On Friday, November 18, 2011, Paul Ezra Rhodes is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection by the Idaho Department of Corrections. Rhoades is a convicted murder of three people in 1987 and has been serving his time on Idaho’s Death Row since his sentencing in 1988.If Rhoades appeals are rejected he will be the first person executed against his will in the state of Idaho since 1957 and the second person executed since 1994.
Rhoades was found guilty of gruesomely murdering three people in eastern Idaho between February 28, 1987 and March 19, 1987. He was arrested shortly after the crimes were committed in Welles, Nevada. The police found the murder weapon in his car while Rhoades was playing blackjack in a casino. He was tried for each crime separately. In March 1988 he was sentenced to death for the murder of an Idaho Falls teacher. In May of the same year he was sentenced to death for the murder of a convenient store clerk in Blackfoot.
His convictions and sentencing have been reviewed and affirmed by the Idaho Supreme Court in 1991. His appeals to the U.S. District Court, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court have all been denied. His attorneys filed an appeal as late as November 15, 2011 with the 9th Circuit claiming the process used in Idaho, if not performed properly, will result in cruel and unusual punishment, violating his rights protected by the 8th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. His appeal was again denied.
When I investigate the legal rationale for having the Death Penalty as a sentencing option, I find two reasons; deterrence and retribution. The courts believe if a person is aware the death penalty is a possibility if they were to commit a capital crime, they may reconsider. The courts also believe a criminal must understand how unacceptable their actions are within a civilized society and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law permitted within the Constitution, which is death.
Catholics have opposed the death penalty in nearly all cases. The belief of the church is only God has the ability to take a life.
Do you agree or disagree with the ideas of deterrence and retribution for capital crimes? Do you think the death penalty is a deterrent for capital crimes? What do you think of the death penalty from a moral viewpoint?
sy-fy geek/nissa- I sort of agree with the deterrence and retribution ideas w/ capital crimes. The thing is, some mentally insane person might not care and commit the crime anyway, so yes,it's a deterrent, etc. for normal people, but for others it might not. The death penalty is a deterrent for capital crimes, yes, but as afore mentioned, a crazy person might not care. Also, someone with serious reasons for doing so would do it conciously as well. The death penalty, in my opinion, should have some extra safeguards so innocents aren't killed. In some cases, the death penalty seems a bit harsh, but there are some crimes that are/can be considered "unforgiveable". In those instances, the death penalty seems fitting. I think that a lifetime prison sentence would better though, instead of the death penalty from a moral viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteVIN VIN- I as Vincent Sengelmann agree and disagree with the ideas for deterrence and retribution for capital crimes. I agree because if we didn't do a death penalty then they would have to sit in jail for a very long time and the taxes we pay goes to the making of prisons and also to the prisons. So its kinda like we have to pay for the people who are in the prison. I disagree because when you think about what they do to people to get into prison is pretty bad. And if we put them into prison when they get out we have the risk of them doing something else that is bad. I don't think that people are deterred from capital crimes because sometimes people don't think before they do something and sometimes people aren't thinking properly. Sometimes I think that the death penalty is harsh. I also think that it isn't right for people to take the lives of other people because that is Gods job. So hopefully there wont be any more death penalties and everyone will love their neighbor as themself.
ReplyDeleterobert/R3AL1TY 5TR1K35 Y0u HARD-I say yes and no to the ideas of a deterrent and retribution. Cause we dont think its right that they r killing so why do we kill them without feeling anything that would make us stop. No i do not think it serves as a good deterrent, notice how i say good... so it kind of works as a way to have the people committing the crimes to slow down but when your unstable and are planning to take the life of another you prolly will. I think the death penalty is wrong in 2 ways that they are commiting the crime but then we commit the same crime by killing them, also that if we do kill them how do we know that the person that is executing them doesnt feel guilty because of his job?
ReplyDelete______\o/______<-----go for a swim
___|\_\o/______<-----meet a shark
___|\_\o/__/|__<-----meet another
(⤴°⊡°)⤴ ‿ ⊥___⊥<---start flipping tables in rage!
cause.... R3AL1TY 5TR1K35 Y0u HARD............
Sena LOVES BARNEY!- I disagree with that because obviously the deturrant dosent work, this man kept killing people and was sentenced. I don't like the idea of retribution, but there is a fine line between retribution and self-defence. Self-defence is ok, retribution is not. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." -Gondi. I disagree with both retribution and deturrance, I think they just weaken us. Why not just put him in prision for all his life? No! I don't think that the death penelty will keep people from commiting capitol crimes. It DOES NOT WORK. There are still murderers out there. Why do they do it? I don't know but they do know they could be executed yet they still do it. I think the death penelty is horrible. You shouldn't take ANYONES life even a person who you know is a seriel killer. We put to death people who weren't even guilty. My belief is that only God can take a life. I feel bad for paul. He states- right before his death- he killed one person but had nothing to do with the other two.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. I dont think it is.because that's just wrong. I think it's horrible that anyone should be killed. They should just go to jail.
ReplyDelete^that was Aaron^
ReplyDeleteConor
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that deterrence or retribution are good reasons for capital punishment. I believe that the death penalty would only scare normal people and not deter insane people and normal people don't kill other people.
I don't agree with the death penalty because God made us so He should be the one to decide end our life.
DILL-DILL- I agree that retebution is a good thing if you have done something to hurt the people over and over. i disagree with the death penilty as a diterannt. I think that the death penilty is wrong
ReplyDeleterobert what the heck i showed you that shark attack !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletesushipirate/cody:I think that the deat penalty is aceptable because it proble cost more to fead the person than to just finish it off that sounds really mean but it is true and that person should not be able to take lives and not be killed himself.This is absalutly a detterent for people, I wouldnt want to die that would proble be very scary to some people and maybe just maybe prevent a murder from happening. from a moral viewpoint that is wrong, only god can take lives
ReplyDeleteRyan-Freedom isn't free-I disagree. I don't know why they just didn't through him in jail. If they were worried he's going to get out. Send him to a stronger jail if worried of him escaping. I don't thick its right to kill somebody to make up for his kills. LIke the expression "violence doesn't solve anything". That pretty much what their doing through my eyes.I understand that he kill a couple people.But isn't right to kill to do that.Only God should take life's.I think the us should get rid of the death penalty. Even if its the worst of the worst. I still think they should get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteJacob- I agree with the idea of deterrence. It is fair that people should know the possible punishments of their actions. This might not and probably wont stop a mentally insane person, but it will help people who are not insane to see the stupidity of killing someone. Retribution is something I don't agree with. It is not right to kill someone, even if they killed someone else. I think that the death penalty is a deterrent for capitol crimes because if someone kills someone and gets killed, another person who is thinking about killing someone might be swayed from their decision. I think that they death penalty is completely wrong. God's commandment clearly states "Thou shalt not kill." What part of that doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteGabi-The death penelty is wrong. Its never right to take a persons life even if they have commited a capital crime. Our descions and what we do are our choices, if we make a bad choice there is a consequence but taking their life is never the answer. It is not our decision God is the one who makes that decision not us. No one deserves to die in the hands of someone else. Murder is awful and people that commit murder should feel absolutly terribal. There is no excuse for taking an innocent life. These people without a doubt should go to jail, but the death penalty isnt right. The death penalty hurts more than just that person just like any other capital crime. Family and frienss of that person are affected too. Just think about being the parents or siblings of the person that was the one that was murdered or of the person that recived the death penalty. I know that I would be deveatated if that was someone in my family or one of my friends and people need to take into cosideration all of these things before they commit a capital crime or sentance someone to the death penalty. Think about the others that are affected. This is why the deth penelty is always always goin to be wrong.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline- I don't think that the death penalty is right, but I can see in some cases why it would be necessary. Everyone has a different view and some peoples might be hurtful or unjust. Some of those choices come with a consequence that are dealt in different ways. Nobody has the right to take away someone else's life, that's God's choice. People shouldn't harm each other. I think instead of the death penalty they should just go to jail for the rest of their lives. Capital crimes can very and it is hard to decide someones fate. Murder is a horrible crime and i can understand why some people might be put to death, because they are too dangerous to have in our society. Looking at this morally no life should be taken like that. No ones life should be decided for them, no ones. God only has that power. Imagine all the families that will loose a loved one from this. The death penalty isn't right.
ReplyDeleteNatalia- I dont think we should have the death penalty. Only God can take lives. I know that if we let them go we have the risk of them killing more people who are completely innocent so i think that we should only keep them in prison for the rest of their lives. Capital crimes are terrible but i dont think someone should be killed for it they are pretty much doing what the person that commited the capital crime is doing. Morally i dont think they should be killed. It hurts their family, friends, etc. The family of someone murdered hurts just as bad so they shoudnt make it worse. I dont agree at all.
ReplyDeleteTaylor (^_^)- I agree with deterrence, but not retribution. We need deterrence so that people who commit crimes don't go doing all those bad things knowing they won't have any penalties for it. Retribution is a different story, though. The death penalty should not be used by the state. I think that the criminal should be put in jail for life instead. As long as they know what they've done and they can't do it again. I think the death penalty is a deterent. If the criminal thinks that they could die because they did this crime, it might change their mind about doing it. I just don't think the state should use it. If that makes any sense. The death penalty from a moral point is very wrong and should never be used. It's like doing a crime to try to fix a crime. It doesn't make any sense to me why anyone should use the penalty. It's breaking a commandment. You can be put into jail for killing someone willingly. Why should this be any different?
ReplyDeleteKordell- K-dog- I agree that guy should be killed because what he did waqs very horrible to do that to people. I think it is determined to capital crimes. I think itsn't a motal because he killed 3 people that is mean.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Sabala (I'm In Barbados right now drinking smoothies on the beach if that makes you jealous at all) I don't agree with the deterrence and retribution. I think that the death penalty is horrible. There are many other ways to deal with a person that did something but killing them is wrong. I can understand why it happens. Paul Rhodes was awful and probaly does deserve to be killed but it should not happen this way. He should just be sent to prison forever or something he deserves besides death.
ReplyDeleteMatea tea/ Bulldog- I agree with deterrence and retibution. If someone kept on hurting this country and the people in it, and we didn't stop it. They could do almost anything to the people. I'm not sure if the death penalty will hold back anyone. I mean if the person is a complete wack job then no, they probably don't care if they die. If the people are a bit wiser then crazy, they wouldn't do it unless they want to die. They could also commit a crime that dosen't seem so bad at first, until they are put to death. I don 't agree with killing someone. First of all it is God's choice when to take someones life. Second of all think about the person. even though they are some terrible criminal, they might actually be scared to death knowing that they were going to die.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with deterrence and retribution.i think the death penalty is wrong.it is sad that someone would kill someone for killing someone.they should just be put I'm prison. Niko
ReplyDeletePeter the eater-I totally disagree .If someone is going to do a capital crime they don't care if they get the death penalty. I think they shouldn't because they could be killing someone's dad.Also because not very many people are going to Escape a high security prison.
ReplyDeleteAlice(lives in a palace![oh jeez that's cheesy! Oh well!]) - I have to say that I agree and disagree with both. Deterrence are definitely needed for all crimes, but if someone was mad enough and ready enough to commit a capitol crime to get what they want. I don't know if deterrence are going to be enough to stop them, cause capitol offenses are, really, well, big and capitol and offensive! Cause, hold on to your hats, some crazy people in this world wouldn't mind at all just throwing their lives away for revenge and other crazy stuff like that. But retribution? I dunno so much about. Killing someone for something they might not even be aware they did because they were under the influence of something? That just seems so wrong! Taking a life for a life? That's like saying that two wrongs make right! But I do think that some people that have been put to death are good to be off this planet! Some people are just so violent and twisted and confused that they may have killed them for that person's own sake as well as the communities. To put the person out of their misery so to speak. Morally I think that the death penalty is completely wrong, our lives are in the strong, and gentle hands of God; but then again, maybe he has our deaths already planned out? Even if it's by the hands of other people? I don't know. This all just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteKatie H.- I think do not agree with how this guy was put to death. I don't see why they couldn't just give him a life sentence in prison. I think in other cases like Osama Binladen it needed to happen, but its really sad that someone has to be killed to protect other people. From a moral view point I think is totally not ok to kill someone one of the commandments clearly states YOU SHALL NOT KILL. I think that God should be the one determining whether to take a life or not.
ReplyDeleteEmma- I agree and disagree with the death penalty. I agree because there are a lot of people in this crazy world that need to know when enough is enough ESPECIALLY if you are killing people. I think that this happens when someone is going through a lot of pain or if someone needs love and doesnt have anyone to look up to. That is way I disagree because people who harm others may need to be heard on what they have gone through instead of being put to death right away. So the death penalty is both a bad and good thing.
ReplyDelete