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Do you support the death penalty? (lemmy.world)

submitted 9 months ago by cashews_best_nut@lemmy.world to c/askuk@feddit.uk

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Last time I looked a majority of Brits support the death penalty. Which personally I've always found quite disturbing considering all the problems with it.

But 5 mins on any subreddit and you have people frothing at the mouth to hang every criminal.

Which if even more disturbing.

So what do you think?

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[–] GreyShuck@feddit.uk 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Cases have been reviewed decades after the event and found to be defective.

I only know what the media has shown me about Brevik - and I expect that you know no more.

From what I have seen and read, it seems clear cut and indefensible of course, but then it so often does - until it doesn't.

[–] UndercoverUlrikHD@programming.dev 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

His primary goal during the trial was to prove he was medically sane and could stand trial. He spent 5 years preparing for the attack.

I can understand being opposed to capital punishment by principle, I'm opposed to it myself, but acting like there are no cut and dry cases is just being disingenuous. Some cases you know for certain who did what, and that it wasn't "just" a manic episode.

[–] GreyShuck@feddit.uk 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

acting like there are no cut and dry cases is just being disingenuous.

No it isn't.

The political environment in which cases occur can always have an effect. Political views change, and there are no absolutes in politics.

Legal systems change and vary from place to place as do standards of evidence.

Psychological assessments are always open to interpretation at the time and reassessment as understanding and scientific models change.

There are too many moving parts to ever be 100% certain. 99.999999999... yes. 100% no.

[–] UndercoverUlrikHD@programming.dev 0 points 9 months ago

Determining guilt absolutely can be a cut and dry case. And if your mind is capable of performing a history book noteworthy crime, some psychologist absolutely will make up an diagnose for you. That doesn't lessen the impact on what you did, nor does it absolve responsibility.

There are too many moving parts to ever be 100% certain. 99.999999999... yes. 100% no.

Please let's not get into Last Thursdayism level of absurdity about 100% certainty, this isn't 8th grade physics class. You perfectly understand the intent behind the phrase.