# So what should happen to these two defendants? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740 "2010-09-14T17:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/281 "2010-11-08T18:17:49Z")
Death is too good. No punishment could fit this crime. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/282 "2010-11-08T18:20:24Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Death is too good. No punishment could fit this crime. Don’t be silly. I suggested upthread that he be fed alive to sharks. Surely that would be adequate. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/283 "2010-11-08T18:55:47Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Don’t be silly. I suggested upthread that he be fed alive to sharks. Surely that would be adequate. Bleeding heart. That ould only take a few second. This is what I said upthread that they deserve: > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > What they deserve is a different question from what the state should do. They deserve to be hung upside down, peeled like oranges, rolled in coarse salt and fed to rats. > > The state can’t give people what they deserve, though, the Constitution won’t let us, and it’s a bad policy even to kill them painlessly because we still have not figured out a way to gurantee we’ll never kill the wrong person. Giving them a shot and letting them go to sleep is not much of a punishment anyway. > > Sometimes, in cases like this, I wish things could be taken care of “off the books.” Like the cops should drive these guys into some woods along with the surving victim. Bind them with plastic ties. Give the victim some things like gas cans, pliers, a blowtorch, and sander. Then the cops can go off to take a long piss, and when they come back, hey, these dudes have had a series of stupid, painful accidents. They can’t even tell which perp is which anymore. Oh well. Even that stuff doesn’t really undo what they did to those innocent people, though. One of them was sending cell phone pics to his friends of the 11 year old girl he was raping before he murdered her. Things like this are exactly the reason I can’t believe in God. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/284 "2010-11-08T19:00:51Z")
Hmm. Dio, I wonder. Will the rats eat the salty meat? I reckon they would. Rats’ll eat just about anything, I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/285 "2010-11-08T19:06:19Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Bleeding heart. That ould only take a few second. It’ll seem longer. > [@](#): > > Even that stuff doesn’t really undo what they did to those innocent people, though. One of them was sending cell phone pics to his friends of the 11 year old girl he was raping before he murdered her. Things like this are exactly the reason I can’t believe in God. Doesn’t follow. Things like this only argue against an omnipotent, interventionist, benevolent God. They don’t argue against Wotan or Yahweh. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/286 "2010-11-09T14:42:57Z")
Someone at work, upon hearing my liberal beliefs, stated “you probably don’t even believe in the death penalty.” Boy, did he get a surprising earful. have long held the belief, since I first heard it given by Don Imus, that anyone convicted to death should be killed in the same way they did the deed. I would love to see this monster tortured, raped, and burned alive. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/287 "2010-11-09T15:54:40Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > have long held the belief, since I first heard it given by Don Imus, that anyone convicted to death should be killed in the same way they did the deed. I would love to see this monster tortured, raped, and burned alive. I’ll be especially impressed to see how you manage to do it twice. Do let us know how that works out. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/288 "2010-11-09T15:57:32Z")
Who would pay for therapy for the poor son of a bitch who has to do the raping? ---
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/289 "2010-11-09T22:11:19Z")
Use a small shark. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/290 "2010-11-09T22:15:32Z")
Just because it’s called a “nurse shark” doesn’t mean it actually has a degree in anything, let alone therapy. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/291 "2010-11-09T22:20:35Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I’ll be especially impressed to see how you manage to do it twice. Do let us know how that works out. Is that a challenge? Because I have, like, three different ideas how to accomplish that. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/292 "2010-11-09T22:23:01Z")
Death. I see no reason to spend any money on their upkeep at all. No money for food, no money for medical care, no money for housing them or clothing them. Just kill them and get them off our planet. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/293 "2010-11-09T22:26:06Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I see no reason to spend any money on their upkeep at all. Personally, I go with “ethics necessary to function as a human society we can all be proud to be a part of.” But maybe that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/294 "2010-11-09T22:28:41Z")
I think they should be put in a prison at taxpayer expense where they will be housed, clothed and fed for the next 50 years, and probably also keep raping and attacking people. This is the ethical thing to do. It wouldn’t be fair to execute them, because…uh…because there’s a tiny chance that some innocent people might get executed, even though the people in this case are not innocent…but…the death penalty is just wrong, man. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/295 "2010-11-09T22:40:41Z")
Please, explain to me how we’re better off if it’s absolutely wrong to kill except to prevent harm to yourself or others, unless you’re the government, in which case you can do it because someone made you mad. Also, unless you think prison rape is a good thing instead of further evidence of a broken criminal justice system, I fail to see how it’s relevant here. Also also, when did you start posting again and get your name changed back? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/296 "2010-11-09T22:44:06Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Please, explain to me how we’re better off if it’s absolutely wrong to kill except to prevent harm to yourself or others, unless you’re the government, in which case you can do it because someone made you mad. > > Also, unless you think prison rape is a good thing instead of further evidence of a broken criminal justice system, I fail to see how it’s relevant here. > > Also also, when did you start posting again and get your name changed back? It’s okay, **Argent** , I’ll handle this one. Answer: It’s not absolutely wrong to kill. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/297 "2010-11-09T22:45:57Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I have stopped being taken aback when you tilt at straw-filled windmills. Perhaps you should try reading **villa** ’s post again, with particular emphasis on this part (my bolding): I did. **villa** claimed > [@villa](#): > > people don’t suggest LWPOP over death because of the cost. This claim is false. People do say that. Your own example shows that this is true - > [@](#): > > It isn’t a positive argument against the death penalty. It is a response to an attempted argument by those who would have the state turn into an instrument of revenge. > > Unfortunately, demonstrating the facts isn’t enough. The argument usually goes: > > Pro-death person: “I don’t see why my taxes should pay to keep that (black) murderer alive.” > > Anti-death person: “Well, actually, you will find that life without parole is cheaper than executing people.” Saying you don’t want your taxes to go to support a murderer (your attempt to play the race card is despicable and dishonest) is not an argument that the state should be an instrument of revenge. And your counter-argument makes no attempt to refute the idea of revenge - it is quite straightforwardly what I said it was - an attempt to assert that the death penalty costs more than life without parole. There is no reference to revenge anywhere in the exchange. Your assertion that there is is simply false. So is the original assertion that people don’t argue against the DP based on cost. > [@](#): > > …the judge in the Steven Hayes trial ruled against a motion that the defense be allowed to tell the sentencing jury that it’s cheaper to incarcerate him for life than to give him the death penalty. Such examples could be multiplied almost without number. People make exactly the argument that you claim they did not. Attempts to say otherwise are clearly false. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/298 "2010-11-09T22:47:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > (your attempt to play the race card is despicable and dishonest) **You** of all people are saying something someone else does is dishonest? For shame. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/299 "2010-11-09T22:54:26Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Answer: It’s not absolutely wrong to kill. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740/300 "2010-11-09T23:10:35Z")
Because taking that thought to it’s logical absurdity would mean that we couldn’t kill animals or plants for food. Which would cause us to die. What good would that do? In fact, most of my experience has shown that the vast majority of people don’t think that killing is wrong, we all just have differences in what the threshold should be for it being acceptable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-happen-to-these-two-defendants/553740.md?page=16)