Ah, the good ole United States of America. We like to believe we are better than other countries. We stand around with our nose in the air thinking we are morally supreme to more oppressive regimes, like Iran. But are we? We still have the death penalty in the 35 of our states despite the growing evidence that we are putting innocent people to death. Our criminal justice system is broken and sentencing people to death is not fair, does not work as a deterrent, is not cost effective, and is racially biased. Yet, we still do it. Why?
But, now we have sunk to a new low, if that is possible. Theresa Lewis is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Thursday, 9/23/10. She pled guilty to two counts of murder. Lewis hired two hit men to kill her husband and stepson so that she could collect on a life insurance policy. The reason why this execution is so terrible? Theresa Lewis is borderline mentally retarded. Also, one of the gunmen later claimed that he manipulated Lewis into believing that he loved her so he could achieve his own goals.
Even Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has weighed in on the case. Rightly accusing us of being hypocritical because we launched a “heavy propaganda" campaign against the case of an Iranian woman who had been sentenced to be stoned to death for adultery but failing to react with outrage over the imminent execution of Lewis in Virginia. I am not sure Ahmadinejad is wrong on this one. I agree that adultery is very different than murder, but we as a country are rather blasé about executing a retarded woman. Where is the outrage? The US Supreme Court heard the case and refused on Tuesday to block the execution.
The death penalty makes people feel good. Not the warm and fuzzy good feeling but a sort of vengeful good. People think that if something happened to one of their loved ones, they would want the death penalty for the accused. Very old testament, don’t you think? But, in legal matters, I believe that things should not be personalized. Of course if someone you loved was harmed, you would want the person responsible dead. Does that make it a sound and fair law? No. Not at all.
And that is what the pro-death penalty activists always go on. The personal gut feeling. But, in reality the criminal justice system is severely flawed, therefore we cannot in good conscience sentence anyone to death. According to Amnesty International, since 1973, over 130 people have been released from death rows throughout the country due to evidence of their wrongful convictions. In 2003 alone, 10 wrongfully convicted defendants were released from death row. How many people have been put to death that were innocent? That we may never know, but you have to believe a few have slipped past. I do.
The death penalty is also racially biased. From initial charging decisions to plea bargaining to jury sentencing, African-Americans are treated more harshly when they are defendants, and their lives are accorded less value when they are victims. There are many studies out there that prove this point.
- A report sponsored by the American Bar Association in 2007 concluded that one-third of African-American death row inmates in Philadelphia would have received sentences of life imprisonment if they had not been African-American.
- A January 2003 study released by the University of Maryland concluded that race and geography are major factors in death penalty decisions. Specifically, prosecutors are more likely to seek a death sentence when the race of the victim is white and are less likely to seek a death sentence when the victim is African-American.
- A 2007 study of death sentences in Connecticut conducted by Yale University School of Law revealed that African-American defendants receive the death penalty at three times the rate of white defendants in cases where the victims are white. In addition, killers of white victims are treated more severely than people who kill minorities, when it comes to deciding what charges to bring.
Knowing all of this, it is still shocking to me that we have the death penalty in our “great nation.” But even more surprising is that we would put a woman to death that is mentally disabled. I really thought we were above that. Calls for clemency to the governor of Virginia have been refused. Pending some last minute shocking event, Theresa Lewis will die by the hand of the government. And I am not okay with that. Especially when the gun men received life in prison and the apparent “mastermind” is a woman with borderline intellectual functioning.
Any thoughts?
Will you please stop repeating the lie about her being borderline mentally retarded? This was proven to not be true. Do you think it’s fair that black men in Virginia get executed, but a white woman gets life in prison instead? The system is not balanced. She deserves to die.
Uh… She makes the argument for African Americans as well.
And if your argument is that she deserves to die because the system is not balanced, don’t take the time to write a comment, cause you’re a #%$&^^%.
Sorry but she deserved it and now a days ppl blame and say everything is racist to african americans.
SHUTUP.
exactly!!!! she ahas no right to die!, otherwise, you are murdering someone as well, and you have planned it 2!!!, so stop talking nonsensically about how she deserves 2 die you idiots!!!!!
she was smart enough to hire 2 hit-men… enough said…
So True…
Lol
She might be borderline mentally retarded but that does not excuse her from knowing the difference between right and wrong. Most mentally challenged people have an understanding of right and wrong.
I’ve noticed one problem. How would we all feel if we were sentenced to die for something that wasn’t our fault? Let’s say that we are sentenced to death because we have stolen a few things, and we have Kleptomania? I am pretty sure you would want medical help to help you overcome the urge to steal. Same thing here. She deserved to be helped. Too late now, there is no point arguing about the past.
WHAT TYPE OF ARGUMENT IS THIS?! SHE DESERVED TO BE HELPED…AND HER HUSBAND AND STEPSON AS WELL…THE MINUTE THAT IT BECAME TOO LATE FOR THEM TO GET HELP, IT WAS TOO LATE FOR HER TO DESRVE HELP.
Are you $#@&* kidding me? this lady murdered a man in cold blood that is nothing like executing someone for Adultery.
I am pro death penalty, I think with absolute proof for certain types of violent crimes it is nessesary and our obligation to rid our society of these people. This is NOT the case with this woman,,she did NOT pull the trigger,,,although resposible,,,who knows what she would have done in the last fateful second behind that trigger. She hired it done THOSE men should go..she SHOULD never walk in society again..but to kill her is wrong. Morally I think we are taking a huge step back..its only one opinion but its mine.
GO AWAY!!!!! NO ONE DESERVES TO DIE FOR THEIR MISTAKES!!!!, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DEAL WITH CRIMES!!!!!!! LIKE
PRISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I personally agree with David. You “upset person” can pay ALL the tax money keeping these people alive. All their insurance, schooling, rent, medical bills & the list goes on. Criminals are criminals forever. How much money a year does it take to keep one alive? How much has Charlie Manson cost us the past 40+ years? Some of them don’t deserve to live!!!! Maybe YOU can take one home & support their ass in your house!
not everyone is a criminal forever someone might get out of jail and decide to turn their life aroun so patti u need to shut up with your ignorant self
don’t cry out for revenge if its you son or daughter the one who is murdered then…
Boy them folk against the death penalty sure no how to come up with excuse don’t they? But let it be a black person, their mouths are stopped… Hypacrites..
Again. She makes the case for the fact that African American men and women are being executed in our current “system” wrongfully. And please, learn to spell. It’s insulting.
Come on, we do not need the spelling police here. I think its a bad idea to discourage people from sharing there opinion in this informal setting because they are poor spellers. Many of us have become too dependent on spell check.
Also, it should be noted that a sentence needs a subject and a predicate.
“Again.”
(I would never take the time to point this out but you are the one getting picky about misspelling)
Thank You!! EVeryone has a right to voice their opinion, and just because they spell hypocrites wrong doesn’t mean that you need to be making a comment!!!! Some people cant spell!, give them a brake!!!!!
Yes, the USA has sunk to a new low. Why should the men who pulled the trigger be given a life sentence and Teresa sentenced to death?
y does it matter either way they still gonna di wether they die in jail or b executed.
Bottom line is this: The only way a person should be killed is if s/he poses an imminent threat to the life of another person(s). Executions are primitive, barbaric, and are nothing more than premeditated murder.
If you’ve murdered someone, that qualifies as “an imminent threat to the life of another person”. Murder is primitive and barbaric.
If you kill another human being, the price should be the forfeit of your own life. End of story.
DITTO!!!!
Execution can be also called as murder, and now, Murder equals Execution. so wait, Murder = Murder? If I go along what Blue said, then shouldn’t the government be executed too? and wouldn’t that mean a Paradox?
I agree
so jenny think of this as forced evolution, we will rid you of the murderers, so you can sink back into your sicopantic suberban dream of a perfect world. fool. we evolved becasue we were able to defend ourselves, with force if necessary. Violence isn’t bad, killing isn’t bad either. Killing for profit is bad, killing for your own saftey is entirely reasonable and a part of all human society.
This is the government we are talking about, people! With democracy, it is ALL OF US who shapes the government. If we go around murdering people, and we support the death penalty, then that means we are a barbaric country. We have the power to keep the government from executing people.
She knew what she did was wrong, yet she did it anyway. She and those thugs that pulled the trigger deserve the death penalty.
Enough of the excuses.
Where is Mercy. I will pray tonight for all of you who believe killing another human being is justice. My heart is breaking for this world that thinks we have the right to kill is a justice. I’m sorry for all families affected by the tragedy of all those that were killed. Killing is killing no matter how you see it. How about showing people God’s Divine Mercy. Please don’t try to justify this murder with an eye for an eye or it’s o.k. because your an atheist. We are all equal in sin in God’s eyes. Lets leave it to him to decide who lives and who dies.
Maybe they can live in your house & YOU can support all of them. I personally think America can use this money on better causes than losers of our society.
I agree with you, Irene. No one has the right to kill, no matter what the other has done. But please, it does not depend on faith only. It doesn’t matter what religion you believe in or if you’re an atheist, killing is still wrong and most people of every religion know this. It’s sad that the government apparently doesn’t.
If I remember correctly, and I believe I do, God called for execution of murders, because it’s justice.
Don’t worry you don’t and clearly common sense is not that common.
On a very pragmatic level, I would kill the person who murdered one of my loved ones if I knew the state wouldn’t exact the revenge I expect. Take that for what you will. Yeah it sucks that occasionally innocent men are put to death, but that’s what the appeals process is for. If you strip people of their right to revenge and justice, then don’t be surprised when you see vigilantes like me taking the law into our own hands.
NOOONEEE SHOULD DIEE, TAKE A LEAF FROM THE ENGLISH LAW INIT!!!!!
MURDERER!!! I bet you would be a person who enjoyed the Roman Colosseum in Rome. You like most: KILL KILL KILL! when you’re there! Is this REALLY what makes America great?
Why???? Is it really right to kill someone who killed someone else?? I understand if they killed your loved ones, friends, someone you are close to!, I know you want to feel good that they died, everyone loves revenge!, But, here is the thing!. Aren’t you doing the exact same thing by sentencing them to death!, You are torn parts when your loved one is murdered, but do you think that they would want to you to do the same thing that that person did?, I don’t!! It doesn’t mean you have to forgive them, but at least understand that they are sstill a human being!, everyone makes bad, wrong, horrid decisions, but that doesn’t give you the right to take their life away, because if you do!, then you are a murderer yourself!!!!
I’ll do it gladly. I would expect my family to seek vengance for me.
TWO WRONGS NEVER MAKE A RIGHT (three lefts do, though) It isn’t right to kill people that have killed. Has no one ever considered that people in jail deserver help to stop being a criminal?
Jeez!
Vengence does not have to come from murder noone has the right to kill.
thanks for the post
your very welcomee:)
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Even if she is retarded she should still be penalized to life in jail….the hit men should die.
Exactly my point! She did nothing wrong, she was persuaded into killing! Not only that, she didn’t kill, was she? T
woops, typo in that reply. I meant to say this:
The Hitmen killed, not her!
The prisons are over populated . We need intervention and counseling for people with lower mental capabilities who have committed crimes. I believe she is not truly borderline mentally retarded. It is an excuse to save her from the consequences. It did not work obviously.
Maybe, just MAYBE, if we all didn’t commit crimes, MAYBE those jails wouldn’t be full, right? Helloooo? Common Sense?
An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth. This is the reality of our society and I stand firmly behind that. How retarded could she possibly be if she has the foresight to hire a gunman? Her actions were based on pure greed and the lack of concern for others. Those in the CJ field know this to be malice aforethought. She deserves all the punishment the laws of today will allow.
An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind.
Please America do not stop there. There are so many who need to be executed for murder. they are the people who have been running your so called government for many years. As a country you have no morals as is proved by the amount of money that is passed to Israel, even though it means your own people will have to go without. Wake up America you are not the Great Nation that you think you are when you murder people who need help and support.I am sure that we all look forward to the next Holocaust that will be caused by America.
I support our death pen. i do know its broken though. but i just wanted to tell you that i’m American and agree with you about our government. most americans are ashamed of the people we have in congress. They run saying one thing, and then when elected do the exact opposite. I beleive in the death pen, but i dont believe in murder, and that is exactly what we are doing in other counties. but this is not an American problem, this is a world problem, the people that run this country aren’t even American, their private bankers. they run most of the countries. as you can see from all the riots around the world that people are starting to fight them, and you will be pleased to know that the American people are fighting back too. Bless you and have a great day!
I think the family of the persons that were killed should have the last say about what is to be done with such persons after all we don’t know how they feel. I expect it took some planning to come up with how and when this would be done and to kill 2 people not one. I have a mentally retarded brother and he is sweet and loving and even he knows right from wrong. we learn right from wrong at a very early age there is no way she did not know what she was doing was wrong. It was premeditated and she helped to plan it. Let the cards fall where they may.
We may be missing the point of capital punishment here. While and eye for an eye is certainly an argument protecting society fits pretty well too. First of all it is the most effective punishment we have. The repeat rate is 0. Which happens to be way lower than any other punishment plus it places value on the lives of those who are paid to guard these killers.
Give that I would still recommend abolishing this punishment given the cruel and unusual punishment argument. I would propose as a substitute giving the convicted 9 months to prove their innocence (nothing like the arresting officer didn’t offer me a cup of water or some dumb excuse). If after that time the criminal doesn’t prove their innocence the warden would be required to show up unannounced and have the criminal thrown across their rack. After that a pair of scissors would be shoved in the base of the criminals skull and their tiny little brain sucked out with a shop vac. It certainly isn’t unusual since over 4k people die like this everyday. As to cruel that can;t be the case because libtards are the most gentle, loving people in the world and they approve of this practice being used on babies.
Hey we might even expand on this idea with little slogans for bumper sticker, something like “every criminal a wanted criminal” or “I support the Warden’s Right to do What He/She Wants with His/Her Prisoner”.
Conservatives and libtards need to come together and work things like this out for the safety of our society and the prison population.
come on , very good article, I will often come to here
this is my blog please visit it :http://www.theairmax.us
Why should I be paying taxes to keep someone alive who has no respect for life and in the process murders?
.
Now this is exactly why I subscribe to your blog! I never heard of Cushe and chances are – without your blog – I never would. Thanks … I’m going to find a local retailer and check them out over the weekend.
this is my blog please visit it :http://www.theairmax.us
For all you bleeding heart yokles, here are some reasons for a death penalty
1. No chance of that person ever hurthing anyone ever again.
2. No chance of later clemency from on high.
3. allows closure to victims or their surviving kin.
4. It makes prisons safer by lowering the number of violent offenders with nothing to lose.
I support the death penalty without exception for premeditated murder, rape, child molestation, and any crimes secondary to those acts. When an adult takes an action such as this, the reasons cease to matter. We as a society can not allow someone to kill becasue they are retarded, or becasue they are drunk, or high. Once you have crossed this line, you give up your membership card in the human race, you are just trash to be taken out. I hope we eventually see a more colorblind judicial system, but that is secondary to the need of a society to ensure the saftey of the law abiding population. if anyone ever killed/raped/molested or tortured a member of my family, I know i would absolutely seek retribution if the courts did not deliver. I’m suprised it doesn’t happen more often.
We aren’t “bleeding hearts” thank you very much, some of us have too much respect for life to kill someone. Sure, it costs money to keep them in prison, but it costs money to kill them too! I mean really, you have to pay for public defenders, most likely you will have to pay for appeals cases, and then you have to pay to keep them on death row until their execution! Besides, if you can let one person who has committed premeditated murder, why would kill another person who has done the exact same thing, regardless of their race or gender, or of who they killed? I’m shocked that so many people would take away another human’s life, no matter what they’ve done. I believe that anyone can be rehabilitated, given enough time and the right treatment so that they know what they did was wrong.
The comment that Black people are getting a bad wrap because of their color in regards to crimes commited
and weather or not they get executed is rediculous.
Take a look at your local sherrif office website…pick anyone in any state…
Count the number of Blacks blottered, and whites…over 80% of crimes that are commited that
could call for a death penalty are those commited by blacks.
In this case it is a white woman, and I agree, if she was comprehensive enough to hire a hit man,
then it proves that she knows what she is doing, and can, and did carry out an act of premediated murder.
And if the evidence weighs in on what she is being tried for, then the death penalty should be given.
She is no different from anyone else.
She should be glad she is getting leathal injection, my choice would be the chair.
I wouldn’t weigh in on either side, until I read all there is to read about the case, and most of the court documents, and evidence. People claim they have all sorts of things if they’re facing a death penalty..that’s nothing new.
The justice system is flawed, no doubt. Do we sentence some innocent people to die? Yes we do. And that’s a horribly flawed system that should be and needs to be fixed. But this article does not give all the facts.
Yet, thousands of people, those who don’t have the voice to stand up for their rights are murdered everyday. Those same people get shredded to bits and pieces by way of legalized abortion. Where’s your outrage over that, Erin? The legal system has failed them miserably. Yet, you seem to be okay with that. Your hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Hypocrisy goes both ways. I have written articles about this same issue. Many people, like yourself, are pro-life and I certainly respect that position. What I cannot respect is that pro-life advocates are often against other necessary legislation that would protect children. It seems to be very hypocritical to cry about the killing of unborn children yet stand by silently as the United States has one of the higher infant mortality rates because of our crummy health care. I don’t know how you personally feel about other life related issues but to attack me for being against the death penalty is absurd. A life is a life.
Sitting here getting my day on. Bob Marley playing and the smell of falls harvest in the air. Love this site. A lot of good comments.
Anyway Love and Tolerance is the key. And trust in God. Hope
Good site, keep up the work I will keep coming back!
34 years she lived not killing anyone, until it benifited her, to me it seems like she knew exactly what she was doing.the U.S. justice system is broke we all know that, but what ,keep them in prison for the rest of their lives? Then there’s many more victims, every tax payer and their family becomes victims when we have to pay for them to be jailed? That doesnt make much sense either. No one here was on the jury right? so who are we to say that it isn’t just? I would say they would know better than any of us. Plus did we forget about that precious child and how she took his life?
Putting aside for the moment all the carping about other peoples spelling or grammatical disabilities the issue of capitol punishment is not a black and white issue (at least not in the racial sense). While there is probably a wrongful bias towards black defendants the point cannot be repeated often enough- capitol punishment is morally wrong and serves no legitimate purpose. It has been argued that taking the life of another can serve to protect society, that it provided justice, that it is more efficient than other forms of punishment or that it deters similar crimes. None of these have proven to be true. It is not less expensive. I costs less to keep a man in prison for life than it does to execute him. This could be solved of course if we took up the Chinese model and dispensed with civil rights and the right to appeal, but it is we can’t do that short of giving up our way of government. It has never been shown that capitol punishment actually deters violent crime. Mental health care and reduction of access to firearms does bring down the rate of violent crime though. Lastly, there is revenge. That helps no one.
What the h**l did you do with the reply I just spent a half hour composing?
Well said sir
If everyone that kills someone is a murderer and should also be killed than what about our troops overseas that fight for our freedom? should they die because they have killed? no. that lady should have life in prison for murder by association and the shooter should have the death penalty.
that makes no sense, how can you relate troops to criminals? you said yourself they fight for our freedom, and what do criminals do? nothing, they are the lowest of our society.
and I DO NOT support the death penalty.
that was kinda my point, for those people saying an eye for an eye sort of thing, if someone has killed they should b killed. i have 2 brothers overseas right now. and i DO support the death penalty. the shooter should have been tried for 2 counts of 1st degree murder.
it would be a contract killing and if the hiring party is tried for murder then BOTH parties should be tried for murder, or homicide for the shooter.
You know i agree with you mostly on this one, but i believe that they all deserve the death penalty. It’s nothing personal at all, but take a look at it this way: Wife wants money, she doesn’t like her husband or child, she hires 2 men to kill them both so she can have the money, then one of the shooters convinces her that he loves her so he can get some of the money and bail out. They all are in on this, if premeditated murder doesn’t deserve the death penalty then what does?
So we agree with killing people who have killed? How does that make sense? We are just as much criminals if we kill them. Yes lock them up for their crimes, but kill them?
There are six billion people on this planet, with another billion more coming. At what point are we going to start being picky with how we dole out our resources? If you deprive your husband and stepson of life, and understand what it is you are doing, what right do you have to life. I, and a huge portion of Americans, believe in God, God’s Justice, and the immortality of the human soul. So to many like myself the Death Penalty isn’t as horrid as you conceive it to be, for there is more progression after death. I am not saying you need to believe any of this, just asking you to understand why some see the Death Penalty as a necessity.
She hired to kill someone in America. The Goverment hires to kill overseas.
Finally, someone with some common sense critical thinking skills. Yes, the US government hires and pays it’s military to slaughter people overseas sometimes by just pressing a button from the safety of an aircraft carrier, a fighter jet, bomber, helicopter etc., you get my point. However, when we do this, we call it war/spreading democracy or collateral damage and no one gets convicted or prosecuted for it. The criminals who planned this and ordered these hits are enjoying their luxurious life from the safety of their mansions and ranches. It is downright shameful and sad that we have such double standards and the majority of us are too stupid to see it. We just swallow the propaganda we are fed 24/7 on mainstream media outlets.
Does 9/11 sound familiar? Or are you as stupid as you sound? Come on, they’re fighting to defend people from getting killed! For christs sake, I don’t like the government, but don’t blame our troops! They’re following orders! Do you want to see more people dead from suicide bombs or hijacked planes???? Do you want a repeat of 9/11??? Our troops are over in foreign lands where they’re constantly in danger so that you are able to give the s*** from the safety of your own f****** home!!
About time
Damn straight
Ok, back to the issue in the article. I think she does in fact deserve the penalty, i mean seriously, she hired 2 men to kill her husband and stepson! In the article it say’s that she was “borderline mentally-retarded” it didn’t say “she’s full on, 100% mentally handicapped” did you see in the article where it said what she was handicapped with? Did she have down-syndrome? Was she autistic? I still fail to see where in the article it gives some kind of diagnoses of what was wrong with her. People kill people for someone who said they “love them more” quite constantly. So suddenly someone pops up and says “hey she may be handicapped but we have no proof!” and everyone rallies to her side? She had 2 people killed! Saying she doesn’t deserve punishment is like saying every serial killer that pleads “insanity” deserves to be given meds and sent home. It’s not right!
i think they shouldnt be killed if you pull the trigger then you should be killed and we should all be equal whter we r white or african amrican .and shes mentally handicaped she should get counsline only in exstreme cases should they die
i do not believe in the death penalty. this lady doesnt deserve to die, no one deserves to die. if someone kills someone and then you kill them, you are doing the same thing. sinking to their level.
& people are always blaming racism these days, white people are subject to racist people too, you know. black people can be racist too.
anyways, it costs more money to kill someone than it does to hold them in jail, in case you didnt know that. so everyone who is so ignorant and pro-death penalty should stop talking
I am totally against death penalty too, however how can it cost more money to kill someone rather then keep it in jail? sm can you explain more pls., you made me curious.
What is wrong with you people?
I am also copletley agaist the death penalty and life in jail would suck so i think she should just get another chance.