The Big Question: Why is the United States still imposing the death penalty?

[flashl]

Independent

By David Usborne in New York
Thursday, 7 August 2008

Why are we asking this now?

What America does in its own prisons is its own business, most of the time. That was not true on Tuesday night, however, when a lethal injection was administered to a Mexican national in Huntsville prison, Texas, convicted in a case of gang rape and strangulation of two teenage girls in Houston 15 years ago.

The death of Jose Medellin brought an instant diplomatic protest from Mexico, which had demanded that he and 50 other Mexicans on death row in America be allowed consular access, as required by a treaty to which the US is a signatory.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague has twice in the past five years ruled that the US should hold hearings on the status of foreign nationals on death row. The White House had asked Texas at least to delay the execution. But on Tuesday night, Texas defied George Bush and the world after a last-minute appeal to the US Supreme Court on behalf of Medellin was turned down.

Are there other foreign nationals on death row?

As of the end of last year, there were 123 foreign nationals awaiting execution in the US. Although Mexicans make up the largest single contingent, 38 other countries are represented, including Germany and France, but not, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, any currently from the United Kingdom. Most are in California.

[DesertFlower]

1. for the same reason that we are the

only industrialized country who doesn't have universal health care.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Because Americans love killing - especially "RIGHTEOUS" killing...

Gawd, nothing stirs Americans' blood more than righteous killing.

[crikkett]

3. cuz we're a bunch of vengeful sadists n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. $

[Oregone]

5. In a country where some people are 100% convinced of the neccessity of the Atom Bomb usage...

...you ask this question?

[John Q. Citizen]

6. Uh, like why did Imperial Rome execute people?

Genghis Khan executed people? For real?

Why did the Third Reich execute people?

Why did the newcomers wage 200 years of war on the so-called Indians?

Why do we execute people, indeed?

[Mojambo]

7. Because the United States is more interested in vengeance than justice. n/t

[TomInTib]

8. Death was far too kind a sentence for Medellin.

He should have been incarcerated in a coffin-sized cell and kept undergound and in the dark for the rest of his miserable life.

Maybe fed vomit in a bowl, twice a day.

Suffocate in his own feces.

[flashl]

9. US Death Penalty is a death lottery. nt

[historian]

10. simple enough

because we are righteous and know whats best for all!!!!

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

11. He deserved it. Maybe that's why.