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Wasted Time
Willary M Charles
American Intercontinental University
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Do you have siblings, I remember a day when my mother’s turkey breast came up

missing. My mom came to me as the main culprit. To later on find out that it was my sister.

Pretty sure you have been accused of something you have not done before. This is happening to

many, innocent people who are being put on death row. While some believe that capital

punishment is deserving for certain crimes. Capital punishment is legally authorizing the killing

of someone as a punishment for a crime. The taking of one’s life is never a stand we should take

as a nation. We can not make murder illegal, an then turn around and kill convicts. Capital

punishment is an act of violence that can’t be reversed once the person is executed. Capital

punishment needs to be abolished it is ungodly, barbaric, and can even lead to a wrongful death,

or the loss of time in a person’s life for something they haven’t done.

Capital punishment is an ungodly act of violence. Provoledo stated that Pope Francis

announced it is wrong in all cases a change that will alter church teaching, which will challenge

views of a lot of Catholic politicians, judges, and officials, who believed their churches was not

opposed to capital punishment (2018). Catholics are first and foremost followers of Christ, Jesus

who is the son of good. They also believe that the bible is inspired, error-free, and revealed word

of God. Gods ten commandments provide a moral compass an ethical standard to live, with one

of the ten commandments being thou shalt not kill. These are only a few Catholic beliefs. With

statures being changed in the Catholic religion, one can see why this is ungodly. Life is a

precious gift, given to every man by the grace of God. The Pope said “If you don’t accept this

you are disobedient, as you would be if you didn’t accept other teachings” he also stated they are

no margin for disagreements” Proveledo, reiterates. To be obedient in your faith would show

ones belief in Catholic statures. Even though most of society is for Capital punishment, does not

mean it is not barbaric.

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Capital punishment is barbaric and a cruel act of violence. Convicts sometimes are

inflicted with excruciating pain for periods of time. Ronald Bert Smith Jr. was sentenced to

death after the murder of Casey Wilson the store clerk, during a robbery in 1994. Ronald was

executed on December 8, 2016 in Alabama. Smith heaved, cough, and gasped while struggling

for breath for 13 minutes after lethal drugs were administered, and death was 34 minutes after

the execution began (Berman 2016, para 4). A few of these barbaric acts can be pointed to the

lethal injections medicine being used. It is known in numerous cases to cause the convicts to go

thru prolonged like torture. Zaller claims that midazolam has been the cause in several high-

profiled botched execution. Midazolam a benzodiazepine drug C18H13CIFN3 primarily used in

its hydrochloride form as a sedative and antianxiety agent before surgery and before or during

medical procedures. From this drug prisoners have gasped, convulsed, giving every sign of

unbearable torture. In some instances it a hour or more for them to die (2015, para 15). These

barbaric acts can not constitute a legitimate way for punishing prisoners. One might say these

inmates deserve the suffering of the execution. How do you feel if the person would have been

wrongfully convicted?

Capital punishment is sometimes handed down to the wrong person. This is

unacceptable, the killing of another human is wrong including upon the discovery of theory as

innocence. A lucrative amount of inmates have been exonerated since the use of DNA testing

has become available. Damon Thibodeaux a Louisiana resident became the 300th wrongfully

convicted person and 18th death row inmate exonerated in the U.S. on basis of DNA evidence.

He confessed to the brutal rape and murder of his 14 yr old-step cousin Crystal Champagne.

Thibodeaux stated he confessed due to interrogation and threats of lethal injection (After 15

years on death 2012, para 15). Losing 15 years of your life is a time you can never get back.
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People would say “at least he is free”. The mental toll that this has will cause him social anxiety

for life. Then they are incidents where a person is our to death with no hesitation. As

Kantrowitz stated it took 10 minutes to find George Stinney Jr. guilty, he was only 14 yrs. old,

the judge sentenced him to death (2015, para. 15) 81 day after the murder he was strapped in an

electric chair an executed (Markowitz 2015, para. 16) Kantrowitz explains 70 years later that

George was exonerated due to a death bed confession from the real murderer, a white male from

a well known prominent family 2015, para. 17) even though George can’t be brought back on

hopes that his family can finally receive peace on the matter. Capital punishment is irreversible,

causing pain and mental anguish on sometimes innocent people.

So one who believes that capital punishment is acceptable, godly, and non barbaric has

been shown the light in the darkness. They are approximately 2,258 convicts who have been

exonerated. Capital punishment is something that needs to be removed. Time is priceless and to

lose it to a wrongful conviction is unacceptable. Having to experience the lethal injection upon

being innocent is barbaric. With these wrongful convictions, sentencing an innocent person to

death, makes our justice system look incapable to uphold justice.

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"After 15 years on death row, freedom." CNN Wire, 29 Sept. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/apps/doc/A303656383/OVIC?u=aiu_online&sid

=OVIC&xid=27f28e85. Accessed 26 Aug. 2018.

Berman, Mark. "After divided court allows Alabama execution, inmate heaves, coughs during lethal

injection." Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/apps/doc/A473424464/OVIC?u=aiu_online&sid

=OVIC&xid=cfdbef70. Accessed 26 Aug. 2018.

Povoledo, Elisabetta, and Laurie Goodstein. "Pope Declares Death Penalty Always Wrong." New York

Times, 3 Aug. 2018, p. A1(L). Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/apps/doc/A548667793/OVIC?u=aiu_online&sid

=OVIC&xid=17928c4d. Accessed 17 Aug. 2018.

R. Marc, K. (n.d). The killing of George Stinney Jr. Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly,

Zaller, R. (2017, May 05). The Arkansas death circus. University Wire Retrieved from

https://proxy.cecybrary.com/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/1896333681?accountid=144459

http://search-credoreference-

com.proxy.cecybrary.com/content/entry/hmdictenglang/midazolam/0