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Death Penalty

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Death Penalty
Capital Punishment Capital Punishment can be defined as the sentence of execution for crimes as murder and some other serious crimes, which are punishable by death. Capital punishment is a long debated issue which extends well beyond a question of mere legality. A number of additional factors including ethical, economic, social and religious arguments have and continue to be made for both its definition and its importance. Opinions have certainly been formed for each, and the topic remains very relevant today. There are two central key words when talking about death penalty: cruel and unusual punishment. Cruel can shortly be defined as “disposed to inflict pain or suffering” or something that just plainly causes suffering. In attempting to define cruel and unusual punishment, federal and state courts have generally analyzed two aspects of punishment: the method of and the amount. When demonstrating what death by execution is, it is also very important to consider the process to it. At only 20 years old, Cortne’ Robinson is the youngest man in Texas to be on death row. A journalist from The Marshall News Messenger reports this following case. Robinson broke into the house of Mr. and Mrs. Zabokrtsky. Robinson robbed the couple and killed Mr. Zabokrtsky, as well as raping and kidnapping Mrs. Zabokrtsky. Luckily, Mrs. Zabokrtsky was able to escape out of the trunk of Robinson’s car. This was not Robinson’s first offense, however. In 2007, he was charged with burglary at G.W. Carver Elementary school (Richardson p. 13). The combinations of Robinson’s criminal background with the testimony of Mrs. Zabokrtsky led the jury to the decision of death by lethal injection (Richardson p. 13). The jury found it would be necessary to give him death by lethal injection because the jury states “Robinson would be a future danger in any society” (Richardson p. 9). Without capital punishment, many murderers, much like Robinson, would be let out Scott-free.


Cited: Elechi, O., E. Lambert, and L. Ventura. ""An Examination of Death Penalty Views of Nigerian and U.S. College Students: An Exploratory Study.".” African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies: AJCJS 2.2 (2006), 101-147. ProQuest Criminal Justice, ProQuest. Web.  3 October 2011. Halperin, Rick. "Ohio executes Daniel Lee Bedford." (2011), Web. 3 October 2011. "More Jobs, Not Jails Are Needed In America.” New Pittsburgh Courier  16  Sep. 1995, City Edition: Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW), ProQuest. Web.  3 October 2011. Richardson, Robin. "Jury sentences Robinson to die. “Marshall News Messenger. 15 March 2011. Web. 3 October 2011. Scott Kraus.  "Mental health may figure in defense.” McClatchy - Tribune Business News 16 May 2011 ABI/INFORM Dateline, ProQuest. Web.  3 October 2011.
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