Irish are right to slam U.S. on death penalty

Taking this man's life is an act of sheer, ugly barbarism. Capital punishment is not a deterent to crime, and it dehumamizes all of us. It should be universally banned. And some day it will be.

There must be something in the American physche regarding the use of Capital Punishment.As recently as the year 1936 there was a State sanctioned execution by hanging in public in the American state of Kentucky.About two thousand people turned out to watch it.It is interesting to observe that most executions take place in the southern or what would have been in the past considered frontier states.In my own Australian State of Queensland Capital Punishment was abolished in the year 1922.The last execution in Australia was in the year 1967 in Melbourne.Ronald Ryan was hanged for the shooting death of a prison warder.Capital Punishment is completely banned throughout Australia now.

This article starts out by stating that there was no physical evidence to tie Troy Davis to the crime scene. That is false. Shell casings were found at the scene of the murder of Officer MacPhail. Shell casings from the same gun were found on the same day at the scene of another crime for which Troy Davis was convicted. Even though I don't condone capital punishment, I do take exception to inaccurate statements by the media.

As a former prosecutor in Georgia, I oppose the death penalty because mistakes can be made. However, the hypocrisy of some opponents is obvious. Maggiepoo has emphasized the true facts. As for all the recantations etc. When the defense submitted a evidence that another had admitted guilt, it was disregarded by the reviewing court since it was hearsay and the defense didn't believe in their case sufficiently to subpoena the man who allegedly admitted guilt and was available if the defense wanted to call him as a direct witness. If the death penalty is inherently evil why weren't the death penalty opponents marching in Texas the same day when a white man was executed. Further, the religious leaders always ignor the admonishment given by the the "good thief" on Calvary to the other thief who was mocking Christ. "our penalty is just". What more biblical justification for the death penalty can be found? It seems that the death penalty is only immoral when administered to a Black who has killed a white.

i'm with limerick's mayor - so what if mistakes are made either way it serves hell's or heaven's agenda.

It is one of the more shameful aspects of being American that people will actually cheer about so many people being executed even if they might be innocent. I would like to think most of us dont feel that way but I dont know what to think anymore. I look around and I dont seem to recognize my county anymore.

Yes, yes, better that 99 innocent people be executed rather than let one guilty person go free. That's the Right Wing's and Tea Party's attitude. That's why they cheer and why some of them have actually said with admiration (about Rick Perry, re: Todd Willingham), "It takes reals guts to execute an innocent man." America's always had this blood-thirsty side to it; nothing new about that. People are just finally waking up and realizing how flawed our so-called system of justice is, and how bizarrely two-faced it is to say the government can't do anything right...except execute people -- then it's 100% correct.

This is absolutely ridiculous! Any negativity coming out of the US; they jump on the bandwagon to bash them. Ireland has become so Anti-American, it is quite sad they seem to forget how much the USA has done for them and continues to do so. My best friend was murdered by a woman; shot point blank in the face and did 6 years in prison... Where is the justice? Ireland is on the same path; the drugs and gangs are on the rise and perhaps one day they'll open their eyes!

The Irish don't know what they are talking about. They just need another excuse to slam anything America does. Maybe they should say "Thank You" for all the aid, monetary and otherwise we have given them. Observing some of the vile, cruel and vicious crimes that are being commited in Ireland today perhaps they should consider the death penalty.

Where do I see your argument that the WHITE criminal executed in Texas for the dragging death of a Black man was "wrong." It seems that an execution being "wrong" is specifically tied to the race of the criminal to be executed.

I am far from a big fan of the death penalty. For one thing, if the jury reached the wrong verdict and the suspect has been executed, it cannot be undone. However, I will give it limited support until all states in the USA enact laws that provide honesty in sentencing. A life term for murder in the first degree should be just that _ life. There should be no parole. The only way a lifer should get out of prison is through being found innocent or if the governor of the state pardons him.

You may have arguments about the death penalty. However, this individual was not the "victim". The gun used in the murder of the off duty police officer was traced to him. The officer ran to the aid of someone who was being "pistol whipped" and he was then shot with that gun. All that was needed for guilt was for an i.d. of him being at the scene.

There are too many bleeding hearts.

I happened to be in Ireland the day after Bin Laden was taken out by the heroes of SEAL team 6. A radio station was asking the views of people in the street. I was shocked at the number of people who were commenting that dey kilt an unarmed man, shur he was defenceless, he was executed etc. Patrick should stick to drinking porter and singing ballads about drinking, the IRA or the divil joining de British Army. Leave catching the bad guys and doing the heavy lifting around the world to the US.

A rabid animal is put down. Had the Irish judicial system, that leans in favor of the criminals, had any liathroidi, Gerry McCabes killers would not now be roaming the streets.