Capital PunishmentHistory and Methods

By: Michael Julve

What is Capital

Punishment?

Capital punishment is also known as the death penalty or execution

Capital punishment is when the court or any other judicial system puts a death sentence for a perticular offense.

Capital punshment has been carried out in essecially every major culture since the dawn of man, in many different ways.

The term capital punishment comes from Latin “Capitalis” literally "regarding the head" (Latin caput). Therefore these crimes were originally punished by the decapitation.

What are problems with Capital Punishment?

The Value of Human Life : The idea that the government can kill someone is unjustifiable, because the value of human life should only be judge and taken away by God.

Execution of the innocent : In the U.S. alone , their has been at least 400 innocent people convicted of capital crimes they did not commit, 23 were executed, and once some has been executed there is not going back.

Retribution : Wrath is one of the deadly sins and when we have the power we shouldn’t smite down people to get retribution.

Deterence : The crime rates are acuatlly higher in peoples where the death penalty is being used, so it may stop that one person but not society.

•Institutes Fear : When you give your government power to kill it’s citizens it establish a fear in most peoples heart.

•Reconcilation : Once someone is put to death there is know way for them to reconcile with God, their viticms or the ones they love.

•Inequalites : “Capital Punishment gives those who have less capital get the punishment” facts show this to be true.

•Inhumane :It’s done in away that not only physically hurt the condemned but embrasses and demoralizes them on their way to death.

•Free Will : It takes away the power of free will from the condemned not allowing them the chance to “fix” or try to “fix” what they done.

•Unnessary : It costs too much money to legally put a man to death, which could be spent on rehabiliting the criminal.

Why has anyone even practice Capital

Punishment?

Closure : For the victims families.

Re-Offenders : It stops re-offenders from continuing to a crime, particular deterrence

Prison : In older societies, it helped to clean out prisons for new inmates.

How was it viewed throughout History?

Nearly every culture has done it, for a variety of different reason.

Each culture has it’s own unique motto. One of the most famous is in Mesopotamia, called the Hammurabi Code “An Eye for an Eye”.

Later as religions developed, they took different stances.

It’s typical done because an individual has broken a capital (major) law.

Although in some places religious crimes are the only crimes punishable by death while in other places, sexual crimes are the only crimes be punishable by death.

Overall these laws have been laid down to either keep peace among people or to get justice.

It wasn’t uncommon though that execution were used to control the people by the ruling body.

Methods of Execution

Severe historical penalties have include

breaking wheel

boiling to death

flaying

slow slicing

Disembowelment

crucifixion

impalement

crushing (including crushing by elephant)

Stoning

execution by burning

dismemberment

Sawing

decapitation

neck lacing

Brief video on Capital Punishmenthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3tbxvY7Ff0&feature=related

How has technology effected putting people

to death?As time went on, the methods of execution have changed, looking for quicker or more humane tools of execution.

Evolution of Methods (http://www.history.com/videos/early-execution#early-execution)

Following the glutinee, hanging, electric chair, Gas Chambers, and Lethal injections were created and instituted.

Famous PeopleFamous People

Sir William WallaceSir William WallaceJoan of ArcJoan of ArcSir Walter RaleighSir Walter RaleighApostle PaulApostle PaulApostle JamesApostle JamesSir Thomas MooreSir Thomas MooreJohn the BaptistJohn the BaptistJesus ChristJesus Christ

Some facts about the History of Capital

Punishment in the US

There has been 13,000 executions since colonial times.

The U.S. had once abolished the Death Penalty, from 1972 to 1976.

90% of inmates who get Death Row can’t afford an attorney.

Homicide rate are double in places were there’s a death penalty.

Texas has killed mental handicapped inmates.

The US and Japan are the only modern democracies who practice the death penalty.

What has been the Catholic What has been the Catholic Church’s stand point on Church’s stand point on

this?this?For centuries the Catholic Church has follow For centuries the Catholic Church has follow the ideal that the ideal that

““Whatever measure was Whatever measure was dealt out to others shall be dealt back to dealt out to others shall be dealt back to you” –Matthew 7:2you” –Matthew 7:2So throughout the middle ages, the church So throughout the middle ages, the church though it was right to kill in the others as though it was right to kill in the others as long as is was in Gods name, for justice. It long as is was in Gods name, for justice. It was called “Lawful Slaying” by St. Thomas.was called “Lawful Slaying” by St. Thomas.Even into the early 20Even into the early 20thth century it was century it was accepted, until 1969, when Pope John Paul accepted, until 1969, when Pope John Paul II, stated it is only necessary to carry out II, stated it is only necessary to carry out capital punishment when it’s to save or capital punishment when it’s to save or defend the people. Evangelium Vitae. defend the people. Evangelium Vitae. At the time Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to the At the time Cardinal Ratzinger wrote to the church we must try to follow the simplest church we must try to follow the simplest Catechism of the church, “Thou shall not Catechism of the church, “Thou shall not kill”kill”

What is other Religions stance on the matter?

In Judaism, the Torah, states the death penalty should be instituted in cases on kidnapping, magic, violation of Sabbath, blasphemy and murder. Although after examining history, it was quite rare that executions were carried out.

Jewish courts today have done away with the death penalty. On the principle in 9:6 genesis, that ALL men are created in God’s image so we shall not kill them.

What is other Religions stance on the matter? In almost every sect of Buddhism, they

refuse to carry out the death penalty on account it would ruin their cycle of life. It would also hurt the offend because they would have the chance to learn from the mistake therefore not being able to gain enlightenment.

What is other Religions stance on the matter?

• In the Hindu religion, capital punishment is not formally brought up but it understood that it is wrong. There is a principle of non-violence call (ahimsa) that opposes killing and revenge, which they include the death penalty into that category, stating it’s a type of retribution.

“An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind,” -Gandi

What is other Religions stance on the matter?

• In Islam, capital punishment is accepted, making it one of the only major world religions that allows it. In that case main Muslim dominated countries still practice it (For example Iran and Saudi Arabia).

• Although the heads of the Muslim faith believe in Capital Punishment. A major of Muslims believe in giving some a chance to seek forgiveness, or seek retribution which is stressed by Muhammad in the Quran.

What have I learned?What have I learned?What’s my opinion?What’s my opinion?

“ “Capital Punishment is the most premeditated of all murders.”Capital Punishment is the most premeditated of all murders.”Albert Camus, French PhilosopherAlbert Camus, French Philosopher

Murder is murder no matter who does it. Murder is murder no matter who does it. What gives us the right to judge or fellow man, then What gives us the right to judge or fellow man, then

condemn him to death.condemn him to death. What about a “miscarriage of justice” the innocent What about a “miscarriage of justice” the innocent

condemned.condemned. What if the person was just misguided he will die never What if the person was just misguided he will die never

really knowing right from wrong. really knowing right from wrong. I feel after examining the past mistakes of history we need I feel after examining the past mistakes of history we need

to make an effort to do the right thing. To help people who to make an effort to do the right thing. To help people who make terrible mistakes move forward, while trying to make terrible mistakes move forward, while trying to redeem themselves. redeem themselves.

There are to many compromise factors to capital There are to many compromise factors to capital punishment so I think we should do away with it. punishment so I think we should do away with it.

I am Anti-Capital Punishment.I am Anti-Capital Punishment.

““Our witness to respect for life shines most brightly when we Our witness to respect for life shines most brightly when we demand respect for each and every human life, including the demand respect for each and every human life, including the

lives of those who fail to show that respect for others. The lives of those who fail to show that respect for others. The antidote to violence is love, not more violence.”antidote to violence is love, not more violence.”

-Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics-Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics