Some Thoughts on Capital Punishment

Just recently a Filipino was beheaded somewhere (without the benefit of appropriate legal aid, I must say, no lawyer is present just a "translator") where regard for human life is reduced and taken as a matter of course in punishing a crime. It is very lamentable that countless others are waiting in death rows around the globe for their execution date. It is so horrible when men, in the height of stupidity, decide they can play God or, worst, think that they are God who has the power to take life.

I am a lawyer and I strongly believe that no judicial system, in the whole wide world, is so infallible as to be granted the right of rendering irrevocable decisions which involve the God-given attributes of life and death.

Admittedly, heinous crimes, the main reason for the imposition of capital punishment, such as murder, rape, pedophilia, arson, terrorism, plunder, to name just a few, are most horrible, but I also must insist that to kill the offender, as a form of punishment, is also most horrible. In meting punishment for "heinous crimes," must we choose between the devil and the deep blue sea, or look for a more humane approach in finding means to deter criminals from committing crimes?

While the crimes herein mentioned are not within the power of our civilized society to prevent, simply because society is unaware of it while the crime is being committed and only became aware of the same after it has been consumated, yet, the imposition of death penalty is within our civilized society's power to prevent. What is wrong with us? We are supposed to be humane and civilized, yet, when a fellow human being kills another, we condemn that human being, but when society captures a criminal and mete that criminal with the punishment of death for his crimes, then, we think it's okay. Good for the criminal, he had it coming, kudos to society for a job well done. Is that it? Look, if in killing the criminal, we can bring to life the one he may have killed and or restore everything to the way it was before he commits his crime, then, I will favor death penalty, but since in imposing death penalty nothing is accomplished, except eliminating our own kind and adding another "wrong" to the one already committed, then, I strongly opposed it. Two wrongs will never make one right, you know.

To say that the imposition of capital punishment is an effective deterrent to crimes is bull*^#^*! However, it is the kind of bull*^#^* that the vindictive among us choose to believe.

Judges and juries are not infallible. They are human beings and therefore prune to commit errors. Even more horrific is the fact that there are good lawyers and there are dumb ones. Are not the foregoing, reasons enough to do away with a penalty that is irreversible?

I can go on and on and on, yet, somebody who is definitely more eloquent and good in trafficking with words than I could ever be said it best long ago: If we live with an eye for an eye kind of justice, then, the whole world will be blind. Inasmuch as I am not that grand eloquent and also to stress my point further, I will just close this article with a summary of the ten compelling reasons why death penalty should be abolished:

1. Criminals can be reformed, contrary to popular beliefs, but they need help. Lots of help and a little less condemnation;
2. Capital punishment runs counter to the teachings and principles of Christianity;
3. Capital punishment deals hard only with the poor who cannot afford good lawyers;
4. Capital punishment is a relic of barbarism;
5. Killing criminals does not bring relief to the families of their victims except a momentary satisfaction that they have, in a way, gotten even.
6. It brutalizes our moral sentiments and reduces our regard for human life;
7. Even the best judicial system of the world is not infallible;
8. The errors of capital punishment are irremediable;
9. Capital punishment failed as a deterrent to crime;
10. Capital punishment has been abolished in many parts of the world without ill effects.

    With that, I rest my case...

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