Persuasive Speech On Death Penalty

The death penalty disproportionately targets minorities especially African Americans. In the United States of America there is an unequal and unfair burden against African Americans in the criminal justice system. In 2011, African Americans were only 13.6% of the American population (Rastogi, Johnson, Hoeffel, & Drewery, 2011). However, African Americans in 2011 made up 42% of the total death row population (Snell, 2011). Although a minority of the total population in the United States, African Americans make the majority of inmates on death row facing execution. Furthermore, the death penalty in many states is used as tool that following the racial legacy of Jim Crow laws. Sentences resulting in death are higher in states with a history of lynching (Schweizer 92). States with a history of lynching are predominately found in the Southern United states. The Southern United states has the highest population of death row inmates. In 2009 alone there were 1,630 inmates currently on death row in the South compared to 226 in the North and only 988 in the West (Schweizer 92). In addition, the race of the victim often will determine the sentence. Results from the Baldus Study suggested evidence of racial disparity in the state of Georgia based on the victims race (Schweizer 92). The Baldus study argued African American defendants who committed murdered white individuals had much higher probability of receiving the death penalty. Prosecutors in Georgia pursued a verdict of death in 80% of their cases if the defendant was African American and the victim was white (Schweizer 92). This is purely racial discrimination and prejudice. Finally, “Since 1977, the overwhelming majority (77%) off death row defendants have been executed for killing white victims, even though African Americans make up about half of all homicide victims (Amnesty International).”The race of the both the victim and perpetrator in criminal is irrelevant.

Hello, everyone. My name is Devlin O’Connell and I am going to be speaking to you today about why I believe the death penalty should be abolished. There are three factors that I base this argument off which surround ethics, efficiency, and expenditure.

The death penalty, by definition, is the punishment of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. Each state has their own determinates of why someone would be given the death penalty, for example, in Missouri, it is first degree murder, but for Alabama it is intentional murder with 18 aggravating factors.

So, if you're reading this I'm sure that, at this point, you've heard about the mass murder that happened in Las Vegas. A lot of people out there are claiming if we outright banned assault rifles, this wouldn't have happened. There's some very good arguments to be made for and against that, but I think there's something that is definitely being neglected in the debate over what happened, it's the shooter's mental state.

“I’m going to heaven, I’ll see you when I come,” these are the last words of Dennis McGuire, a man sentenced to death row. Little did he know that 26-minutes after his lethal injection he would still be gasping for air. Dennis McGuire is just one of seven percent of death penalties that were botched or messed up. Many others and I have one main goal; our goal is to stop these horrible death penalties.

Since the beginning of time there has always been the question of what to do with someone that has committed a serious offense that has resulted in serious injury or even death to a person. The death penalty has always been a topic of whether it is humane or inhumane to put someone to death over their crimes against another human being. The death penalty to some is either acceptable to where a person should be put t death for their crimes or is not doing anything to deter people from committing crimes. the death penalty is starting to become less of a punishment and more of a costly expense to taxpayers whom for “Each death penalty case in Texas costs taxpayers about $2.3 million.” The death penalty for some think it should be abolished while others would rather see it extended.

There are several controversies surrounding capital punishment. Some people are in favor of the death penalty and some people are against it. Capital punishment is the death penalty for a crime. It is not right to seek revenge on another person’s life, and we have the right to live. There should be justice for the crime but not take the life of the person that committed the crime. Many people are not aware of how wrong, painful, and costly an execution is, and above all, it is possible to kill innocent people.

II. Second Main Point: The excessive cost of execution is also a reason for the death penalty to be abolished. To keep a man in prison for one 's whole life cost less than executing him. A state would save millions of dollars if they did away with death row and executions.

Some legal issues gain importance because they concern basic religious, social and ethical values. Capital punishment is one of these concerning issues. Most people hold an opinion, pro or con regarding the death penalty. Many people who favor the death penalty believe that capital punishment costs less money, reduces the amount of murderers, and fulfills the concept of justice. On the other hand people who disagree with capital punishment believe that innocent people are often put to death, it doesn’t fix the crime person committed, and it’s a cruel punishment. In viewing both sides of the argument it is clear that the death penalty must be abolished.

Many people argue whether or not the death penalty should still be a form of punishment in the legal systems of the fifty states of the United States of America. People who are against the death penalty say that this form of punishment should not exist, because it is inhumane. Alongside that argument, people also say that it is in direct violation of the basic human rights. Not to mention, they also see it as an outdated punishment that existed in less civilized times. They say that this kind of punishment should not exist in modern times. Supporters of the death penalty beg to differ. They see it as a justified form of punishment. People who are given the death penalty have committed murder, so supporters don’t see it as a problem when a convicted murderer is killed. This is the source of justification for many supporters of the death penalty. Supporters also say that capital punishment provides closure to the victims family. It is also said that it is a way to deter possible copycats which would save more lives, by sacrificing the perpetrators. I am a supporter of the death penalty, it should remain.

Thinking back on Kaylee’s Ted Talk, it forced me to look at something I always avoid, whcih is the death penalty.In learning Will’s background I believed that he should have a second chance, that he should be given mercy. I believe mercy should come before judgement and if that mercy is trampled on, spat upon, or ignored then you must give that person up to his own demise. I am not against the death penalty, the government has been given the right to dish out capital punishment, and it is not my place, as a member of society to enforce mercy on a person who has done a terrible crime. If Will had not committed murder he would have gotten a lighter sentence, a chance to be reformed and re enter society. This ties back into the message of the

Death Penalty should have been only for people who don’t care about life, People, Mother Nature, Etc.

Since the foundation of our nation the Death Penalty has been a way to punish prisoners that have committed heinous crimes, however since the turn of the 20th century the practice of Capital Punishment has been questioned on its usage in America and the world as a whole. The Death Penalty is used in America to punish criminals who have committed murders, or taken the life of an innocent person, and while the death penalty seems like it is doing justice to those who have killed others it is actually being used improperly in most situations, while also hindering our economy and is a means of ending more lives than necessary. The Death Penalty can be a valid source of punishment for criminals in the US however due to the misuse of this power by the government it is a huge detriment to our nation and the people that inhabit it. Because of the fact that Capital Punishment is used unfairly, and ineffectively in our nation it is an obsolete form of punishment and should have no place in the United States justice department.

According to Deathpenaltyinfo.org, as of July 1st, 2017 there were approximately 2,817 prisoners on death row. CNN.com says that, as of now, the death penalty is only legal in 31 out of the 50 states. Did you know that the average death row inmate will spend roughly 15 years in prison before they meet their final day; nearly a quarter of death row inmates die of natural causes while waiting for execution, and exhausting all of their appeals? How about that in Virginia death row inmates are now able to play games, watch TV, send emails, and have physical contact with visitors along with much more? Death row is for criminals that have committed heinous crimes and have been convicted by 12 unanimous jurors to death. So, why give them that many privileges?

The death penalty is a prosecute that is used to kill criminals that have committed crimes that are so bad they should not be left alive. The idea of putting another human to death is hard to completely fathom. The physical mechanics involved in the act of execution are easy to grasp, but the emotions involved in carrying out a death sentence on another person, regardless of how much they deserve it, is beyond my understanding. Knowing that it must be painful, dehumanizing, and sickening. The Eight Amendment says” Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted” (Constitutions). And for the article Changing Views on\\e rate has gone down at a steady from the 1990 to now and that they death penalty is sometimes necessary, and it is our responsibility as a society to see that it is done.