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Thread: Should impaired drivers who kill be executed?

  1. #1
    Senior Member CnCP Addict one_two_bomb's Avatar
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    Should impaired drivers who kill be executed?

    I recently had this discussion with another board member one night during an execution chat. While I may be alone with this belief, I feel I make some pretty strong arguments for it.

    I suppose the biggest argument against capital punishment for impaired drivers who kill would be the fact that they didn't get behind the wheel with the intent to kill someone. Well newsflash, pal, not all capital murderers do either, and we don't question their executions.

    If someone robs a store with a gun, and there is a struggle for the weapon and it goes off, killing somebody, the robber would be guilty of capital murder in any death penalty state. Even if he never intended to kill anyone, only rob them, he can still be sentenced to death. The fact that he brought a loaded gun to an armed robbery shows that he knew there is a potential for a fatality, and he still chose to go ahead and commit the crime anyways. The same logic can be applied to impaired drivers. If someone knows that driving while intoxicated puts the lives on everyone on the road in jeopardy, and still chooses to operate a motor vehicle anyways, and an innocent person does die as a result, what is the difference?

    What about that guy in Georgia, Roy Blankenship, who was executed for causing the death of an old lady who suffered a heart attack while being raped? He could argue that he didn't intend to kill to victim, only rape her, and he didn't intentionally inflict any fatal wounds. But his actions still led to the victim's death, and I doubt anyone was heartbroken when he was strapped to the gurney.

    Think about the guy in Wisconsin a couple weeks ago who was driving around while huffing chemicals, and crashed his truck into a girl scout troop, killing three of them along with one of their mothers. Why should he be allowed to live?

    A year ago my mom was in a bad car accident caused by a man who was high on heroin. He fell asleep at the wheel, veered across the center lane and hit my mom head on. She is OK, but lucky to be alive. If anyone saw a picture of the car after the accident, they'd think there's no way anyone lived through that. Had my mom not made it, I would absolutely want the other driver killed.

    Drunk driving is no better than driving while high on heroin or driving while huffing paint. If someone drinks a 5th of vodka to the point where they can't walk straight, but still chooses to drive a car and ends up killing someone, I have no sympathy for them.

    Someone could argue what if someone has one or two beers, and is involved in an accident that they didn't necessarily happen to cause, and someone happens to die as a result. Surely they don't deserve to be executed. My response to this is it would have to be proven that the defendant's intoxication directly caused the accident that led to the victim's death, and it would be up to a jury to find this in order to convict on a murder charge.

    Also, just as we can tell someone if they don't want to receive the death penalty, all they have to do is NOT murder someone, the same can be said about this proposed scenario. If one wishes to avoid the same fate, all they have to do is not drive while impaired. In the days of Uber, Lyft and other options available, there is absolutely NO REASON whatsoever to drive impaired, and anyone who does so is extremely stupid.

    I believe this should be extended to other dangerous drives who aren't impaired. If someone is stone cold sober but is driving 100+ mph down the road, and they crash and kill someone, we should execute them as well.

    What does everyone else think on this matter? Do you agree? Why or why not?
    Last edited by one_two_bomb; 12-23-2018 at 04:36 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Member ted75601's Avatar
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    In theory, I agree. The problem I see is the cost. Under the current system, it takes so long to execute anyone that the addition of any more potential executions would bankrupt any state that tried it. The only ones to benefit would be the lawyers. That problem would need to be corrected first, which, in my opinion, should be done anyway.

    As well, I think there should be an automatic death penalty for anyone who kills a law enforcement officer or a K9. Again, cut out all the foolish appeals and delays. Just do it and get it over with. We have enough good people in the world. We don't need to keep people who aren't around.
    Last edited by ted75601; 12-26-2018 at 12:49 PM.

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    Senior Member CnCP Addict one_two_bomb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ted75601 View Post
    In theory, I agree. The problem I see is the cost. Under the current system, it takes so long to execute anyone that the addition of any more potential executions would bankrupt any state that tried it. The only ones to benefit would be the lawyers. That problem would need to be corrected first, which, in my opinion, should be done anyway.
    I agree, although there is no correcting it at this point. The only way to do that would be to overturn Furman

    As well, I think there should be an automatic death penalty for anyone who kills a law enforcement officer or a K9. Again, cut out all the foolish appeals and delays. Just do it and get it over with. We have enough good people in the world. We don't need to keep people who aren't around.
    I'm not sure why so many people think killing a cop is more heinous than killing anyone else. With all due respect to law enforcement, I want cop killers executed not because they killed cops, but because they killed human beings.

    While I think there should be substantial prison terms for people who kill any dog, I don't think a dog's life is worth a human's life.

    I guess it would have been better to ask if impaired drivers who kill should be charged with first degree, premeditated murder.

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    Senior Member Member ted75601's Avatar
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    I, as would most people, would run from a dangerous situation. Cops, with their K9's, run towards it and put their lives on the line for us. I know it's an old argument but anyone who would kill a cop would kill anyone and is an extreme danger to society. They are also extremely stupid if they think they won't be caught. Law enforcement will throw everything they have at catching this person and won't give up until they are found.

    Anyone who would kill a K9 to get away would just as happily kill the officer with it. K9's don't travel alone. I don't believe in "the sanctity of human life". Anyone who is that much a danger to society needs to be removed from this earth - and quickly.

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    Senior Member CnCP Addict one_two_bomb's Avatar
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    I, as would most people, would run from a dangerous situation. Cops, with their K9's, run towards it and put their lives on the line for us.
    I agree, and while commendable, that is their job. While I am very thankful for the individuals who choose to do this line of work, I don't believe this makes their lives more valuable than you or I.

    I know it's an old argument but anyone who would kill a cop would kill anyone and is an extreme danger to society.
    The same can be said about anyone who murders well, pretty much anyone. There are people who would kill a cop to avoid arrest, but wouldn't necessarily shoot up a school or movie theater full of people for the hell of it. There are people who will murder a defenseless child but wouldn't dare take on a cop. The bottom line is that none of that should matter. We should be punishing the action of murder, and not necessarily the person.

    I get it law enforcement put their lives on the line to keep us safe but I don't think a victim's occupation should dictate the sentence. There are no laws (that I'm aware of) in any state that make the murder of a doctor, nurse, teacher, etc a capital offense, and are those professions not as vital to society as law enforcement?

    Even more ridiculous is Ohio's capital murder statue, where it is a death penalty offense to murder someone who holds a political office. If anything, murdering a politician victim should be a mitigating factor in favor of the defendant.

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    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    What would you believe is more of a danger to society? A person who murders a toddler or a person that guns down an armed and armored adult?

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    Senior Member CnCP Addict one_two_bomb's Avatar
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    Both. Both are murderers. Both that toddler and that cop had equal right to live.

    Adam Lanza never killer a cop, although he murdered like 20+ 5 year olds in a school. Same with Nicolas Cruz, murders a bunch of schoolchildren but surrenders peacefully to the cops.

    Then there's people who will kill a cop but would never do something like aforementioned turds.

    I also disagree with a person's dangerousness being a factor of whether or not to execute them. There are people who are very dangerous that have never killed anyone. Then there are people like Vernon Madidon who are essentially harmless yet I still want to execute because of what they have done in the past.

    Back to the OP, I'd have to say impaired drivers are extremely dangerous. They are literally putting at risk the lives of everyone else on the road at the time. Do you think they should be executed if they kill someone?
    Last edited by one_two_bomb; 12-28-2018 at 07:18 AM.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Frequent Poster joe_con's Avatar
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    You are comparing a drunk with no intent to crazed mass murderers. Might as well execute drunk drivers who cause pregnant women to lose a baby and women who get abortions as well. This discussion is ludicrous.

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    Senior Member CnCP Addict one_two_bomb's Avatar
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    You are comparing a drunk with no intent to crazed mass murderers.
    Please point out where I made this specific comparison.

    The statement "drunk drivers with no intent" is simply wrong. Everyone knows drunk driving is dangerous, and can very well be deadly. Yet people still INTEND to do it. There is your INTENT. Kind of like people who rob a store and their gun accidentally discharges and kills someone. They knew this was a possible outcome, yet still INTENDED to do it anyway, and can be charged with capital murder and sentenced to death. How is this a bad comparison?

    Might as well execute drunk drivers who cause pregnant women to lose a baby
    That's a fair argument.

    and women who get abortions as well.
    It would be hard to argue to execute someone for doing something completely legal.

  10. #10
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ted75601 View Post
    In theory, I agree. The problem I see is the cost. Under the current system, it takes so long to execute anyone that the addition of any more potential executions would bankrupt any state that tried it. The only ones to benefit would be the lawyers. That problem would need to be corrected first, which, in my opinion, should be done anyway.

    As well, I think there should be an automatic death penalty for anyone who kills a law enforcement officer or a K9. Again, cut out all the foolish appeals and delays. Just do it and get it over with. We have enough good people in the world. We don't need to keep people who aren't around.
    Couldn't agree more!

    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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