishment in this country is, do we

deserve to kill?” The death penalty is a cruel punishment used against criminals in America to

instill justice among society. It is seen as a suitable form of justice when dealing with America’s

most depraved. But these criminals are still human and no person possesses the authority to end

their life. Capital punishment should be abolished within the United States because it is immoral

and no human being or government system has the right to take someone’s life.

Understanding what capital punishment is and its historical beginnings helps bring light

to the controversy of the topic and why it should be opposed. Robert Hoag defines capital

punishment as, “A standardized practice contrived to result in deliberately executing persons in

response to actual or supposed misconduct.” The death penalty is only executed once a

government sanctioned trial has taken place. It is a rule-governed system of modern states and

legal systems to control criminal behavior and actions. Early accounts of capital punishment go

as far back as 18th century b.c. The first instituted death penalty laws were made in 18th century

b.c. and was called the Code of King Hammurabi. It was a set of laws from Babylon that

contained a set of fines and punishments to meet the requirements of justice. In the United States,

the first recorded execution had occurred in 1608. This was one year after the first English

settlement had been established (Early History of Death Penalty).

The resistance towards capital punishment had early beginnings in colonial America.

Issues with the death penalty arose in the US during the capital punishment abolitionist

movement in the late 1700s. Italian criminologist Cesare Beccaria’s 1767 essay on crimes and

punishment had one of the largest impacts on the movement. In this essay, Beccaria had
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proposed that the state had no justification for taking a life (The Abolitionist Movement). The

first official reform attempts for the death penalty occurred when Thomas Jefferson proposed his

revision bill. This bill aimed to reduce widespread and indiscriminate use of capital punishment

which had been common under colonial law (The Abolitionist Movement). In colonial America

the most common form of execution was public hanging. Today however, the most common

form of execution is by lethal injection. Death by lethal injection came to be accepted as a more

humane way of killing (Lethal Injection). Over time more and more states have abolished capital

punishment. As of 2021, capital punishment is currently authorized in 27 states, by the federal

government and the US military (States and Capital Punishment).

The death penalty today is a very controversial topic with lots of differing opinions on the

morality of such and extreme punishment. As of 2021 capital punishment is legal in 27 US

states. 22 people were executed in 2019, the US government and military have 59 people

awaiting execution as of July 2020. Capital Punishment has been a source of controversy since

the 1800s. Arguments in support of Capital punishment is often justified by saying it deters

crime and is a valid form of retribution. Arguments opposing state that it is, “cruel and

unnecessary,” doesn’t deter crime, and is discriminatory towards minorities and the poor.

The argument of whether or not Capital punishment itself or simply particular methods

utilized in executions are inhumane has become a heated topic. In the case of Gregg v. Georgia,

1976, the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty does not violate the 8th Amendment which

rules against cruel and unusual punishment. Furthermore, in 2008 lethal injection was deemed

humane by the Supreme Court (So Long as They Die). Lethal injection has come to be seen as

more humane when compared to other execution methods such as electrocution, lethal gas, or

hanging. This method is seen as painless so overtime it has gained public approval (So Long as
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They Die). Lethal injection is seen as less cruel than a life sentence without parole. People placed

on death row have their cases more thoroughly investigated than those sentenced to life without

parole. Life without parole is still see as a death sentence only drawn out longer (Dole, Joseph).

To argue the claim that lethal injection is a humane form of execution, botched

executions should be mentioned as a con to this method. In the United States, lethal injection has

the highest rate of executions that have been botched. In the last 120 years 75 (7.2%) of lethal

injections were botched. In some cases prisoners were subject to extreme pain from the injection

(Siegelbaum, Debbie). 3% of executions from 1890 to 2010 failed (276 failed). Botched

executions can result in a prolonged or painful death (Botched Executions). An example of a

failed execution: In 2014, a prisoner named Joseph Rudolph Wood III suffered one of the longest

executions in US history. Executioners in Arizona began injecting lethal drugs into Wood’s veins

at 1:57 p.m. His death was not announced until almost two hours later at 3:49 p.m. A reporter

who witnessed the execution said that Wood gasped 660 times before he died. Another reporter

stated Wood looked “like a fish on shore gulping for air” (Crair, Ben). Capital punishment in

itself is a violation of human rights. In multiple cases you can see how racial class bias can affect

the death penalty. Capital punishment is applied largely to minorities and poor who receive

inadequate representation in our judicial system (The Death Penalty – Your Questions

Answered). In criminal court cases white victims account for about one half of all murder

victims, 80% of all Capital cases involve white victims. As of 2002, 12 people were executed

where the victim was black, and 178 were executed where the victim was white (Race and the

Death Penalty). Every human has a right to life. Living is the most basic human right. Capital

punishment is a “inhumane, degrading punishment” (Goodman, Paul).

People argue about whether or not capital punishment in itself is immoral or not. Those

who justify its morality make the argument in favor of retribution. Those who believe in

retribution say, “all guilty people deserve to be punished.” People who are pro-death penalty also

believe the guilty should be punished in proportion to the severity of their crime (The Moral

Argument for the Death Penalty). It is thought that simply the threat of the death penalty can

deter crime (Regoli, Natalie). It is also believed that capital punishment will stop criminals from

reoffending (Miller, Keith).

The death penalty diminishes the value of life. Every life holds value and capital

punishment completely diminishes that value. Even a person who has committed a heinous crime

such as murder has a right to live (Miller, Keith). By taking away someone’s life you take away

their ability to rehabilitate and better themselves (Regoli, Natalie). After execution a person loses

their chance to repent or make amends. In the American justice system there is always a

possibility that an innocent citizen may be found guilty so we as a country risk executing people

who have done nothing wrong. Capital punishment is an irreversible act of violence. Humans in

our legal systems can and will make mistakes so innocent people are at risk of dying. Since

1973, 130 people sentenced to death have been found innocent while awaiting execution (Regoli,

Natalie). America’s justice system is flawed. In trials witnesses can lie to indict smeone which

disrupts the balance of law and order. When working through cases, court officials can overlook

important evidence. There are too many opportunities for mistakes when putting someone on

death row so those chances should be eliminated all-together.

When taking a religious stance on capital punishment there are still conflicting opinions.

Some Christians believe the death penalty, “Maintains order and protection in society.” In the

Bible there are many instances when the death penalty was used as punishment for various
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crimes (Crime and Punishment). Some Christians believe that because it is in the Bible that

makes it acceptable and see it as retribution. Some churches have even defended the use of the

death penalty. The Church of England’s Article 37 of its 39 Articles says, “the laws of the Realm

may punish Christian men with death, for heinous and grievous crimes.” The Catholic priest, St

Thomas Aquinas believed it was the state’s duty to kill criminals in order to safeguard the

common good (Article 37).

Only God should create and destroy life. Exodus 20:13 says, “Thou shalt not kill.” There

are no exceptions to this commandment. This includes abortion, euthanasia, and the death

penalty. Jesus came to Earth to reform sinners. In John 8:1-11, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives

where a woman was to be stoned for committing adultery. Jesus said, “let any one of you who is

without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” This statement is paradoxical because no man is

without sin therefore no one can punish the woman. Jesus amended the Old Testament teachings

on retribution.

Many verses in the Bible oppose the use of the death penalty. Romans 12:19 says, “Do

not take revenge my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to

avenge, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” God condemns his followers from taking revenge into their

own hands and reassures that He will judge them when the time comes. Matthew 5:38-39 says,

“You have heard what I said, ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil

person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” The Lord tells

us to not do unto others that is done to you but to simply turn the other cheek.

The death penalty is proven to be an inhumane practice. When taking a look at the

number of botched executions and cruel methods to enact them you can see that these criminals

are treated as less than human. Capital punishment has no solid moral justifications when you
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compare it to the value of a human life. Most importantly this form of punishment is opposed by

Christianity. God condemns revenge throughout the New Testament and encourages forgiveness

instead while reminded his believers that He will judge them.