On February 3, Karla Faye Tucker was executed in Texas, becoming the second woman since 1976 to be executed. To many people, her execution was just punishment, but to others, it was a call to arms in the defense of human life. Since Tucker's execution, much attention has been brought to the issue of capital punishment and it's necessity and worth in modern society.

A Short History of Legal Execution

Since the establishment of the United States Government, an estimated number of more than 13,000 people have been legally executed. In the 1930's, as many as 150 were executed annually. In 1967, as a result of public outrage and legal challenges, capital punishment virutually halted in the United States. In 1972, in the case of Furman v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.

But in 1976, in Gregg v. Georgia, the Supreme Court resuscitated the death penalty citing that it doesn't violate the constitution if administered in a humane manner. Still, many states have laws against capital punishment and few executions have taken place since the mid 60's.

Should They Die?

The majority of the students at W.F. West favor the death penalty. Most students in favor of the death penalty usually have a reason to support the death penalty.

Junior Doug Devany said, "People that believe that convicted killers should be given a second chance because they've been rehabilitated, but a rehabilitated axe murderer is still an axe murderer and they should have to pay for their crimes."

Others felt that the death penalty was too harsh of a sentence. "It's not anyone's place to take another person's life, even if they deserve it. Nothing is solved," said sophomore Joelle McPherson.

Some advocates of the death penalty believe in the Old Testament doctrine of "an eye for an eye." Junior Justin Bayne said, "I always say that it should be an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If somebody killed a human, why waste the time, money, and jail space to isolate them? Give them what they gave to their victims: death."

Opponents of capital punishment claim it is hypocritical to demand an eye for an eye. "Saying that criminals should be punished in a way equal to their crime is blunt hypocrisy. You're just imitating their misdeeds," said sophomore Cristina Fox.

Some supporters of the death penalty have questionable reasons for supporting execution. "I like the death penalty because it is a great source of entertainment," said Junior Seth Roach.

One person in favor of capital punishment believes that executions shouldnŐt be solely the job of the state. "If someone killed my mom or something, I'd want them to die, but I'd want them to suffer. I think the best way would be to give the guy to the victim's family and let them do what they want with him," said sophomore Heather Schmidt.

Still, some people feel that it isn't the state's right to execute people at all. "It shouldn't be up to a bunch of politicians to decide who lives and who dies. Besides, what if the person is innocent? It's getting harder and harder to tell who is actually guilty and who isn't anymore," said junior Zach Burkhart.

Another element to consider in the issue of convicted killers is the matter of what to do with the criminally insane. "Lawyers are always working to get their clients out of jail. If one lucky lawyer finds a loop hole or something, some sick person on death row could be released and pick up where he left off," said freshman Mike Goodwillie.

For More Information, Call....

For those at W.F. West looking for an opportunity to learn more about the politics behind capital punishment, students taking the Current Issues class spend around three weeks discussing all the angles involved in the debates for and against capital punishment.