"Teens arrested on murder charge" Should the death penalty be applied?

In East Moline, IL, two teens have been arrested and charged with first degree murder, and police are seeking at least one more teen in connection with this grisly murder. It seems that two teenage girls got into an argument and one girl not only killed the other, her and one or two others dismembered the body and took it to a state park in a neighboring city. The 16 year old girl is being held on $1,000,000 bond and will be tried as an adult, as will the others I suspect. For more, go to www.qctimes.com. From 1-27 until today, this has been front page news around here.
A question I have is; in Illinois they have the death penalty; should these young people, who will be tried as adults, be eligible to be subject to death? There are arguments to be made both ways. I am against the death penalty, but I think if this were my daughter who got so brutally murdered, I may think differently. But life without parole would not be a pleasant life at all, especially for a teenager. Ms. Kolb, the original suspect and the one who is being held for one million dollar bond, has a very cold look about her and it is unknown at this time whether she has any remorse at all over what she is alleged to have done. Details on this case are still being uncovered and police are doing a good job so far. But it remains unknown whether this case will be tried as a capital case. As I said, if it were my daughter that was killed, I may have a different feeling about the death penalty than I do now. I do think all those with teens should just give them a great big hug and tell them that you love them.

I am against death penalty. Period!

But... even if I was not - if they can't buy drinks legally or vote they are not adults. Period!

A related article


http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/01292005F.shtml

Abolish the Federal Death Penalty
By Russ Feingold
t r u t h o u t | Statement

Monday 24 January 2005

Statement on Introduction of the Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2005.

Mr. President, today I introduce the Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2005. This bill would abolish the death penalty at the Federal level. It would put an immediate halt to executions and forbid the imposition of the death penalty as a sentence for violations of Federal law.

Since 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court, there have been almost 1,000 executions across the country, including three at the Federal level. At the same time, over 100 people on death row were later found innocent and released from death row. Exonerated inmates are not only removed from death row, but they are usually released from prison altogether. Apparently, these people never should have been convicted in the first place. While death penalty proponents claim that the death penalty is fair, efficient, and a deterrent, the fact remains that our criminal justice system has failed and has resulted in at least 117 very grave mistakes.

........ While executions continue and the death row population grows, the national debate on the death penalty intensifies and has become even more vigorous. The number of voices joining in to express doubt about the use of capital punishment in America is growing. As evidence of the flaws in our system mounts, it has created an awareness that has not escaped the attention of the American people. Layer after layer of confidence in the death penalty system has been gradually peeling away, and the voices of those questioning its fairness are growing louder and louder. Now they can be heard from college campuses and courtrooms and podiums across the Nation, to the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room, to the Supreme Court. We must not ignore them.

That our modern society relies on killing as punishment is disturbing enough. Even more disturbing, however, is that our States' and Federal Government's use of the death penalty is often not consistent with principles of due process, fairness, and justice. These principles are the foundation of our criminal justice system. It is clearer than ever before that we have put innocent people on death row. In addition, statistics show that those States that have the death penalty are more likely to put people to death for killing white victims than for killing black victims........

But I am interested in what you would do with these people if they are convicted? They (allegedly) took another young person's life. So are you saying that they should be locked up until they are 21 and then turned loose? I am interested in hearing your ideas about this. I am of the opinion that these people know right from wrong and need to be made to pay for their crimes. If it means being locked up for life, then so be it.

I do not think killing more people helps and I also do not think the state has a right to say . 'you should kill that person' because we have said he should die. We should try something else as killing people who kill does not seem to work. We keep killing in great numbers.

because I don't think a person is sane when they commit a murder. Does a murder and then dismembering the body sound like something a well adjusted person would do?

would be appropriate. 20 years before any parole hearing. prison is a living death.

Perhaps the county needs to take a solid look into why these girls did this. Notmeaning they are innocent, but there is obviously something wrong when someone goes and dismembers a body, period!