From: Randall Randall (wolfkin@freedomspace.net)
Date: Fri Nov 29 2002 - 18:28:09 MST
John K Clark wrote:
> Randall Randall <wolfkin@freedomspace.net>
>
> > I don't believe that it would really be the same, unless you
> deliberately
> > set out to drive very near the heads of small children.
>
> Every day I do exactly that, I have to drive through a school crossing, I
> obey the law and I haven't hit anybody yet but I know the probability of me
> making a mistake and doing so is not zero
We have differing definitions of 'very near'.
> >However, I'm willing to accept that for the purposes of argument if you
> >are willing to stipulate that executing an innocent is murder, and
> carries
> >a mandatory execution for the murderer.
>
> I'm not sure what you mean, I don't want a definition, examples are better.
Let me remind you that *you* are the person advocating the death penalty,
not me. Perhaps you didn't notice the term 'execution', which I'm using
to refer to legally sanctioned killing, and therefore has nothing to do
with small children (in a sane legal system). So all I am saying is that
I am willing to accept capital punishment in a legal system as a second-best
effort, if and only if there is a mandatory execution of executioners who
are found to have killed an innocent person (presumably because the legal
system screwed up).
Example:
Alfred is accused of killing Betsy. He is found guilty by a judge and
executed by Cedric as the sentence. Two years later, it is found that
evidence used to convict Alfred was faulty or fraudulent. In my opinion,
if it can be shown that Alfred would not have been convicted with all the
evidence available, Cedric should be executed with no possibility of
leniency.
> I've had a bad day at work, I'm tried and have a lot on my mind, I don't
> notice the school crossing sign so I'm going 5 miles over the speed limit
> and I don't see the kid until it's too late. Should I be executed for
> murder?
Notwithstanding my above comment, it is my opinion that only results matter.
If you kill someone, your intent should have no bearing on any judgement
against you. It doesn't make someone less dead that you didn't mean it.
-- Randall Randall <randall@randallsquared.com> "[The] poetic justice of cause and effect compels respect, compassion." -- Faithless, God is a DJ.
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