Argument Against Capital Punishment.

Capital punishment is a cruel and unusual form of punishment. The victims of Capital suffer great physical pain during their death. Those killed by the electric chair are electrocuted an average of 17 seconds before the perish. A Lethal Injection victim's arm is injected with a poison that makes there muscles violently spasm for over 30 seconds before their heart shuts itself down. Criminals who are given the gas chamber suffer for nearly a minute before dieing. The gas is inhaled and the victim begins to feel ill. Massive vomiting occurs and the victim often dies by choking on their own vomit rather than the gas itself.

Several mistakes can happen in a trial. Lawyers often present evidence in a misleading way. They try to manipulate a jury by emphasizing the things that help this client. Juries often carry their own biases and can easily base their decision on their own feelings rather that actual fact. There is also an infinite amount of ways human error can occur when handling evidence. Authorities are now discovering that scientific evidence that was not known at the time of many trials. In some cases this clear the "guilty" party. Verdicts in criminal trials are reach too quickly to determine whether a person is to live or die.

Capital punishment supporters argue that America must protect themselves from violent criminals and that death is the only aproprate retaliation. Supporters believe that Capital Punishment is the only retribution for murder. This stance has been held for thousands of years. "Whenever hurt is done, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth..." Exodus 21:23-25 However, when written people did not have the understanding that they have today of DNA and other scientific forms of evidence.

Capital Punishment is wrong. Human beings, no matter what their crimes do not deserve to suffer at the hands of others. Justice is reached not by more death but rather through the understanding and remorse of the guilty party. People in the world today have a better understanding of what is right and wrong that in ancient times. It is ridiculous that as socially evolved humans Americans should base their justice system on a premise developed nearly three thousand years ago