Death Penalty

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I meant the fact that that many innocent people have been death row...I find that absolutely disgusting and reason enough to not support the DP -

I though that's what you mean.

My point is personal disgust (which I share) is an emotional responsible not a rational argument. There is no way to know how many (IF ANY) people freed due to unsafe convictions were innocent of the crime(s) for which they had been convicted. The law has little to do with justice, guilt or innocence. It's about what can be proven "beyond reason doubt" based on available evidence,which maybe limited;EG a large proportion of convictions [not obtained by plea bargain] are the result of circumstantial evidence. A good lawyer can often get an accused acquitted if that's all the prosecution presents. (EG OJ Simpson,Michael Jackson).

I do not support capital punishment in principle. I've never seen a convincing moral argument ,and the pragmatic arguments are contentious. I also think the US stance on death by lethal injection is precious and utterly hypocritical. It was introduced to protect the squeamish;death by gas and electric chair especially can apparently be quite gruesome an distressing to watch.(we can't have THAT;it might put people off capital punishment).It has nothing whatsoever to do with common humanity. I think the Chinese method of a bullet in the brain is far more honest and humane.