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Bring back Ireland's death penalty, says former top judge

By
DONAL THORNTON,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Monday, November 16, 2009, 8:21 AM
Updated Monday, November 16, 2009, 12:43 PM

 

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A former judge is in favor of reinstating the death penalty in Ireland
A former judge is in favor of reinstating the death penalty in Ireland

The former president of the High Court, Justice Richard Johnson, has called for a referendum to reintroduce the recently abolished death penalty in Ireland.

“The Government should look at it. Then if the people want it, they should have it," Johnson said.

The last Irish state execution took place in 1954. The death penalty was abolished in 1990 and removed from the Irish Constitution in 2001 in conjunction with a referendum on the European Union Nice Treaty.

In 2001, 62 percent of Irish voters voted in favor of abolishing the death penalty.

But as violent crime in Ireland increases, the ex-judge believes that bringing back the death penalty may deter serious violence in a society that has little respect for people. He points to the effect it had on past generations.

“When I was growing up, if a murder took place there were headlines in the press for a week. Now, no one notices. Murder is no longer shocking anybody. People have far less respect for each other than they used to,” he said.

Blaming the media for desensitizing violence and sex in the mainstream, he says that “We’re becoming unshockable.”

Johnson also said that the death penalty should be only used for certain crimes and that it was not always a foolproof method of punishment, as mistakes have been made in the past.

“I am not totally in favor of it. But it should be revisited. It would have to be for specific offenses. If people arm up and go out to rob and decide to take out anyone who gets in their way, they should pay the price. It should be a matter for each individual case,” he said.

Speaking about wrong convictions and the possibility of wrongfully punishing innocents, the ex-judge added, “If the death penalty existed in Britain the Birmingham Six would have been executed.”

There is little likelihood that a referendum for the death penalty in Ireland will take place again. The abolition of the death penalty is a condition for EU membership and is currently a hurdle that Turkey is struggling with as it makes an attempt to join the EU.

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11 Comments

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Posted by jimmy12003 on Nov 19, 2009, 04:00 PM EST
paddy, check out the irish sun newspaper online for last week, this is only one example of so called bas-tards rights in prison, look for the story on joe oreilly who murdered his wife and is living it up in jail in a private cell with a tv and playstation and each week there is somthing else new about his cell phone conversations with the irish media! a good honest irish person cant get a result from calling the media in ireland but if you murder someone and you become well known because of it, you seem to get listened too, sad but true!
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Nov 19, 2009, 09:54 AM EST
You're right and it's for a reason that people in a reactionary state of mind don't, or at least shouldn't control public policy.No inmates have PS3's in their cube they may have them in common ares in some minimum security facilities but that is a vast misrepresentation of the truth, also phones are not allowed in correctional facilities by law, if they have them, they shouldn't and if they are caught there are repercussions. In the scenario below, would you agree that noone is abiove the law, then you too would have to suffer the same fate. I think it is a matter of maintaining the moral authority to make laws, if you commit murder, individually or as a state, you can no longer claim said authority and have no right to govern in a democracy.
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Posted by jimmy12003 on Nov 18, 2009, 06:41 PM EST
paddy! did you ever hear of the saying, an eye for an eye? its quiet clear that you have never been in a position where a family member of yours has been raped or murdered or both by some sick bas-tard, and then have to look at his sorry a-ss being given a so called life sentence, which is a max of 15 years! he gets fed, watered and has a playstation, tv and phone in his cell! most of them didnt have the same when they lived at home. Demucker is right, the EU laws will scr-ew up the chances of getting this good thing back, but if it is a thing that they need someone to pull the trigger or lite the match! please, just give me a shout! i would also do it for free! it would make it that bit easier to sleep at night knowing that the sick sorry c-unt you wiped out today wont be peeping in your kids window tonight while they sleep!
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Nov 17, 2009, 06:29 PM EST
They too are human beings. The State is merely a collective aggregate of the people and as such represents the people. To take the life of another is a basic breach of ones fundamental human rights and a disgusting use of power on the part of the State.You judge a killer, but would also take a life, murder is murder no matter who the person, or entity who is performing it.
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Posted by PaddyDeMucker on Nov 17, 2009, 05:41 PM EST
ganjadec, I certainly don't consider the scumbags who are killing people every day of the week in Ireland, to be 'our OWN people'. They should be treated as rabid wild animals and be put down. Won't be happening of course due to EU law.
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Posted by jimmy12003 on Nov 17, 2009, 05:40 PM EST
yes your right p! a mature attitude! when you are or someone close to you is a victim of one of these animals! then ask yourself, what should be done to rid the world of this kind of sc-um!
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Nov 16, 2009, 07:11 PM EST
Thats a mature attitude!
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Posted by jimmy12003 on Nov 16, 2009, 06:14 PM EST
bring it in! if right was right it would never have been taken away! you shouldnt have rights after you take an innocent life or rape innocent kids! give the sick bas-tards a worst end than they gave there victims!
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Posted by ganjadec on Nov 16, 2009, 10:49 AM EST
This should not even be an issue. Our American cousins still have Capital Punishment, and it hardly deters anything over there. There have been enough Irishmen executed throughout history. We do not need to start adding to that by our OWN people.
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Posted by Portia777 on Nov 16, 2009, 10:07 AM EST
That me done then- declared a witch by this so called justice system. Going back to the Dark Ages I see. How many judges do we know who knowingly had children abused? Would that be a hanging offence too? Me thinks many judges may well find their necks on the line first for their own crimes.
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Nov 16, 2009, 09:27 AM EST
Come on now, how can a government hold the moral authority when it does the same thing it condemns, utterly ridiculous and shameful. the death penalty is murder, not debatable.
 


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