I have slowly changed my stance on this issue over the past several years. Once a staunch supporter of the death penalty today I would vote to abolish it for many of the reasons you cited. It is not a deterrent to crime, it costs more to house and accommodate death row inmates and is simply incompatible with the values of a civilized society. I’ve come to this conclusion thoughtfully, prayerfully and civility debating with friends. Thanks for writing this article. I still challenge myself to reconsider but you have affirmed many of my convictions. Thanks Hancen.
Israel does not have the death penalty. Yaya Sinwar, the mastermind of October 7, was not given a death penalty initially. Hitler and Napoleon were not given the death penalty. Recidivism is real. The death penalty may not deter others, but it is certainly effective in preventing a second crime performance
Recidivism is indeed real—but the conclusion doesn’t follow. Life without parole already fully prevents repeat offenses; thus, the death penalty doesn’t solve a safety problem the justice system can’t already address, as permanent incarceration prevents a second crime just as effectively. The death penalty, on the other hand, adds nothing but irreversible risk, the potential for unequal application, and state-sanctioned violence where it isn’t necessary.
While the examples you provide are thought provoking, I do not think they are relevant to the broader debate: the death penalty vs. life without parole. Israel voluntarily released Yaya Sinwar as part of a prisoner exchange, Hilter died by suicide before being captured, and Napolean was exiled, not imprisoned, by the Europeans. Neither of the three faced actual life imprisonment as it is commonly understood.
Notwithstanding, the aforementioned are prominent political figures who persisted, if they did at all, by virtue of their societal status. In my view, the more important question is the death penalty vs. life without parole among the common man.
Recidivism is real. Disturbingly real. We have to do more to prepare these men and women for life outside of incarceration. They need eduction. They need a skill to work. But they need a mentor/support group to walk with them when they are free more than anything. Any obstacle is a setback that may just be too difficult to overcome without the help of others. We have to see these folks as God’s people. Let’s care for them. Support them. In hopes that they too may have a life and positively contribute to our society.
Christa Pike meets with Tennessee Governor Lee this week to beg for clemency. Should he grant it to her? What would you do given the chance to spare a life?
Yes, I think Gov. Lee should—and I hope he will—commute her sentence to life in prison. I oppose the death penalty generally, so I am not a neutral arbiter in that respect, but the specifics of her case make clemency even more appropriate. Ms. Pike was only 18 at the time of her crimes, when the parts of the brain responsible for judgment and impulse control are still developing. She was also born prematurely, which can cause developmental delays, and had a history of extraordinary childhood abuse. Again, I oppose the death penalty writ large, but I feel especially strongly about its application to people under the age of 25. None of this excuses or minimizes her crimes, which were, by her own admission, extremely gruesome. The central question to me is whether execution is a morally defensible expression of justice—and after years of reading and thinking about that question, I have concluded that it is not.
The case also highlights how arbitrary some of these decisions can be. Her accomplice, Tadaryl Shipp, greatly influenced Pike’s worldview at the time, teaching her about the occult and Satanism. His actions were equally gruesome; it was Shipp who carved the Satanic pentagram into the victim’s chest. Both Pike and Shipp were tried and convicted as adults—but because Shipp was only 17 at the time, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, while Pike received the death penalty because she was already 18. How different is the human brain at 17 versus 18 years old? Is it different enough to justify such starkly different penalties—enough to condemn one person to death while affording the other the possibility of freedom in his late 40s or early 50s?
I agree Governor Lee should commute her sentence. She hasn’t been a model inmate which makes his decision even more difficult. Killing her does not solve anything & does not become a deterrent to future crimes. I’m doubtful he will take any action. I’m praying for Governor Lee to have mercy & compassion on someone who many consider to be the worst. Stay tuned.
I have slowly changed my stance on this issue over the past several years. Once a staunch supporter of the death penalty today I would vote to abolish it for many of the reasons you cited. It is not a deterrent to crime, it costs more to house and accommodate death row inmates and is simply incompatible with the values of a civilized society. I’ve come to this conclusion thoughtfully, prayerfully and civility debating with friends. Thanks for writing this article. I still challenge myself to reconsider but you have affirmed many of my convictions. Thanks Hancen.
Israel does not have the death penalty. Yaya Sinwar, the mastermind of October 7, was not given a death penalty initially. Hitler and Napoleon were not given the death penalty. Recidivism is real. The death penalty may not deter others, but it is certainly effective in preventing a second crime performance
Recidivism is indeed real—but the conclusion doesn’t follow. Life without parole already fully prevents repeat offenses; thus, the death penalty doesn’t solve a safety problem the justice system can’t already address, as permanent incarceration prevents a second crime just as effectively. The death penalty, on the other hand, adds nothing but irreversible risk, the potential for unequal application, and state-sanctioned violence where it isn’t necessary.
While the examples you provide are thought provoking, I do not think they are relevant to the broader debate: the death penalty vs. life without parole. Israel voluntarily released Yaya Sinwar as part of a prisoner exchange, Hilter died by suicide before being captured, and Napolean was exiled, not imprisoned, by the Europeans. Neither of the three faced actual life imprisonment as it is commonly understood.
Notwithstanding, the aforementioned are prominent political figures who persisted, if they did at all, by virtue of their societal status. In my view, the more important question is the death penalty vs. life without parole among the common man.
Recidivism is real. Disturbingly real. We have to do more to prepare these men and women for life outside of incarceration. They need eduction. They need a skill to work. But they need a mentor/support group to walk with them when they are free more than anything. Any obstacle is a setback that may just be too difficult to overcome without the help of others. We have to see these folks as God’s people. Let’s care for them. Support them. In hopes that they too may have a life and positively contribute to our society.
Nothing may be as permanent as a temporary government program, many times a permanent life sentence is a temporary incarceration
Christa Pike meets with Tennessee Governor Lee this week to beg for clemency. Should he grant it to her? What would you do given the chance to spare a life?
Yes, I think Gov. Lee should—and I hope he will—commute her sentence to life in prison. I oppose the death penalty generally, so I am not a neutral arbiter in that respect, but the specifics of her case make clemency even more appropriate. Ms. Pike was only 18 at the time of her crimes, when the parts of the brain responsible for judgment and impulse control are still developing. She was also born prematurely, which can cause developmental delays, and had a history of extraordinary childhood abuse. Again, I oppose the death penalty writ large, but I feel especially strongly about its application to people under the age of 25. None of this excuses or minimizes her crimes, which were, by her own admission, extremely gruesome. The central question to me is whether execution is a morally defensible expression of justice—and after years of reading and thinking about that question, I have concluded that it is not.
The case also highlights how arbitrary some of these decisions can be. Her accomplice, Tadaryl Shipp, greatly influenced Pike’s worldview at the time, teaching her about the occult and Satanism. His actions were equally gruesome; it was Shipp who carved the Satanic pentagram into the victim’s chest. Both Pike and Shipp were tried and convicted as adults—but because Shipp was only 17 at the time, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, while Pike received the death penalty because she was already 18. How different is the human brain at 17 versus 18 years old? Is it different enough to justify such starkly different penalties—enough to condemn one person to death while affording the other the possibility of freedom in his late 40s or early 50s?
I agree Governor Lee should commute her sentence. She hasn’t been a model inmate which makes his decision even more difficult. Killing her does not solve anything & does not become a deterrent to future crimes. I’m doubtful he will take any action. I’m praying for Governor Lee to have mercy & compassion on someone who many consider to be the worst. Stay tuned.