homeless person who has harmed no one receives nothing? Adversaries
of capital punishment claim that it is far more humane then having
the state take away the life of the individual.
In February 1963, Gary McCorkell, a 19 year old sex offender,
was scheduled to hang. But just days before his execution, the then
Liberal cabinet of Lester Person commuted McCorkell to life in
prison.
Less than 20 years later, McCorkell was arrested, tried, and
convicted for the kidnapping and rape of a 10-year old Tenessee
boy. He was sentanced to 63 years in prison. Prior to leaving
Canada, he was sought by Metro Police in the attempted murder of an
11-year old boy.
What has been gained by this? Had McCorkell been executed in
1963, two boys would never have had to have gone through the horror
of being sexually abused. These individuals may themselves become
sex offenders, as many sex offenders were sexually abused as
children.
McCorkell may have been a victim of sexually assualt in the
past, but that does not justify what he did. He did not do this
once, he killed two boys, and assaulted two others, leaving one for
dead. He knew exactly what he was doing. What right does this man
have to live? He has ruined the lives of 4 children, what will he
do in life that will compensate for that? What kind of a life would
the state have been taking away in this case? An innocent life? A
forgiving life? No, a life that was beyond the realm of reform, and
did not care to be.
We must be careful. We must be very careful to never, even
when suspicion may cause considerable doubt, send an innocent
person to be executed. It could have happened to David Millgard, it
could have happened to Donald Marshall. It probably has even
occured numerous times in the history of the earth. But with proper
police investigations, and where the evidence shows that the
individual is a threat to the peace of society as long as he or she
is alive, capital punishment must be used.
Capital punishment, is the execution of criminals by the state, for committing
crimes, regarded so heinous, that this is the only acceptable punishment.
Capital punishment does not only lower the murder rate, but it's value as
retribution alone is a good reason for handing out death sentences. Support for
the death penalty in the U.S. has risen to an average of 80% according to an
article written by Richard Worsnop, entitled "Death penalty debate centres on
Retribution", this figure is slightly lower in Canada where support for the death
penalty is at 72% of the population over 18 years of age, as stated in article by
Kirk Makir, in the March 26, 1987 edition of the Globe and Mail, titled "B.C.
MPs split on Death Penalty".
The death penalty deters murder by putting the fear of death into would be
killers. A person is less likely to do something, if he or she thinks that harm will
come to him. Another way the death penalty deters murder, is the fact that if
the killer is dead, he will not be able to kill again. Most supporters of the death
penalty feel that offenders should be punished for their crimes, and that it does
not matter whether it will deter the crime rate. Supporters of the death penalty
are in favour of making examples out of offenders, and that the threat of death
will be enough to deter the crime rate, but the crime rate is irrelevant.
According to Isaac Ehrlich's study, published on April 16, 1976, eight murders
are deterred for each execution that is carried out in the U.S.A. He goes on to
say, "If one execution of a guilty capital murderer deters the murder of one
innocent life, the execution is justified." To most supporters of the death
penalty, like Ehrlich, if even 1 life is saved, for countless executions of the
guilty, it is a good reason for the death penalty. The theory that society
engages in murder when executing the guilty, is considered invalid by most
supporters, including Ehrlich. He feels that execution of convicted offenders
expresses the great value society places on innocent life.
Isaac Ehrlich goes on to state that racism is also a point used by death penalty
advocates. We will use the U.S. as examples, since we can not look at the
inmates on death row in Canada, because their are laws in Canada that state
that crime statistics can not be based on race, also the fact that there are no
inmates on death row in Canada. In the U.S. 16 out of 1000 whites arrested for
murder are sentenced to death, while 12 of 1000 blacks arrested for murder
were sentenced to death. 1.1% of black inmates on death row were executed,
while 1.7% of white inmates will die. Another cry for racism, as according to
Ehrlich, that is raised by advocates of the death penalty is based on the colour
of the victim, for example "if the victim is white, it is more likely that the offender
will get the death penalty than if the victim had been black". This is true, if you
look at the actual number of people who are murder. More people kill whites
and get the death penalty, then people who kill blacks and get the death
penalty. The reason for this is that more whites are killed, and the murders
captured. Now if we look at the number of blacks killed it is a lot less, but you
have to look at these numbers proportionately. Percent wise it is almost the
same number for any race, so this is not the issue.
In a 1986 study done by Professor Stephen K. Layson of the University of North
Carolina, the conclusions made by Ehrilich were updated, and showed to be a
little on the low side as far as the deterrence factor of capital punishment.
Professor Layson found that 18 murders were deterred by each execution is the
U.S. He also found that executions increases in probability of arrest, conviction,
and other executions of heinous offenders. According to a statement issued by
George C. Smith, Director of Litigation, Washington Legal Foundation, titled "In
Support of the Death Penalty", support for the death penalty has grown in the
U.S., as the crime rate increased. In 1966, 42% of Americans were in favour of
capital punishment while 47% were opposed to it. Since the crime rate United
states has increased, support for the capital punishment has followed suit. In
1986, support for capital punishment was 80% for and only 17% against with
3% undecided, but most of the undecided votes said they were leaning toward a
pro capital punishment stance, if they had to vote on it immediately. Let us now
focus on Canada. The last two people to be executed, in Canada were Arthur
Lucas and Ron Turpin. They were executed on December 11, 1962. The
executions in Canada were carried out by hanging. 1 The death penalty was
abolished in Canada in the latter part of 1976, after a debate that lasted 98
hours. The death penalty was only beaten by 6 votes. If we look back to 1976,
the year the death penalty was abolished in Canada, threats of death, were
being made to Members of Parliament and their immediate families from pro
death penalty advocates. Most members of parliament, voted on their own
personal feelings, as opposed to the views of their voters.2
The same was the case in British Colombia, where accepting of the death
penalty, if it was reinstated 1987 , by the federal government was discussed.
The M.P.s were split, 17 out of 29 were for the death penalty. This showed, that
even the majority of the M.P.s were in favour of the death penalty in B.C.
Support for the death penalty in British Columbia at the time was almost 70%,
but the M.P.s felt that it was up to them to vote how they felt was right, and not
to vote on which vote would give them the best chance for a second term.3 In
1987, the Progressive Conservative government wanted to hold a free vote on
the reinstatement of Capital punishment, but Justice minister Ray Hnatyshyn,
who was opposed to it, pressured the M.P.s, into voted against the bill. Ray
Hnatyshyn, was the deciding factor, if not for him, it was widely believed that
the reinstatement of capital punishment would have gone through, and the
death penalty would be a reality today.4 Capital punishment is such a volatile
issue, and both sides are so deeply rooted in their views that they are willing to
do almost anything to sway all of the people they can to their side.
We personally feel, and our views are backed up by proof, in the form of studies
by the likes of Isaac Ehrlich's 1975 and Prof. Stephen K. Layson's, that was
published in 1986, and polls that have been taken both in Canada and the
United States over the past few years. All of these studies and surveys show
that capital punishment is a valid deterrent to crime, and obviously the public,
and society as a whole are in favour of it. The death penalty makes would be
capital offenders think about weather committing a crime is really worth their
lives. Even if capital punishment did not deter crime, the simple fact that it will
allow society to "get even" with murders. Capital punishment also insures
peace of mind because it insures that murders will never kill again. 1 From:
Take Notice, (Copp Clarke Pitman Ltd., 1979) page 163 2 From: Article written
by David Vienneau published in the March 24, 1987 edition of the "Toronto
Star", titled, Debate Agonizing for MPs. 3 From: Article written by Kirk Makir,
published in March 26, 1987 edition of the "Globe and Mail", titled, BC MPs
Split on Death Penalty Debate. 4 From: Article written by Hugh Winsor,
published in April 29, 1987 edition of the "Globe and Mail", titled, Debate on
Death Penalty placed on hold.
