Gransnet forums

Chat

Death by Firing Squad Law Passed

(59 Posts)
Nonnie Tue 24-Mar-15 09:05:10

In Utah because they can't get enough of the drugs for lethal injections. This is because they are made in Europe and European governments ban their use and presumably their export.

What do you think about this?

Deedaa Tue 24-Mar-15 22:56:09

I am at a loss to know why, if vets can put down large animals humanely the same cannot be done for humans. Veterinary drugs must be available in the USA.

petra Tue 24-Mar-15 22:40:25

Your all so 'nice'. I would have no problem at all putting to death anyone who committed some of the heinous crimes we read about.
That would only be, if, I could trust the Police, but I can't.
And before anyone asks: yes, I could do it.

Eloethan Tue 24-Mar-15 22:32:58

There have been several scandals in the US involving private youth detention centres.

More recently, two county court judges were found guilty of taking $2.1 million in kickbacks from the builder of two for-profit youth detention centres. It was known as the "kids for cash" scandal.

The judges were handing out youth detention sentences for minor offences. For instance, a 14 year old boy who had stolen change from unlocked cars was sentenced to youth detention.

I wish there was more coverage here of these scandals. Then people in Britain might be more concerned about the path this government is taking in pushing ahead with their programme of privatisation.

GillT57 Tue 24-Mar-15 20:03:38

I read the link nelliemoser and the statistics about funding of private prisons are a scary business model. Thank you for finding this and bringing it to attention, I shall follow this FB group.

loopylou Tue 24-Mar-15 18:53:54

I'm ambivalent I'm afraid, if the alternative is incarceration the rest of your life. It doesn't seem to have any impact on gun crime etc so clearly isn't a deterrent.
The religious fanatics are, I agree, very disturbing and that they seem to use religion as an excuse for unwarranted violence, just like many other religions sects seems insurmountable.
The world's a scary place.

rosequartz Tue 24-Mar-15 18:47:05

This from a country which wants to impose their form of democracy on the world.

I don't think the people convicted of these heinous crimes should ever be released but I don't agree with capital punishment.

Iam64 Tue 24-Mar-15 18:35:17

I'm another gransnetter who is opposed to the death penalty. I'm also glad I wasn't born and don't live, in the USA. Their treatment of prisoners is barbaric. So far as I can see, all prisoners are shackled at the ankle and wrists for legal visits etc.

I find the American religious right to be a scary bunch of people. Shooting doctors who perform abortions, seeing universal health care as some kind of socialist/communist plot, not accepting that some people are born heterosexual and others may be gay or lesbian - this list just goes on. They seem stuck in "an eye for an eye", rather than a more liberal interpretation of their Christian faith. Dreadful

Nonnie Tue 24-Mar-15 17:37:51

If we had a 'like' button I would have used it a lot on this thread.

Nelliemoser Tue 24-Mar-15 17:13:34

The EU and others banned the sale of these drugs where they considered that they were designed for use as a tool with which to execute prisoners.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16281016

I ranted earlier on this thread about the USA's appalling Justice system.
I consider the USA's continued use of Capital punishment in some states and their system for the treatment of "death row" prisoners abhorent.

Faye Tue 24-Mar-15 13:22:23

I read your links Nellimoser, the link about the private prisons is disturbing.

Faye Tue 24-Mar-15 13:11:45

I find it barbaric and many innocent people have been executed.

Nelliemoser Tue 24-Mar-15 13:02:12

America prides itself on being a great democracy but when you look closely it is still quite a brutal society in many way ways. Its "justice" system in many states is verging on the inhumane.

Many of its citizens cannot afford health care in a country where inequalities in income and living standard are vast.

This is a country where in some states black children were not allowed in previously segregated school until 1960.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Bridges#/media/File:US_Marshals_with_Young_Ruby_Bridges_on_School_Steps.jpg

Have a scroll down look through some of these usa uncut stories. This American FB website rails against these inequalities and the appalling powers of corporate America. They are worth reading.

https://www.facebook.com/usauncut?fref=nf

https://www.facebook.com/usauncut

Not very edifyng publicity for the USA

Nonnie Tue 24-Mar-15 12:52:04

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-32027751

Nonnie Tue 24-Mar-15 12:50:46

1) Perhaps they have more than one use
2) Ask the Utah legislators

AshTree Tue 24-Mar-15 12:45:44

I'm a little confused here. If these drugs are made in Europe and European Governments ban their use, then two things occur to me:

1) why are they still making them if, as I infer, no-one is allowed to use them? and

2) if the US need these drugs, why can they not manufacture them themselves?

Eloethan Tue 24-Mar-15 12:31:04

I too am very glad that I don't live in the US, with their crazy gun laws and a judicial system that allows the state to commit murder and to imprison children for life without hope of release.

Nonnie Tue 24-Mar-15 12:29:21

Just to clarify, this was on the BBC news this morning.

Tegan Tue 24-Mar-15 11:43:25

In 1977 Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad as his 'chosen means of execution'; not sure if that was the last time it was done. Probably the best way to execute someone if that has to be done given some of the other awful recent botched attempts in America. My main concern [other than being appalled by a civilised society killing people in the name of justice] is that most of the people on death row seem to be black and I dread to think of what proportion of them are innocent anyway. They do have strange ideas in America do they not sad.

MiniMouse Tue 24-Mar-15 11:23:33

It's always struck me that they use the drugs on prisoners as guinea pigs to see in detail the effect that they have. They wouldn't be allowed to experiment on patients in the outside population. Yes, I'm that cynical!

Teetime Tue 24-Mar-15 11:10:16

Yes charleygirl I was pondering that- if you can fatally OD on any number of drugs why not use those? I had tought a sizeable dose of diamorphine would do it- sounds a really strange story.

Charleygirl Tue 24-Mar-15 10:54:52

I am with Anya on this one.

I can think of many drugs on the market which, if given intravenously, eg. an overdose of morphine or Fentanyl would kill but I do not know what the cost would be. These are drugs which are widely available in this country.

janerowena Tue 24-Mar-15 10:25:56

Maybe it's the cost. Or maybe they think it will be a better deterrent.

janerowena Tue 24-Mar-15 10:25:25

Oh no. It is surely a step backwards, morally. What happened to 'thou shalt not kill', when the americans profess to be such a religious country, especially in places like Utah?

And how many people are they killing, if they can't get enough of the drug? That sounds a bit fishy.

GillT57 Tue 24-Mar-15 10:10:30

State sanctioned murder cannot be right, however it is carried out. It is hard for USA to take high moral ground about some Arab states, namely Saudi Arabia executing criminals when they do it themselves. I understand the emotions involved over the terrible crimes committed, but like Jings I think life should mean life in such cases. Biblical eye for an eye type execution is not the way a so called civilised country should be behaving.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 24-Mar-15 09:51:19

Well, that would be a cop-out nonnie! Anyone giving an injection would know it was him doing it.