# I would suspend the "Cruel and Unusual" clause for this guy. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 18, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409 "2002-04-18T22:46:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/1 "2002-04-18T22:46:25Z")
I honestly would. [Steven McBride Muder Trial](http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/2002/04/17/news/local/3078787.htm) The bastard (I will not use the words “step-parent”, “-father” or “-dad” in referring to this fucker) maliciously tortured to death Dillon Blocker, the 3-year old child of the woman he married. Not mentioned in the article was the fact that the little boy had cigarette burn marks. McBride left at least 20 bite marks on the little boy. One of the little boy’s teeth had been knocked out and found in his stomach. [Indictment](http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/attorney/News/McBrideIndictment.htm) By the way, the jury deliberated for 2 hours, found him guilty, and he was immediately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. I would sentence him to being in the general population except the times when he was in his cell…where there would be the sound of a little child crying playing constantly. Dillon’s mother previously pled guilty to allowing the abuse to continue. She’s expected to get ten years. During the trial, the TV news would always display a picture of a smiling little Dillon Blocker. Good God, that was so heartbreaking. I can’t imagine little Dillon _ever_ smiling. His short life must have been a horror show. I though about making a GD thread about this–whether it would be justifiable to suspend “cruel and unusual” or not, but I’m quite sure I wouldn’t be rational enough to debate it. I make no apologies for that. I would, happily, beat that son of a bitch up to just short of the point of death, year after year, on Dillon’s birthday. God _damn_ that motherfucker! ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/2 "2002-04-18T22:51:57Z")
My God. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/3 "2002-04-18T22:56:46Z")
I agree, **Rysdad**. It ain’t civilized to wish for such things, but when it comes to people hurting children, especially in such a brutal manner, I’m a fucking barbarian. ---
**Author:** ![Anaximenes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@Anaximenes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaximenes)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/4 "2002-04-18T23:03:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rysdad \* > \*\*I honestly would. > > I would, happily, beat that son of a bitch up to just short of the point of death, year after year, on Dillon’s birthday. > > God _damn_ that motherfucker! \*\* Amen to that. Although the principle of the cruel & unusual clause is one I agree with, there are times when it seems that there are some bastards for whom no punishment could be cruel enough. :mad: – Anaximenes ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Maximino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mighty\_Maximino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Maximino)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/5 "2002-04-18T23:05:06Z")
How terrible. ☹ And yet, I don’t wish for torture for him. Making someone beat the guy up to the point of death every year would honestly lower us to his level. Finding someone that _enjoyed_ inflicting such punishment would be even worse. Probably he deserves death, but even that should be swift and clean. But now he’s going to be in prison until he dies, and I hope that the knowledge of what he’s done weighs heavily on his mind. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Teerious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Miss\_Teerious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Teerious)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/6 "2002-04-18T23:08:15Z")
I don’t believe in violence. I even believe that criminals should be rehabilitated and not punished. But, Jesus Tap-Dancing Christ, I want to torture this son of a bitch. I mean, a three year old kid. How can you do that to a cute little boy? I wanna puke, I’m so disgusted by this animal. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/7 "2002-04-18T23:15:36Z")
Yeah, it’s tempting to say that cruel and unusual crimes merit cruel and unusual punishments, but torturing this guy would only lower all of us, which would, paradoxically enough, end up maing him _more_ human. I mean, if he tortures and kills, and we torture and kill, can we really say that he’s such an abberration? ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/8 "2002-04-18T23:24:21Z")
True, I’m not in favor of torture for any reason. But I’d kill the son of a bitch without a second thought and sleep like a baby after, too. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/9 "2002-04-18T23:26:05Z")
While we might enjoy torturing that lowlife scum, it does have the effect of making us as low as he is. All I can say is that stories like this make me want to protect all the children I know (and the innocents of this world) from people like that! ☹ :mad: However, why would any self-respecting mother _allow the abuse to continue_? Maybe she was afraid of what might happen to her if she spoke out against it, but I don’t know… ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/10 "2002-04-18T23:33:08Z")
When I started reading this thread, I was expecting it to be about the Dooleys. It is a very similar case (that is currently being tried) where the step-mother (and the father, too, probably) of a 7 year old boy abused him so much that he died of brain damage. A tooth was found in his stomach, as well as numerous internal injuries. I didn’t think there’d be two cases like this. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/11 "2002-04-18T23:35:57Z")
You do realise that unless he’s kept in solitary 24/7 this guy’s life is gonna be hell anyway? Prison’s not easy on child abusers. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/12 "2002-04-19T00:22:26Z")
I think **Miller** hit the nail on the head. But, **Flamesterette** , I think you need to reel it in a little bit on one thing. I can only speak for myself, but I would not “enjoy torturing” _anyone_, I don’t care what they’ve done. I don’t want to turn this into a death penalty debate, but my argument on that front has always been, that I was wary of innocent people being exucuted, but there are definitely people who absolutely need to be taken out of society permanently. In this case, I’d say this fucker needs to have his ticket punched. Sorry, we don’t want you on this planet anymore. Go somewhere else. Thank you – don’t come again. I can’t see what possible function a person (and I use the term loosely) like this could serve in humanity. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/13 "2002-04-19T00:45:41Z")
Does it have to be cruel “and” unusual? Why not just plain cruel? A beating every year would not be unusual. IMHO ---
**Author:** ![iconoplast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3d9bf3/32.png) [@iconoplast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iconoplast)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/14 "2002-04-19T00:47:44Z")
I’m speechless with disgust, but staying silent in the face of such atrocities only makes it worse. On a scale of one to horrible, this guy is off the charts. Also, **Jack** , I think **Flamsterette** was referring to some of the previous posts, such as “it seems that there are some bastards for whom no punishment could be cruel enough,” “I want to torture this son of a bitch,” or “kill the son of a bitch without a second thought and sleep like a baby after,” not necessarily that everyone who opens this thread would like it. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/15 "2002-04-19T00:53:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iconoplast \* > \*\*Also, **Jack** , I think **Flamsterette** was referring to some of the previous posts, \*\* Roger. Duly noted. I didn’t mean to imply **Flamester** wanted to do any torturing, I just thought the point needed to be made. ---
**Author:** ![iconoplast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3d9bf3/32.png) [@iconoplast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iconoplast)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/16 "2002-04-19T00:56:40Z")
Understood, just thought I’d clear that up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/17 "2002-04-19T01:26:28Z")
What is sad is that none of the charges merit the death penalty. Not that he doesn’t deserve it. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/18 "2002-04-19T01:34:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*What is sad is that none of the charges merit the death penalty. \*\* Minnesota doesn’t have a death penalty, and, in this case, that’s not so bad. I’d rather have the bastard live and suffer. I hope the other guys in prison “do their duty” while the guards develop temporary vision difficulties. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/19 "2002-04-19T01:46:33Z")
Personally, I find that a downright shitty attitude. Enjoying the misery of others doesn’t exactly make one seem noble. I don’t advocate death for this guy just so I can watch him die, or because I thing it’s a handy punishment for him to endure. I just think he ought to be dead, thats all. You might want to drag your opinions over to [this debate](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=108118). You’ll probably have a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409/20 "2002-04-19T01:51:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*Personally, I find that a downright shitty attitude. > \*\* Too bad, bucko. Nor do I hold to the belief that some extreme form of punishment for that rat bastard “lessens us all.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-suspend-the-cruel-and-unusual-clause-for-this-guy/104409.md?page=2)