Should mentally handicapped people be eligible for the death penalty?

by My Queen Posted 2012/12/13 16:21:42

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	No	45 votes	55%
	Yes	37 votes	45%

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Amber 2013/03/03 06:04:39

Yes

It's really hard to make a black-and-white choice about this matter, because there are so many different levels of "mentally handicapped." However, the majority of mentally handicapped people fall into the category of "mild mental retardation" and can generally function at almost the level of non-mentally handicapped people. People with mild mental retardation can generally function at the educational level of a normal sixth grader. They know right from wrong. If they commit a crime heinous enough to warrant the death penalty, then they should be just as eligible for it as anyone else.

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Roy 2012/12/16 04:41:50

No

Well, for this culture "Yes". People obsess over revenge. For a sane culture that would only remove someone like cops do to STOP them; EVERYONE IS EQUAL.

So, we either give EVERYONE a fair shake with treatment or ALL murderers should die. It's always up to the 'mob' or a people who are properly educated and INVOLVED

YOU CHOOSE, I'm tired of these weird humans anyways...

See also; The series on Showtime called Dexter

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Captain-Morgan 2012/12/15 00:42:24

No

NO, IF THEY DON'T KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG...

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Aksana 2012/12/14 10:51:43

No

no

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Andrew 2012/12/14 06:17:34

Yes

Yes and here's why. Murder is murder, and not all of them are so far gone that they aren't aware of what they are doing.

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Flamingolady 2012/12/14 04:51:37

No

Wait, maybe yes, because then, the current administration would be eligible for all their treasonous crimes..........

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Jessie 2012/12/14 04:15:07

No

They didn't ask to be the way they are... maybe out them somewhere else but don't just kill them. They're people too- crazy people, but people.

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Denny Boy 2012/12/13 23:57:38

No

+1
NO!!! It's not their own fault that they are mentally ill. Killing them sounds like something the nazis did.

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Wyveryx 2012/12/13 22:19:58

Yes

I think that there should be firm testing to make sure that they do understand, but aside from that, why not?

Too many people are already labeled as "Mentally Handicapped" without hardly a howdy do as to why. Stop using it as a crutch already.

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Th8nos 2012/12/13 21:19:43

Yes

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Wizard_in_Time 2012/12/13 20:16:33

Yes

+1
Not all mentally handicapped people are unable to make socially conscious decisions.

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joe keeney 2012/12/13 20:13:23

Yes

Don't do the crime if you can do the time.

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Tordgaard 2012/12/13 20:03:21

Yes

Mental handicaps have a wide range of severity. Not all mentally handicapped persons are unable to differentiate between moral and immoral behavior. Of course, there is a very cogent argument against the death penalty for all persons and it could be argued that anyone who is capable of a capital crime must be mentally handicapped.

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Ciarog 2012/12/13 19:59:23

Yes

Yes.

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Charles White 2012/12/13 19:53:44

No

+2
NO! ! ! people with a mental diseases are not responsible far their action. I wish that TEAM OBAMA would banned the death penalty.

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Zee Black 2012/12/13 19:44:28

No

+2
for obvious reasons

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syl 2012/12/13 19:39:55

Yes

+1
If the person did the crime commeserate with the penalty for that crime, & did so knowingly, then the judge would have to determine the whole thing anyway.
We know the judges can come up with anything, or I should say, the attorneys.

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Todd Parsons 2012/12/13 19:33:19

Yes

DUH?

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My Queen to Todd Pa... 2012/12/13 19:49:21

What if they dont understand right from wrong?

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Todd Pa... to My Queen 2012/12/13 19:50:46

Are we all equal in this country or not? Laws are Laws

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My Queen to Todd Pa... 2012/12/13 19:59:12

+1
That's absurd.

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Todd Pa... to My Queen 2012/12/13 20:24:35

I C. So why are we taxing the rich at a higher rate?

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brittany 2012/12/13 19:29:20

No

for what?

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Sayer Stewart 2012/12/13 19:25:01

No

+2
Nobody should be eligible for the death penalty.

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My Queen to Sayer S... 2012/12/13 19:50:08

+2
I agree.

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Wulfdane 2012/12/13 19:06:39 (edited)

Yes

Using the words "mentally handicap" means nothing unless we know the "handicap" is cap.

Mental illnesses run from the minor, to the extreme.

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kathy 2012/12/13 18:51:08

Yes

Hmmm good question-I believe society today has made it so so easyfor the human race to come up with excuses re: their behavior-I've said this before, My mother/father drank,I was abused, I used drugs,my cat died, I was in foster homes, and the list goes on-medicines now for kids because they are hyperactive---people know right from wrong,its their reaction to the situation--

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macbeth 2012/12/13 18:45:33

No

Too many mentally handicapped people have been put on the scrap heap, without adequate support.
If they are incapable of really understanding the consequences of their actions then, of course, they should not face the death penalty.

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MsDianna 2012/12/13 18:35:44

Yes

just depends if they have the capacity to know right from wrong

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Risk 2012/12/13 18:30:37

Yes

+3
If they are incapable of knowing it's not right to kill people they shouldn't be in contact with the general population at all !
If they can kill someone in cold blood they are certainty eligible for the death penalty !

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john.newell.771 2012/12/13 18:14:18

Yes

+1
If they did a capital punishment crime, why not? It is only what liberals insisted on. You know that liberals made great efforts to insist that the mentally ill be treated just like everyone else and prompted many dangerous crazy people to be released on the streets. If they kill someone they should get the death penalty or put a liberal to death in their place.

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gizzibag 2012/12/13 18:09:04

No

+1
the fact that they have mental issues isnt that punishment enough

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Compassionate Christian 2012/12/13 17:59:44

No

+1
NO Absolutely not, and don't throw up the "if it was your..." card my brother was killed by a mentally incompetent individual I know first hand the sting and the loss.

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mich52 2012/12/13 17:45:40

No

Most times No unless of course the person stopped taking their meds. at which point to damn bad...

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Steve 2012/12/13 17:23:52

No

+1
For doing what?

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Chaya2010 2012/12/13 17:20:47

No

+1
Even if guilty they should be incarcerated for life. For example I don't think a child should be tried as an adult or that somebody whose age is below criminal responsibility should be treated as one who is. Difficult question.

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Lanikai 2012/12/13 17:19:03

Yes

+1
They committed the crime, they need to pay the price.

No one should get a pass on the crime they committed, just cause they can fake "stupid" on a test or fake "crazy" in an interview.

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My Queen to Lanikai 2012/12/13 19:52:06

What if it isn't faked. I knew a profoundly insane man who couldn't even tell you his name. It wasn't fake. He would scream and swing like a crazy person if you touched his head.

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My Queen to Lanikai 2012/12/13 19:55:17

You operate under the assumption that all violent Retarded people are "faking@?

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Lanikai to My Queen 2012/12/13 20:10:33

NO I operate under the theory that many of these death row inmates were fine at trial, were fine during the first series of appeals and ONLY became mentally ill AFTER the appeals were not going well.

The truly, lifelong nuts people should still face a penalty but not necessarily as harsh.

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