Dictionary Definition
execute
Verb
1 kill as a means of socially sanctioned
punishment; "In some states, criminals are executed" [syn: put to
death]
2 murder execution-style; "The Mafioso who
collaborated with the police was executed"
3 put in effect; "carry out a task"; "execute the
decision of the people"; "He actioned the operation" [syn: carry
through, accomplish, carry out,
action, fulfill, fulfil]
4 carry out the legalities of; "execute a will or
a deed"
5 carry out a process or program, as on a
computer or a machine; "Run the dishwasher"; "run a new program on
the Mac"; "the computer executed the instruction" [syn: run]
6 carry out or perform an action; "John did the
painting, the weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters"; "the skater
executed a triple pirouette"; "she did a little dance" [syn:
perform, do]
7 sign in the presence of witnesses; "The
President executed the treaty"
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
Verb
- To kill as punishment for capital crimes.
- There are certain states where it is lawful to execute prisoners convicted of certain crimes.
- To start a defined
process and run it to completion.
- Your orders have been executed, Sir!
- To start a defined process, without regard to whether it runs to
completion or not.
- I’ll execute your orders as soon as this meeting is adjourned.
- To start, launch or run software.
- To sign or otherwise cause a document (especially a contract) to become legally valid.
Related terms
Translations
to kill as punishment
- Czech: popravit
- Dutch: executeren
- Estonian: hukama
- Finnish: teloittaa
- Portuguese: executar
- Russian: казнить (kaznít’)
- Slovene: usmrtiti
- Spanish: ejecutar, ajusticiar
- Swedish: avrätta
To start a defined process and run it to
completion
- Dutch: bewerkstelligen, uitvoeren
- Finnish: toteuttaa, panna täytäntöön
- Kurdish:
- Russian: исполнять (ispolnját’)
- Slovene: izvršiti
- Spanish: ejecutar
- Swedish: verkställa, expediera
To start a defined process, without regard to
whether it runs to completion or not
- Dutch: bewerkstelligen, uitvoeren
To start, launch or run software
- Dutch: uitvoeren
- Finnish: ajaa, käynnistää
- Slovene: zagnati
To sign or otherwise cause a document
(especially a contract) to become legally valid
- Finnish: toimeenpanna, saattaa voimaan
Extensive Definition
Capital punishment, also known as the death
penalty, is the execution of a person by the state as punishment for a crime. Crimes that can result in a
death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The
term capital origins from Latin capitalis,
literally "regarding the head" (Latin caput). Hence, a capital
crime originally was to be punished by the loss of the
head.
Historically, the execution of criminals and
political opponents was used by nearly all societies—both to punish
crime and to suppress political
dissent. In most places that practice capital punishment today,
the death penalty is reserved as punishment for premeditated
murder, espionage, treason, or as part of military
justice. In some countries sexual crimes, such as rape, adultery and sodomy, carry the death penalty,
as do religious crimes such as apostasy (the formal
renunciation of the State religion). In many
retentionist countries (countries that use the death penalty),
drug
trafficking is also a capital offense. In China
human trafficking and serious cases of corruption
are also punished by the death penalty. In militaries around the
world courts-martial
have imposed death sentences for offenses such as cowardice, desertion, insubordination, and
mutiny.
Among countries around the world, almost all
European and
many Pacific Area states (including Australia,
New
Zealand and Timor Leste),
and Canada
have abolished capital punishment. In Latin
America, most states have completely abolished the use of
capital punishment, while some countries, such as Brazil, allow for
capital punishment only in exceptional situations, such as treason
committed during wartime. The
United States (the federal government and 36 of its states),
Guatemala, most
of the Caribbean and the
majority of democracies in Asia (e.g. Japan and India) and Africa (e.g.
Botswana
and Zambia)
retain it. South Africa, which is probably the most developed
African nation, and which has been a democracy since 1994, does not
have the death penalty. This fact is currently quite controversial
in that country, due to the high levels of violent crime, including
murder and rape.
Capital punishment is a contentious issue in some
cultures. Supporters of capital punishment argue that it deters crime, prevents
recidivism, that it
is less expensive than life imprisonment and is an appropriate form
of punishment for some crimes. Opponents of capital punishment
argue that it has led to the execution of wrongfully
convicted, that it discriminates against minorities and the
poor, that it does not deter criminals more than
life
imprisonment, that it encourages a "culture of violence", that
it is more expensive than life imprisonment, and that it violates
human
rights.
The latest countries to abolish the death penalty
de facto
for all crimes were Gabon, which
announced on September
14, 2007
that they would no longer apply capital punishment and South Korea
in practice on December 31,
2007 after ten
years of disuse. The latest to abolish executions de jure was
Uzbekistan on January 1,
2008.
Contemporary use
Global distribution
Since World War II there has been a consistent trend towards abolishing the death penalty. In 1977, 16 countries were abolitionist. As of January 1 2008, 92 countries had abolished capital punishment altogether, 10 had done so for all offences except under special circumstances, and 33 others had not used it for at least 10 years - while 62 countries actively retained the death penalty.At least 3,000 people (and probably considerably
more) were sentenced to death during 2007, and at the end of the
year around 25,000 were on death row around the world, with
Pakistan and the USA accounting for about half this figure between
them. China carries out by far the greatest number of actual
executions - while Amnesty International has confirmed at least 470
executions there during 2007 the true figure has been estimated at
up to 6,000. Outside China, at least 800 people were put to death
in 23 countries during 2007, with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,
Iraq and the USA the main contributors. Iran, Saudi Arabia and
Yemen executed people for crimes committed when they were
juveniles, in contravention of international law.
Executions are known to have been carried out in
the following countries in 2007:
- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Botswana, China, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, USA, Vietnam, Yemen.
In 2007 the largest number of verifiable
executions were carried out in the six countries listed below (note
though that with the exception of the US, the figures for other
countries are believed to be under-estimates): Most Executions
carried out in 2007 The use of the death penalty is becoming
increasingly restrained in retentionist countries. Singapore,
Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. are the only fully developed countries
that have retained the death penalty. The death penalty was
overwhelmingly practiced in poor and authoritarian states, which
often employed the death penalty as a tool of political oppression.
During the 1980s, the democratization of Latin America swelled the
rank of abolitionist countries. This was soon followed by the fall
of communism in
Central
and Eastern
Europe, which then aspired to enter the EU. In these countries,
the public support for the death penalty varies but it is
decreasing . The European
Union and the Council
of Europe both strictly require
member states not to practice the death penalty (see
Capital punishment in Europe). On the other hand, rapid
industrialization in Asia has been increasing the number of
developed retentionist countries . In these countries, the death
penalty enjoys strong public support, and the matter receives
little attention from the government or the media. This trend has
been followed by some African and Middle Eastern countries where
support for the death penalty is high.
Some countries have resumed practicing the death
penalty after having suspended executions for long periods.
Notably, the United
States suspended executions in 1973 but resumed them in 1977;
there was no execution in India between 1995
and 2004; and Sri Lanka
recently declared an end to its moratorium on the death
penalty, although it has not yet performed any executions. The
Philippines had
re-introduced the death penalty in 1993 after abolishing it in
1987, but abolished it again in 2006.
In specific countries
For further information about capital punishment in these countries, see: Australia · Belarus · Canada · People's Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) · Denmark · Europe · France · India · Iraq · Japan · The Netherlands · New Zealand ·Pakistan· Philippines · Russia · Singapore · Sweden · Taiwan · United Kingdom · United StatesJuvenile offenders
The death penalty for juvenile offenders (criminals aged under 18 years at the time of their crime) has become increasingly rare. The only countries still officially supporting the practice are Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia, . Since 1990, nine countries have executed offenders who were juveniles at the time of their crimes; China, D.R. Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the United States and Yemen. China, Pakistan, the United States and Yemen have since raised the minimum age to 18, Amnesty International has recorded 54 verified executions since then, in several countries, of both juveniles and adults who had been convicted of committing their offenses as juveniles. China does not allow for the execution of those under 18; nevertheless, child executions have reportedly taken place. The United States Supreme Court abolished capital punishment for offenders under the age of 16 in Thompson v. Oklahoma (1988), and for all juveniles in Roper v. Simmons (2005). Starting in 1642 within British America, an estimated 365 juvenile offenders were executed by the states and federal government of the United States. In 2002, the United States Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the execution of individuals with mental retardation.The United
Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, which forbids capital
punishment for juveniles, has been signed and ratified by all countries
except for the United
States and Somalia. The UN
Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
maintains that the death penalty for juveniles has become contrary
to a jus
cogens of
customary international law.
Japan has what it considers a death penalty for
juveniles, but under Japanese law, anyone under 21 is considered a
juvenile. There are three men on death row for crimes they
committed at age 18 or 19.
Methods
There are several methods of execution, including: decapitation, electrocution, the firing squad or other sorts of shooting, the gas chamber, hanging, and lethal injection.Wrongful executions
"Wrongful execution" is a miscarriage
of justice occurring when an innocent person is put to death by
capital punishment. Many people have been heralded as innocent
victims of the death penalty. At least 39 executions have been
carried out in the U.S. in face of compelling evidence of innocence
or serious doubt about guilt. Newly-available DNA evidence
has allowed the exoneration of more than 15
death
row inmates since 1992 in the U.S., but DNA evidence is only
available in a fraction of capital cases. In the UK, reviews
prompted by the
Criminal Cases Review Commission have resulted in one pardon
and three exonerations with compensation paid for people executed
between 1950 and 1953, when the execution rate in England
and Wales averaged 17 per year.
History
The use of formal execution extends at least to the beginning of recorded history. Most historical records as well as various primitive tribal practices indicate that the death penalty was a part of their justice system. Communal punishment for wrongdoing generally included compensation by the wrongdoer, corporal punishment, shunning, banishment and execution. However, within a small community, crimes were rare and murder was almost always a crime of passion. Moreover, most would hesitate to inflict death on a member of the community. For this reason, execution and even banishment were extremely rare. Usually, compensation and shunning were enough as a form of justice.However, these are not effective responses to
crimes committed by outsiders. Consequently, even small crimes
committed by outsiders were considered to be an assault on the
community and were severely punished. The methods varied from
beating and enslavement to executions. However, the response to
crime committed by neighbouring tribes or communities included
formal apology, compensation or blood feuds.
A blood feud or vendetta occurs when
arbitration between families or tribes fails or an arbitration
system is non-existent. This form of justice was common before the
emergence of an arbitration system based on state or organised
religion. It may result from crime, land disputes or a code of
honour. "Acts of retaliation underscore the ability of the
social collective to defend itself and demonstrate to enemies (as
well as potential allies) that injury to property, rights, or the
person will not go unpunished." However, in practice, it is often
difficult to distinguish between a war of vendetta and one of
conquest.
For most of recorded history, capital punishments
were often cruel and inhumane. Severe historical penalties include
breaking
wheel, boiling to
death, flaying,
slow
slicing, disembowelment, crucifixion, impalement, crushing (including crushing
by elephant), stoning, execution
by burning, dismemberment, sawing, decapitation, scaphism, or necklacing.
Elaborations of tribal arbitration of feuds
included peace settlements often done in a religious context and
compensation system. Compensation was based on the principle of
substitution which might include material (e.g. cattle, slave)
compensation, exchange of brides or grooms, or payment of the blood
debt. Settlement rules could allow for animal blood to replace
human blood, or transfers of property or blood
money or in some case an offer of a person for execution. The
person offered for execution did not have to be an original
perpetrator of the crime because the system was based on tribes,
not individuals. Blood feuds could be regulated at meetings, such
as the Viking things.
Systems deriving from blood feuds may survive alongside more
advanced legal systems or be given recognition by courts (e.g.
trial by
combat). One of the more modern refinements of the blood feud
is the duel.
In certain parts of the world, nations in the
form of ancient republics, monarchies or tribal oligarchies
emerged. These nations were often united by common linguistic,
religious or family ties. Moreover, expansion of these nations
often occurred by conquest of neighbouring tribes or nations.
Consequently, various classes of royalty, nobility, various
commoners and slave emerged. Accordingly, the systems of tribal
arbitration were submerged into a more unified system of justice
which formalised the relation between the different "classes"
rather than "tribes". The earliest and most famous example is
Code of
Hammurabi which set the different punishment and compensation
according to the different class/group of victims and perpetrators.
The Torah
(Jewish Law), also known as the Pentateuch (the
first five books of the Christian Old
Testament), lays down the death penalty for murder, kidnapping, magic,
violation of the Sabbath, blasphemy, and a wide range of
sexual crimes, although evidence suggests that actual executions
were rare. A further example comes from Ancient
Greece, where the Athenian legal
system was first written down by Draco in
about 621 BC: the death penalty was applied for a particularly wide
range of crimes. The word draconian
derives from Draco's laws.
Similarly, in medieval and
early modern Europe, before the development of modern prison systems, the death penalty
was also used as a generalized form of punishment. For example, in
1700s Britain,
there were 222 crimes which were punishable by death, including
crimes such as cutting down a tree or stealing an animal. Thanks to
the notorious Bloody Code,
18th century (and early 19th century) Britain was a hazardous place
to live. For example, Michael Hammond and his sister, Ann, whose
ages were given as 7 and 11, were reportedly hanged at King's Lynn
on Wednesday, the 28 September
1708 for
theft. The local press did
not, however, consider the executions of two children
newsworthy.
Although many are executed in China each year in
the modern age, there was a time in Tang Dynasty
China when the death penalty was actually abolished altogether. This was
in the year 747, enacted by Emperor
Taizong of Tang (r. 712–756), who before was the only person in
China with the authority to sentence criminals to execution. Even
then capital punishment was relatively infrequent, with only 24
executions in the year 730 and 58 executions in the year 736. and
remarks by local preachers and politicians. The Connecticut
Courant records one such public execution on December 1,
1803, saying,
"The assembly conducted through the whole in a very orderly and
solemn manner, so much so, as to occasion an observing gentleman
acquainted with other countries as well as this, to say that such
an assembly, so decent and solemn, could not be collected anywhere
but in New England."
Trends in most of the world have long been to
move to less painful, or more humane, executions. France developed the
guillotine for this
reason in the final years of the 18th century while Britain banned
drawing and quartering in the early 19th century. Hanging by turning
the victim off a ladder or by dangling him from the back of a
moving cart, which causes death by suffocation, was replaced by
"hanging" where the subject is dropped a longer distance to
dislocate the neck and sever the spinal cord.
In the U.S., the electric
chair and the gas chamber
were introduced as more humane alternatives to hanging, but have
been almost entirely superseded by lethal
injection, which in turn has been criticized as being too
painful. Nevertheless, some countries still employ slow hanging
methods, beheading by sword and even stoning, although the latter is
rarely employed.
Execution by nitrogen
asphyxiation was proposed in 1995 and appears occasionally in
online discussions, but as of , it has not been used by any
nation.
seealso
Cruel and unusual punishment
Abolitionism
The death penalty was briefly banned in China
between 747 and 759. In England, a public statement of opposition
was included in
The Twelve Conclusions of the Lollards, written in 1395. More
recent opposition to the death penalty stemmed from the book of the
Italian
Cesare
Beccaria Dei Delitti e Delle Pene ("On
Crimes and Punishments"), published in 1764. In this book,
Beccaria aimed to demonstrate not only the injustice, but even the
futility from the point of view of social
welfare, of torture
and the death penalty. Influenced by the book,
Grand Duke Leopold II of Habsburg, famous enlightened
monarch and future Emperor of Austria, abolished
the death penalty in the then-independent Granducato di Toscana
(Grand
Duchy of Tuscany), the first permanent abolition in modern
times. On 30 November
1786, after
having de facto blocked capital executions (the last was in 1769),
Leopold promulgated the reform of the penal code
that abolished the death penalty and ordered the destruction of all
the instruments for capital execution in his land. In 2000
Tuscany's regional authorities instituted an annual holiday on
30
November to commemorate the event. The event is also
commemorated on this day by 300 cities around the world celebrating
the Cities
for Life Day.
Abolition of the death penalty was not common and
was viewed as unnecessary. The
Roman Republic went out on a limb and banned capital
punishment. In 1849, this made the Roman Republic the first ever to
ban capital punishment. However, Venezuela
followed suit and in 1863 abolished the death penalty and
San Marino did so in 1865. The last execution in San Marino had
taken place in 1468. In Portugal, after
two legislative
proposals, in 1852 and 1863, the death penalty was abolished in
1867.
In Great Britain, it was abolished (except for
cases of treason) in 1971; France abolished it in 1981. Canada
abolished it in 1976; Australia 1985. In 1977, the United Nations
General Assembly affirmed in a formal resolution that throughout
the world, it is desirable to "progressively restrict the number of
offenses for which the death penalty might be imposed, with a view
to the desirability of abolishing this punishment".
In the United States, the state of Michigan was the
first state to ban the death penalty, on March 1, 1847. The 160-year ban
on capital punishment has never been repealed. Currently, 12 states
of the U.S. and the District
of Columbia ban capital punishment.
Controversy and debate
Capital punishment is often the subject of
controversy. Opponents of the death penalty argue that it has led
to the execution
of innocent people, that life imprisonment is an effective and
less expensive substitute, that it discriminates against minorities
and the poor, and that it violates the criminal's right to
life. Supporters believe that the penalty is justified for
murderers by the principle of retribution,
that life imprisonment is not an equally effective deterrent, and
that the death penalty affirms the right to life by punishing those
who violate it in the most strict form.
Public opinion
Support for the death penalty varies widely. Both
in abolitionist and
retentionist
democracies, the government's stance often has wide public support
and receives little attention by politicians or the media. In some
abolitionist countries, the majority of the public supports or has
supported the death penalty. Abolition was often adopted due to
political change, such as when countries shifted from
authoritarianism to democracy, or when it became an entry condition
for the European Union. The United States is a notable exception:
some states have had bans on capital punishment for decades (the
earliest is Michigan, where it
was abolished in 1846), while others actively use it today. The
death penalty there remains a contentious issue which is hotly
debated. Elsewhere, however, it is rare for the death penalty to be
abolished as a result of an active public discussion of its
merits.
In abolitionist countries, debate is sometimes
revived by particularly brutal murders, though few countries have
brought it back after abolishing it. However, a spike in serious,
violent crimes, such as murders or terrorist attacks, has prompted
some countries (such as Sri Lanka and
Jamaica) to
effectively end the moratorium on the death penalty. In
retentionist countries, the debate is sometimes revived when a
miscarriage of justice has occurred, though this tends to cause
legislative efforts to improve the judicial process rather than to
abolish the death penalty.
A Gallup
International poll from 2000 claimed that "Worldwide support was
expressed in favour of the death penalty, with just more than half
(52%) indicating that they were in favour of this form of
punishment." A number of other polls
and studies have been done in recent years with various
results.
In the U.S., surveys have long shown a majority
in favor of capital punishment. An ABC News survey
in July 2006 found 65 percent in favour of capital punishment,
consistent with other polling since 2000. About half the American
public says the death penalty is not imposed frequently enough and
60 percent believe it is applied fairly, according to a Gallup poll
from May 2006. Yet surveys also show the public is more divided
when asked to choose between the death penalty and life
without parole, or when dealing with juvenile offenders.
Roughly six in 10 tell Gallup they do not believe capital
punishment deters
murder and majorities believe at least one innocent person has been
executed in the past five years.
International organisations
The United Nations introduced a resolution during the General Assembly's 62nd session in 2007 calling for a universal ban. The approval of a draft resolution by the Assembly’s third committee, which deals with human rights issues, voted 99 to 52, with 33 abstentions, in favour of the resolution on November 15, 2007 and was put to a vote in the General Assembly on December 18. It passed a non-binding resolution (by a 104 to 54 vote, with 29 abstentions) by asking its member states for "a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty".A number of regional conventions prohibit the
death penalty, most notably, the Sixth Protocol (abolition in time
of peace) and the Thirteenth Protocol (abolition in all
circumstances) to the
European Convention on Human Rights. The same is also stated
under the Second Protocol in the
American Convention on Human Rights, which, however has not
been ratified by all countries in the Americas, most notably
Canada and
the United
States. Most relevant operative international treaties do not
require its prohibition for cases of serious crime, most notably,
the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This
instead has, in common with several other treaties, an optional
protocol prohibiting capital punishment and promoting its wider
abolition.
Several international organisations have made the
abolition of the death penalty (during time of peace) a requirement
of membership, most notably the European
Union (EU) and the Council
of Europe. The EU and the Council of Europe are willing to
accept a moratorium
as an interim measure. Thus, while Russia is a member
of the Council of Europe, and practices the death penalty in law,
it has not made public use of it since becoming a member of the
Council. Other states, while having abolished de jure the death
penalty in time of peace and de facto in all
circumstances, have not ratified
Protocol no.13 yet and therefore have no international
obligation to refrain from using the death penalty in time of war
or imminent threat of war (Armenia, Latvia, Poland and Spain). France is the most
recent to ratify it (October 10, 2007) with the effective date of
February 1, 2008.
Turkey has recently,
as a move towards EU membership, undergone a reform of its legal
system. Previously there was a de facto moratorium on death penalty
in Turkey as the last execution took place in 1984. The death
penalty was removed from peacetime law in August 2002, and in May
2004 Turkey amended its constitution in order to remove capital
punishment in all circumstances. It ratified Protocol no. 13 to the
European Convention on Human Rights in February 2006. As a result,
Europe is a continent free of the death penalty in practice (all
states but Russia, which has entered a moratorium, having ratified
the Sixth Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights),
with the sole exception of Belarus, which is
not a member of the Council of Europe. The
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has been
lobbying for Council of Europe observer states who practice the
death penalty, namely the U.S. and Japan, to abolish it
or lose their observer status. In addition to banning capital
punishment for EU member states, the EU has also banned detainee
transfers in cases where the receiving party may seek the death
penalty.
Among non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
Amnesty
International and Human
Rights Watch are noted for their opposition to capital
punishment. A number of such NGOs, as well as trade unions, local
councils and bar associations formed a
World Coalition Against the Death Penalty in 2002.
Religious views
Buddhism
There is disagreement among Buddhists as to whether or not Buddhism forbids the death penalty. The first of the Five Precepts (Panca-sila) is to abstain from destruction of life. Chapter 10 of the Dhammapada states:- Everyone fears punishment; everyone fears death, just as you do. Therefore do not kill or cause to kill. Everyone fears punishment; everyone loves life, as you do. Therefore do not kill or cause to kill.
Chapter 26, the final chapter of the Dhammapada,
states, "Him I call a brahmin who has put aside
weapons and renounced violence toward all creatures. He neither
kills nor helps others to kill." These sentences are interpreted by
many Buddhists (especially in the West) as an injunction against
supporting any legal measure which might lead to the death penalty.
However, as is often the case with the interpretation of scripture,
there is dispute on this matter. Thailand, where
Buddhism
is the official religion, practices the death penalty, as do all
other countries where the majority of the population is Buddhist,
i.e. Sri
Lanka, Mongolia, and
Myanmar,
although the last has had a moratorium on executions since 1997.
Moreover, throughout almost all history, countries where Buddhism
has been the official religion (which includes most of the Far East and
Indochina) have
practiced the death penalty. One exception is the abolition of the
death penalty by the Emperor Saga
of Japan in
818. This lasted until 1165, although in private manors executions
continued to be conducted as a form of retaliation.
Judaism
The official teachings of Judaism approve the death penalty in principle but the standard of proof required for application of death penalty is extremely stringent, and in practice, it has been abolished by various Talmudic decisions, making the situations in which a death sentence could be passed effectively impossible and hypothetical. "Forty years before the destruction" of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, i.e. in 30 AD, the Sanhedrin effectively abolished capital punishment, making it a hypothetical upper limit on the severity of punishment, fitting in finality for God alone to use, not fallible people.In law schools everywhere, students read the
famous quotation from the 12th century legal scholar, Maimonides,
- "It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death."
Maimonides argued that executing a defendant on
anything less than absolute certainty would lead to a slippery
slope of decreasing burdens of proof, until we would be convicting
merely "according to the judge's caprice." Maimonides was concerned
about the need for the law to guard itself in public perceptions,
to preserve its majesty and retain the people's respect.
Islam
Scholars of Islam hold it to be permissible but the victim or the family of the victim has the right to pardon. In Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), to forbid what is not forbidden is wrong. Consequently, it is impossible to make a case for abolition of the death penalty which is explicitly endorsed.Sharia Law or
Islamic law may require capital punishment, there is great
variation within Islamic nations as to actual capital punishment.
Apostasy
in Islam and Stoning to death in
Islam are controversial topics. Furthermore, as expressed in
the Qur'an, capital punishment is condoned. Although the Qur'an
prescribes the death penalty for several hadd (fixed)
crimes—including rape—murder is not among them. Instead, murder is
treated as a civil crime and is covered by the law of qisas
(retaliation), whereby the relatives of the victim decide whether
the offender is punished with death by the authorities or made to
pay diyah (wergild) as
compensation.
"If anyone kills a person - unless it be for
murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he
killed all people. And if anyone saves a life, it would be as if he
saved the life of all people" (Qur'an 5:32). "Spreading mischief in
the land" can mean many different things, but is generally
interpreted to mean those crimes that affect the community as a
whole, and destabilize the society. Crimes that have fallen under
this description have included: (1) Treason / Apostasy (when one
leaves the faith and joins the enemy in fighting against the Muslim
community) (2) Terrorism - Land, sea, or air piracy (3) Rape (4)
Adultery (5) Homosexual behavior. (6) Murder
Christianity
Although some interpret that of the Bible condemns the death penalty, others consider to support it. Christian positions on this vary. The sixth commandment (fifth in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches) is preached as 'Thou shalt not kill' by some denominations and as 'Thou shalt not murder' by others. As none of the denominations have a hard-line stance on the subject, Christians are free to make a personal decision.Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church traditionally accepted capital punishment as per the theology of Thomas Aquinas (who accepted the death penalty as a necessary deterrent and prevention method, but not as the means of vengeance; see also Aquinas on the death penalty). Under the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, this position was refined. As stated in John Paul II's encyclical Evangelium Vitae, the Roman Catholic Church holds that capital punishment should be avoided unless it is the only way to defend society from the offender in question, and that with today's penal system such a situation requiring an execution is either rare or non-existent. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.If, however, nonlethal means are sufficient to
defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority
will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with
the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in
conformity to the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the
possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime,
by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing
harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of
redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the
offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically
nonexistent.
Anglican and Episcopalian
The Lambeth Conference of Anglican and Episcopalian bishops condemned the death penalty in 1988.United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church, along with other Methodist churches, also condemns capital punishment, saying that it cannot accept retribution or social vengeance as a reason for taking human life. The Church also holds that the death penalty falls unfairly and unequally upon marginalized persons including the poor, the uneducated, ethnic and religious minorities, and persons with mental and emotional illnesses. The General Conference of the United Methodist Church calls for its bishops to uphold opposition to capital punishment and for governments to enact an immediate moratorium on carrying out the death penalty sentence.The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
In a 1991 social policy statement, the ELCA officially took a stand to oppose the death penalty. It states that revenge is a primary motivation for capital punishment policy and that true healing can only take place through repentance and forgiveness.Other Protestants
Several key leaders early in the Protestant Reformation, including Martin Luther and John Calvin, followed the traditional reasoning in favour of capital punishment, and the Lutheran Church's Augsburg Confession explicitly defended it. Some Protestant groups have cited Genesis 9:5–6, Romans 13:3–4, and Leviticus 20:1–27 as the basis for permitting the death penalty.On the other hand, the Mennonites and
Friends have opposed the death penalty since their founding,
and continue to be strongly opposed to it today. These groups,
along with other Christians opposed to capital punishment, have
cited Christ's Sermon
on the Mount (transcribed in
Mathew Chapter 5–7) and Sermon
on the Plain (transcribed in
Luke 6:17–49). In both sermons, Christ tells his followers to
turn
the other cheek and to love their enemies, which these groups
believe mandates nonviolence, including
opposition to the death penalty.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (colloquially known as Mormons) holds a neutral position on the death penalty.Esoteric Christianity
The Rosicrucian Fellowship and many other Christian esoteric schools condemn the capital punishment in all circumstances.In arts and media
As a capital punishment forms a more important
thematic element. Many of these works are abolitionist in nature,
but sometimes capital punishment is used as a metaphor for some
other theme, such as sacrifice or mortality.
Literature
- The Gospels describe the execution of Jesus Christ at length, and these accounts form the central story of the Christian faith. Depictions of the crucifixion are abundant in Christian art.
- Valerius Maximus' story of Damon and Pythias was long a famous example of fidelity. Damon was sentenced to death (the reader does not learn why) and his friend Pythias offered to take his place.
- An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is a short story by Ambrose Bierce originally published in 1890. The story deals with the hanging of a Confederate sympathizer during the American Civil War.
- Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities ends in the climactic execution of the book's main character.
- Victor Hugo's The Last Day of a Condemned Man (Le Dernier Jour d'un condamné) describes the thoughts of a condemned man just before his execution; also notable is its preface, in which Hugo argues at length against capital punishment.
- Anaïs Nin's anthology Little Birds included an erotic depiction of a public execution.
- William Burroughs' novel Naked Lunch also included erotic and surreal depictions of capital punishment. In the obscenity trial against Burroughs, the defense claimed successfully that the novel was a form of anti-death-penalty argument, and therefore had redeeming political value.
- In The Chamber by John Grisham, a young lawyer tries to save his Klansman grandfather from being executed. The novel is noted for presentation of anti-death penalty materials.
- Bernard Cornwell's novel Gallows Thief is a whodunit taking place in early 19th century England, during the so-called "Bloody Code" a series of laws making several minor crimes capital offenses. The hero is a detective assigned to investigate the guilt of a condemned man, and the difficulties he encounters act as a harsh indictment of the draconian laws and the public's complacent attitude towards capital punishment.
Film and television
- Capital punishment has been the basis of many motion pictures including Dead Man Walking based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean, The Green Mile, and The Life of David Gale.
- The HBO series Oz focused on counter-perspectives for/against the death penalty.
- Prison Break is a 2005 television series, whose protagonist attempts to save his brother from his execution by devising a plan that will help them escape from prison.
Music
- "25 Minutes to Go" is a song sung by Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison, written by Shel Silverstein.
- The song "The Mercy Seat" by Nick Cave (also performed by Johnny Cash) describes a man being executed via the electric chair who maintains his innocence until he is about to die, when he admits to his guilt.
- "Ride The Lightning" by Metallica is also about a man being executed via an electric chair, although he is not ultimately culpable, as through insanity or loss of autonomy.
- "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden is about a man about be executed by hanging.
- In "Green Green Grass of Home", the singer who is apparently returning home is actually awaiting his execution.
- "Shock rock" star Alice Cooper will use three different methods of capital punishment for his stage shows. The three are the guillotine, the electric chair (retired) and hanging (first method/retired).
References
External links
- Correspondence with Jose Medellin, currently sitting on death row in Texas.
- About.com's Pros & Cons of the Death Penalty and Capital Punishment
- 1000+ Death Penalty links all in one place
- U.S. and 50 State DEATH PENALTY / CAPITAL PUNISHMENT LAW and other relevant links from Megalaw
- Updates on the death penalty generally and capital punishment law specifically
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice: list of executed offenders and their last statements
- Two audio documentaries covering execution in the United States: Witness to an Execution The Execution Tapes
- Article published in the Internationalist Review on the evolution of execution methods in the United States
- Answers.com entry on capital punishment
Opposing
- The Death Penalty Information Center: Statistical information and studies
- Death Penalty Focus: American group dedicated to abolishing the death penalty
- Amnesty International: Human Rights organisation
- The Council of Europe (international organisation composed of 46 European States): activities and legal instruments against the death penalty
- European Union: Information on anti-death penalty policies
- Reprieve.org: United States based volunteer program for foreign lawyers, students, and others to work at death penalty defense offices
- Campaign to End the Death Penalty
- American Civil Liberties Union: Demanding a Moratorium on the Death Penalty
- Anti-Death Penalty Information: includes a monthly watchlist of upcoming executions and death penalty statistics for the United States.
- Catholics Against Capital Punishment: offers a Catholic perspective and provides resources and links
- World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
- National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
- Australian Coalition Against Death Penalty (ACADP) - human rights organisation for total abolition of Death Penalty, worldwide.
- NSW Council for Civil Liberties: an Australian organisation opposed to the Death Penalty in the Asian region
- IPS Inter Press Service International news on capital punishment
- Death Watch International International anti-death penalty campaign group
- Winning a war on terror: eliminating the death penalty
In favour
- Off2DR.com is an Interactive pro death penalty information resource & place for discussions
- Pro Death Penalty.com
- Pro Death Penalty Resource Page
- Capital Punishment - A Defense
- 119 Pro DP Links
- British National Party, A political party which advocates the use of the death penalty
- Criminal Justice Legal Foundation
- DP Info
- Pro DP Resources
- The Paradoxes of a Death Penalty Stance by Charles Lane in the Washington Post
- Clark County, Indiana, Prosecutor's Page on capital punishment
- In Favor of Capital Punishment - Famous Quotes supporting Capital Punishment
Religious views
- The Dalai Lama - Message supporting the moratorium on the death penalty
- Buddhism & Capital Punishment from The Engaged Zen Society
- Orthodox Union website: Rabbi Yosef Edelstein: Parshat Beha'alotcha: A Few Reflections on Capital Punishment
- Jews and the Death Penalty - by Naomi Pfefferman (Jewish Journal)
- Priests for Life - Lists several Catholic links
- The Death Penalty: Why the Church Speaks a Countercultural Message by Kenneth R. Overberg, S.J., from AmericanCatholic.org
- Wrestling with the Death Penalty by Andy Prince, from Youth Update on AmericanCatholic.org
- http://www.nytimes.com Roland Nicholson, Pope John Paul II: Mourning and Remebrance, The Catholic Church and the Death Penalty,
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execute in Arabic: إعدام
execute in Asturian: Pena de muerte
execute in Min Nan: Sí-hêng
execute in Bosnian: Smrtna kazna
execute in Bulgarian: Смъртно наказание
execute in Catalan: Pena de mort
execute in Czech: Trest smrti
execute in Welsh: Y gosb eithaf
execute in Danish: Dødsstraf
execute in German: Todesstrafe
execute in Estonian: Surmanuhtlus
execute in Modern Greek (1453-): Θανατική
ποινή
execute in Spanish: Pena de muerte
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execute in French: Peine de mort
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execute in Classical Chinese: 死刑
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execute in Indonesian: Hukuman mati
execute in Icelandic: Dauðarefsing
execute in Italian: Pena di morte
execute in Hebrew: עונש מוות
execute in Swahili (macrolanguage): Adhabu ya
kifo
execute in Latvian: Nāvessods
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execute in Hungarian: Halálbüntetés
execute in Malayalam: വധശിക്ഷ
execute in Malay (macrolanguage): Hukuman
mati
execute in Dutch: Doodstraf
execute in Japanese: 死刑
execute in Norwegian: Dødsstraff
execute in Norwegian Nynorsk: Dødsstraff
execute in Occitan (post 1500): Pena de
mòrt
execute in Polish: Kara śmierci
execute in Portuguese: Pena de morte
execute in Romanian: Pedeapsa cu moartea
execute in Quechua: Wañuy wanay
execute in Russian: Смертная казнь
execute in Sicilian: Pena di morti
execute in Simple English: Death penalty
execute in Slovak: Trest smrti
execute in Slovenian: Smrtna kazen
execute in Serbian: Смртна казна
execute in Serbo-Croatian: Smrtna kazna
execute in Finnish: Kuolemanrangaistus
execute in Swedish: Dödsstraff
execute in Tagalog: Parusang kamatayan
execute in Thai: โทษประหารชีวิต
execute in Vietnamese: Tử hình
execute in Turkish: İdam cezası
execute in Ukrainian: Смертна кара
execute in Samogitian: Smerties bausmė
execute in Chinese: 死刑
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
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capital punishment, interpret, kill, knock off, lapidate, launch into eternity,
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out