Your reaction to a loved one wrongly executed

[RootsBooster 24]

First of all, this is NOT a thread about whether the death penalty is right or wrong, there is already a thread about that.

In that thread there are several people who say they don't mind/care if some innocents have their lives taken from them.

Some of these people are quick to preach the evils of cannabis on another thread and say it needs to stay illegal (without any real explanation), but would like to make the death penalty legal here, even if innocents lose their lives.

 

My question is this, how would you feel/react/cope if your son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister was executed for a crime they didn't commit.

 

I don't just mean the fact that they are taken from you, I mean the WHOLE ordeal, which includes the shock of finding out what they are accused of, the hope of them being found innocent - then the horror of them being found guilty and being sentenced to death.

Then begins the lengthy rollercoaster ride of appeals and petitions, the media circus, the possible loss of your job (some people simply wouldn't be able to get through their daily lives in a normal way with all this on their minds), and the legal costs, both of which could result in the loss of your home and/or financial ruin. More hope and despair, agonising waits to hear news of what is to happen, then....

 

the day your loved one is executed.

 

After this, I can understand how many would be broken people, mentally or even physically. Some may still seek justice, to clear their loved one's name. Some may give up on life and slowly go off the rails or simply stop caring about anything. Some may commit suicide. Some may seek vengeance.

 

Many supporters of the death penalty view it as "an eye for an eye", if the executee was found to be innocent AFTER the execution, shouldn't the judge then be executed, an eye for an eye? The judge has (indirectly) murdered an innocent man. Or you could blame the executor him/herself.

 

Please try and put yourself in this position and think it through before posting.

Edited September 24, 2011 by RootsBooster
added a bit

[Conrod 10]

Why see it as a matter for the slightest concern? Wronglful arrests for serious crime very rare. Wrongful convictions profoundly rare, so the chances of being in the position you describe are more remote than winning the Euro lottery rollover. If we don't expect to be lottery winners, why be worried about an even lower likelihood of the situation described above? Better to spend your energies worrying about something that actually has some chance of affecting you.

 

If a close relative of mine were in that position, and I knew 100% from my own direct knowledge of the facts theat they were innocent, I would of course campaign to have them released, but if there was any doubt, I'd view it that they'd made their bed and must lie in it.

[RootsBooster 24]

Why see it as a matter for the slightest concern? Wronglful arrests for serious crime very rare. Wrongful convictions profoundly rare, so the chances of being in the position you describe are more remote than winning the Euro lottery rollover. If we don't expect to be lottery winners, why be worried about an even lower likelihood of the situation described above? Better to spend your energies worrying about something that actually has some chance of affecting you.

 

If a close relative of mine were in that position, and I knew 100% from my own direct knowledge of the facts theat they were innocent, I would of course campaign to have them released, but if there was any doubt, I'd view it that they'd made their bed and must lie in it.

 

1. It's a matter of concern because in this scenario, an innocent loved one of yours/mine has been executed.

 

2. There isn't any doubt, see the OP.

[Conrod 10]

1. It's a matter of concern because in this scenario, an innocent loved one of yours/mine has been executed.

 

2. There isn't any doubt, see the OP.

1. That's a fantasy scenario, it's not real - so there's no concern.

 

2. The OP did not state that there was no doubt.

 

[Tony Erikson 10]

1. That's a fantasy scenario, it's not real - so there's no concern.

 

Are you sure?

 

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/23/56624968.html

 

If it's fantasy and you won't acknowledge it can happen, why bother with the thread?

[Conrod 10]

Are you sure?

 

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/23/56624968.html

 

If it's fantasy and you won't acknowledge it can happen, why bother with the thread?

The case was a fantasy because it was asking us to comment on our own loved ones being wrongly executed - unless it applies to you, it is a fantasy.

 

As for the link - nobody can say for sure that he was innocent. I believe that if he was, he'd have been freed long ago. Far more guilty people escape jail than innocent people find themselves behind bars.

[sccsux 10]

The case was a fantasy because it was asking us to comment on our own loved ones being wrongly executed - unless it applies to you, it is a fantasy.

 

As for the link - nobody can say for sure that he was innocent. I believe that if he was, he'd have been freed long ago. Far more guilty people escape jail than innocent people find themselves behind bars.

 

I see thought exercises are wasted on you.

[RootsBooster 24]

1. That's a fantasy scenario, it's not real - so there's no concern.

 

2. The OP did not state that there was no doubt.

 

 

Read it again:

 

My question is this, how would you feel/react/cope if your son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister was executed for a crime they didn't commit.

 

It's as simple as that, they DIDN'T COMMIT the crime.

 

As for your lack of concern, this thread is a hypothetical situation you are required to comment on, if you say "it's just fantasy" then you've just talked yourself out of the thread.

[Conrod 10]

I see thought exercises are wasted on you.

I just try to treat most scenarios with a little impartial logic - life goes on peacefully and stresslessly if you can apply that mindset to each day's tribulations.

[RootsBooster 24]

I just try to treat most scenarios with a little impartial logic - life goes on peacefully and stresslessly if you can apply that mindset to each day's tribulations.

 

Would your life carry on peacefully and stressfully if a loved one was executed for a crime they didn't commit?

[Tony Erikson 10]

I just try to treat most scenarios with a little impartial logic - life goes on peacefully and stresslessly if you can apply that mindset to each day's tribulations.

 

But your logic is crap.

 

As for the link - nobody can say for sure that he was innocent. I believe that if he was, he'd have been freed long ago. Far more guilty people escape jail than innocent people find themselves behind bars.

 

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/523

[Conrod 10]

Read it again:

 

It's as simple as that, they DIDN'T COMMIT the crime.

 

As for your lack of concern, this thread is a hypothetical situation you are required to comment on, if you say "it's just fantasy" then you've just talked yourself out of the thread.

I read it, but the 'didn't commit' thing might just have been their version of events - you didn't imply that the relative would know this for certain. It's highly unlikely that they would.

 

And, I did comment on the hypothetical situation, just to keep you happy. Post No2 old boy