To Kill Or Not To Kill A Murderer, Our Moral Dilemma

There have been 78 people who have died in Washington State because of capital punishment. They were all men, 7 were black, 2 were Asian, 2 were Hispanic, 1 was an Eskimo, and interestingly enough 66 of them we Caucasian. Usually the method of lethal injection is used, but hanging is still performed if the prisoner wants it. Washington is the only state that has active gallows, which is barbaric if you ask me.

Yesterday, I found out that my state, Washington, has made Capital Punishment illegal. At first thought I was very happy, it’s a win! But I started thing more about it. The people who are on death row are on death row for a reason. Can we let them into the general population? And then they have more of a chance to get out and hurt innocent people again. So let’s take a look at the people who were just on Death Row in Washington State. I am leaving the victim’s names out, for the sake of their families. So, what did they do to be put on Death Row?

1. Johnathan Lee Gentry, who was convicted June 26, 1991. He has been found guilty of bludgeoning a 12 year old child, on June 13, 1988 in Kitsap County

2. Clark Richard Elmore was founded guilty on July 6, 1995. He was convicted with one count of first degree murder and one count of second degree rape and murder of his girlfriend’s daughter a girl of only 14 years old, in Spokane County.

3. Dwayne A. Woods is on death row because he was found guilty on June 20, 1997 for the two counts of aggravated first degree murder of a 22 year old female and an 18 year old female, on April 37, 1996 in Spokane County.

4. Cecil Emile Davis was found guilty on February 6, 1998 of one count of aggravated first degree murder the suffocation/asphyxiation murder of an older woman (65), with a poisonous substance after robbing her home and raping her on January 25, 1997.

5. Dayva Michael Cross was convicted in June 22, 2001 for stabbing and murder of his wife (37), and two step daughters (15 and 18) on March 6, 1999 in King County.

6. Robert Lee Yates Jr. was found guilty September 19, 2002 of killing a 24 year old woman in 1997 and a 35 year old woman in 1998, both of which were in Pierce County.

7. Conner Michael Schierman was convicted on April 12, 2010 of four counts of aggravated first degree murder in the deaths of a 28 year old woman and her sons 5, and 3, and her 24 year old sister on July 16, 2006 in King County.

8. Allen Eugene Gregory was re-convicted on May 15, 2012 of the first-degree aggravated murder and rape of a 43 year old female on July 26, 1996 in Pierce County. He was originally convicted on May 25, 2001, but his case was overturned for a retrial, in which he was found guilty again.

9. Byron Eugene Scherf was found guilty on May 9, 2013 for the aggravated first-degree murder of a Correctional Officer on January 29, 2011, while she was on duty at the Washington State Reformatory Unit of the Monroe Correctional Complex in Snohomish County.

On a sad note there was at least one wrongly convicted man that was executed, his name was Chief Leschi; he was executed in 1858. It is horrible to think that someone might slip through the system, and be convicted of a crime that they did not convict, especially if they are going to Death Row because of it.

With more research I have found that though that the Death Penalty in Washington has not been really affected by Governor Jay Inslee's ruling on the matter. It is only mandated when he is in office, and the criminals currently on death row have a long wait for their death sentence. And Prosecutors are not affected either, as the can still pursue death row when putting someone on trial.

But it may be worse to eventually let one, a few, or all of these killers out. Many of them hurt people who are defenseless, like children and little old ladies! If you know comics like I do, or even remember the movie, you should recall that Spider-Man lost his Uncle, because he let a criminal go, instead of stopping him. Putting these men in with the ‘regular’ criminals gives them a chance to get out on parole or maybe even more of a chance to escape.

But, do we have the right to take their lives. I do not believe in the ‘eye-for-an-eye’ from the Old Testament. When my fellow Christian Brothers or Sisters say this, I am appalled. It is like they are totally forgetting (or are ignoring) what Jesus says:

“If someone slaps your on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.” - Luke 6:29

He gives us new rules in the New Testament. But we’ll have to go over that another day.

The question is: 

Do have a right to kill another human being and be justified for it, because of what they have done and could do?

OR

Is it a moral obligation to kill another human being, who will in all probability kill another person, must likely an innocent person (say a child)?

The moral debate we face is fascinating for me, it is not very cut and dry, and is a very extreme dilemma for my conscience.

In the end it is going to be our social conscience that is the deciding factor. So can we live with the consequences of our choice?

Websites Used:
http://www.doc.wa.gov/offenderinfo/capitalpunishment/sentencedlist.asp 
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/washington-1

www.nbcrightnow.com