Moral Question

[shedite]

New show starting over here this week and the first episode threw up a question that me and my buddies were arging over.

A prisoner on death row is due for execution tomorrow. All appeals are finished. He has a heart attack and is dying. Should he be saved and then executed or just let him die?

[joeSoap]

six of one really....he's probably going to survive for a few days after the heart attack if it didn't kill him immediately, so they'd probably execute him as planned.

[fosterdollar]

The Americans shouldn't be allowed kill him in the first place.

[crc]

New show starting over here this week and the first episode threw up a question that me and my buddies were arging over.

A prisoner on death row is due for execution tomorrow. All appeals are finished. He has a heart attack and is dying. Should he be saved and then executed or just let him die?

Was that 'House'? I saw that too, a good episode. I probably would treat him and then send him back to the prison service. I wouldn't throw a disproportionate amount of money at the medical expenses to treat him, though (as seemed to be implied on the program). However I completely disagree with the death penalty, so its a difficult situation to call.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I believe I'm right in saying you'd be legally obliged to save him on the basis that he couldn't be executed unless he passed a medical (I'm serious) and was deemed "fit".

If you are on death row and, for example, develope lung cancer -but are due to be executed (maybe in a gas chamber irony upon irony) even long before the cancer becomes a threat to life -you are still entitled to all treatments available to non-capital prisoners for your illness.

[SaucyJack]

quickly throw him into the electric chair, and maybe the chair jolt acts like a defibrillator, if the heart starts up again, just throw the switch again and presto!

[Aberdonian Stu]

They had a good take on this on Monk a couple of weeks ago. A Death Row inmate was murdered just before he was due to be executed.

SPOILER WARNING






In the show the reason he was murdered was because the murderer didn't want his organs to be transplanted after his death so they used a poison that damaged them beyond repair. This is because the real target was the person getting the organs and they subsequently died. Needless to say Monk solved the case working all this out.

[Gareth]

I saw that program, mainly cos it was so badly acted that I was compelled to watch it. I missed the start and got a few minutes. Back to the original question:

Generally stays of execution can come right up to the last minute so I assume saving him or her would be the path they'd take. What your really asking is do you think they should be allowed pass due to nature taking its course, or should someone get retribution for the crimes the accused committed. It boils down to revenge and payback and how much you beleive in that?

Personally, no form of punishment really is ideal. Mainly cos an innocent could become victim to it. But I guess thats life!!!

[Drumcondra Red]

Hang on, has this show started here yet???

[Gerrit]

They have to be saved. Hypocrites... They get examined shortly before execution to make sure nothing else but the chair/injection/whatever kills them, even the needle has to be 100% clean

I hate the death penalty more than anything and if one topic always gets me started for hours it is the death penalty. I find it disgusting and against all my principles of humanity. If it were for me, the USA should be boycotted until they drop it, it is unacceptable that Nigeria gets the bad looks of the whole world for wanting to stone a woman (which they did not do in the end !) while no one dares to judge mighty America for exactly the same crime. Yes, "crime", capital punishment IMO is murder, in an even worse way than what those death row inmates did. At least their victims didn't see it coming and were happy till their last days. Death row is letting someone count down the days till death, like counting the days till you go on holiday. It is disgusting and the lowest thing one can do. I must say I also have it hard to sympathise with death penalty supporters, I hate the DP too much to be close with people who support it. And I refuse to travel to places like Texas, that'd be supporting the government of a country that finds it allright to kill its own citizens.

The weakest excuse possible is "the family of the victims". Bullcrap. The killer has family as well, and most parents love their children enough to, despite judging their misbehaviour, still love them. Has the family of a criminal suddenly lost all rights??

A friend of mine once joined a debate on death penalty if the UK, that was shortly after the murder on Jamie Bulger. He said: "F*** Jamie Bulger, he's dead".
How cruel it may be put into words, I 200% agree. The victim is gone and that remains so. Death penalty would only mean making another victim. I am glad Europe, unlike "the best country in the world" (how dare they even claim that title ? ), has civilised enough to respect the one right every human being maintains: the right to live.

[CollegeTillIDie]

They have to be saved. Hypocrites... They get examined shortly before execution to make sure nothing else but the chair/injection/whatever kills them, even the needle has to be 100% clean

I hate the death penalty more than anything and if one topic always gets me started for hours it is the death penalty. I find it disgusting and against all my principles of humanity. If it were for me, the USA should be boycotted until they drop it, it is unacceptable that Nigeria gets the bad looks of the whole world for wanting to stone a woman (which they did not do in the end !) while no one dares to judge mighty America for exactly the same crime. Yes, "crime", capital punishment IMO is murder, in an even worse way than what those death row inmates did. At least their victims didn't see it coming and were happy till their last days. Death row is letting someone count down the days till death, like counting the days till you go on holiday. It is disgusting and the lowest thing one can do. I must say I also have it hard to sympathise with death penalty supporters, I hate the DP too much to be close with people who support it. And I refuse to travel to places like Texas, that'd be supporting the government of a country that finds it allright to kill its own citizens.

The weakest excuse possible is "the family of the victims". Bullcrap. The killer has family as well, and most parents love their children enough to, despite judging their misbehaviour, still love them. Has the family of a criminal suddenly lost all rights??

A friend of mine once joined a debate on death penalty if the UK, that was shortly after the murder on Jamie Bulger. He said: "F*** Jamie Bulger, he's dead".
How cruel it may be put into words, I 200% agree. The victim is gone and that remains so. Death penalty would only mean making another victim. I am glad Europe, unlike "the best country in the world" (how dare they even claim that title ? ), has civilised enough to respect the one right every human being maintains: the right to live.

Yes Gerrit but some of these should be prohibited from breeding for the overall good of society