Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
States Of Which You Approve?
I don’t agree with Peter Hitchens about capital punishment. But I defy those who do to explain why they agree with a practice now, as Hitchens sets out, most prevalent in China, Vietnam and Cuba. Are those states of which you approve?
The surprising thing in the article is that Hitchins wants the death penalty meeted out by a jury not of one's peers, but made up entirely of educated homeowners. He writes:
"It is also a good argument for bringing back some sort of property or education qualification for juries, and abolishing majority verdicts. Nobody should be hanged except on a unanimous verdict of mature and educated people."
We see from the US that the majority of murderers handed a death sentence are poor, black and uneducated. (the ones who cannot afford a proper defence). Hitchins reckons that these people can expect justice from 12 Mr(s) 4x4 in the drive, 1 Leafy Lane, Suburban Surrey. Sorry, he's wrong.
The surprising thing in the article is that Hitchins wants the death penalty meeted out by a jury not of one's peers, but made up entirely of educated homeowners. He writes:
ReplyDelete"It is also a good argument for bringing back some sort of property or education qualification for juries, and abolishing majority verdicts. Nobody should be hanged except on a unanimous verdict of mature and educated people."
We see from the US that the majority of murderers handed a death sentence are poor, black and uneducated. (the ones who cannot afford a proper defence). Hitchins reckons that these people can expect justice from 12 Mr(s) 4x4 in the drive, 1 Leafy Lane, Suburban Surrey. Sorry, he's wrong.