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marble falls

(71,742 posts)

17. Now let's factor in some integrity, ethics, morality, humanity ...

Tue Mar 10, 2026, 03:07 PM

Mar 10

... "Yet I remember one in the Austin area, Kenneth McDuff, who was sentenced to the death penalty but when the Supreme Court overturned the death penalty was re-sentenced to life in prison. Then he was paroled on good behavior, only to kill again before finally caught."

Be careful using anecdotes to try to clinch the argument: it will bring one into the Willie Hortonistic arguments of the RW. The next argument is : what if it were my child/brother/sister/spouse/parent appeal to the emotional. I am much more likely to be killed by a drunk driver than a stranger. I am more like to be murdered by someone I know than by an ex-con.

The reason you can point to this one case is evidence actually of how exceptional his case was. We cannot build policy on exceptions and outliers.

We don't use the courts to help the dead to get justice. There is no justice for the dead. Their corpses are just evidence of an alleged crime. The process is not about gaining retribution the survivors, it's about keeping values and the integrity society, measuring if there is any change in society's norms and values.

This why families do not get to judge or sentence or prosecute or sit on the juries.

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Alabama Governor Commutes Death Sentence of Man Who Didn't Kill Anyone [View all] ruet Mar 10 OP

..Burton's death sentence was possible because of a legal doctrine known as felony murder, riversedge Mar 10 #1

I understand felony murder, Miguelito Loveless Mar 10 #7

Even to the point of being held responsible for deaths of accomplices by police. marble falls Mar 10 #11

It's an unfair law. LeftInTX Mar 10 #13

"I cannot proceed in good conscience with the execution of Mr. Burton" twodogsbarking Mar 10 #2

But she is OK with burying him in the hole. marble falls Mar 10 #10

She actually did something right question everything Mar 10 #3

Good MustLoveBeagles Mar 10 #4

The death penalty in and of itself is an abomination and not a deterrent. Moostache Mar 10 #5

and life without parole is a chickenshit form of capital punishment. marble falls Mar 10 #9

A life sentence without parole is less costly to society than capital punishment is. summer_in_TX Mar 10 #14

Now let's factor in some integrity, ethics, morality, humanity ... marble falls Mar 10 #17

Not able to discern whether you support or oppose summer_in_TX Mar 10 #21

Do not for a second think I support the death penalty in any sort of fashion for anyone in any situation PERIOD. ... marble falls Mar 10 #22

Of course those murders who went and sinned no more should be considered. summer_in_TX Mar 10 #23

Sometimes life without parole is necessary though Polybius Mar 10 #24

I've always thought that was a good idea. But there's a reason for it, and it has nothing to do with justice. malthaussen Mar 10 #15

Society changes and evolves its values. Eight year olds are no longer hung for stealing bread, which used to common ... marble falls Mar 10 #18

Society changes and evolves its *laws*. Values take longer to evolve... malthaussen Mar 10 #20

A Republican thinking timms139 Mar 10 #6

Jebus must have had a talk with her, now parole him. marble falls Mar 10 #8

I'm sure his race had nothing to do with his getting the death sentence. Pffftt! Living in Alabama might be considered a Wonder Why Mar 10 #12

Jeezus, he wasn't even still there. He had left. WTF? Joinfortmill Mar 10 #16

Good thing this wasn't Texas or Florida. Aristus Mar 10 #19