Welcome back Ole Sparky: Tennessee to bring back electric chair

Ole Sparky is returning. It looks like the Tennessee governor in the States has agreed to bring back the electric chair if the state can't find anymore lethal injection drugs. With the lethal injection shortage in the U.S., can hanging and stoning be far behind?

Here's one source, the New York Post:

nypost.com...

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday signed a bill into law allowing the state to electrocute death row inmates in the event the state is unable to obtain drugs used for lethal injections.

Tennessee lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the electric chair legislation in April, with the Senate voting 23-3 and the House 68-13 in favor of the bill.

Richard Dieter, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said Tennessee is the first state to enact a law to reintroduce the electric chair without giving prisoners an option.

a reply to: Aleister

Unfortunatley people like to kill each other in cruel and unusual ways, if law and justice wasn't geared around cash register (just us) perhaps we could find better ways of dealing with real crimes and move beyond electrocute people or drug em against there will. To me this is actually quite sad, I understand the arguement but cant say where i stand on killing off members of american society.

a reply to: Brotherman

My "welcome back" was tongue in cheek, I am against the death penalty because what is the definition of "cruel punishment" if not killing someone? The U.S. Constitution makes cruel punishment illegal, so personally I cannot understand how the death penalty is allowed to stay in effect.

a reply to: Aleister

With the lethal injection shortage in the U.S., can hanging and stoning be far behind?

Doubt that. Thing about "medicine" for death is that doctors and companies that make medicine generally want to help people, not be employed to kill them. So the botched executions lately. Ole Sparky isn't that benevolent either.

If we as a nation want to execute murderers why not put it on the Super Bowl? What are we hiding from?

The world has changed. Used to be a big affair…

Warning! Explicit content:

a reply to: Aleister

I understand killing, its the why sometimes that gets me confused. Sometimes I remind myself of Marv from Frank Millers "sin city" about the rain letting him think better cause no ones around but always looking out for the police. Other people will say oh but... I will say, we really do need to step back and evalute our stances on this and other issues. I am confused and sad

a reply to: intrptr

Yikes, is this going to be a snuff thread? I'll pass on watching the vid, but your point is well taken. What's a good western without a public hanging scene. I like it when the hero shoots the rope just as the person is falling and then rides up and rescues them.

a reply to: Aleister

Yikes, is this going to be a snuff thread?

You started it. Imo, the video isn't that explicit. I give it an old Black and White, grainy R rating.

I brought it to show the crowd reactions filmed there that day, not the hanging itself.

Edit: But I get your point. As a nation we are for it, just as long as its done out of our sight.

a reply to: intrptr

After your last post I watched the vid, and it looks like a crowd out to see a football game. But not as loud. And at the end it looks like lots of them surged up to the hanging structure to get a closer look. I wonder if they sold tee-shirts (if public hangings were in vogue now you'd see concessions of all kinds).

A bullet to the head seems like the most humane way to execute. It's inexpensive and a lot less smelly than frying someone with electricity.

I actually kind of support this decision. As my boyfriend brought up yesterday, all of those on death row should be automatically organ donors after their execution. This can't happen now because the drugs used to do lethal injection ruin the organs so that they're good for no one. If we use other modes of execution (not that I support the death penalty but... eh) , then the organs can be saved and used to treat those that need new kidneys and other recycled parts.

EDIT: And it just occurred to me, maybe using electricity would do some organ damage too... Perhaps what another poster said about a bullet to the head would suffice. It's quick, humane, and would not damage a lot of these important organs. I guess if the organ donation idea were to take off, it'd be a gradual process.

There are serious problems with the American Justice System.

Then ... there was a guy named Ted Bundy.

It used to be we didn't worry about locking our doors at night. That ended when Ted showed up in Florida.

a reply to: Snarl

didnt mr bundy get natural justice?

a reply to: Aleister

Shows you there priorities. This is what the governor has been working on, nice.

a reply to: Brotherman

He rode the lightning.

a reply to: Aleister

I wonder if they sold tee-shirts (if public hangings were in vogue now you'd see concessions of all kinds).

Thats how it was in America, too. Ever hear that after Bonnie and Clyde were killed people wanted souvenirs and were trying to rip off pieces of clothing and even bits of their hair and stuff? I don't have a link, kind of busy right now on here…

I'll leave the google on that one to others.

I support this decision.

These people/animals gave up their rights as human beings when they committed such awful acts to get te death penalty.

Prison time does little to thwart evil acts against humanity.

Why send them to life in prison and feel compassion for them when they felt none for their victims?

Also I think that the death penalty should be enacted only after 110% guilt has been established, not witness testimony only.

We have way too many multiple lifers living off of the taxpayers dime.

originally posted by: liejunkie01
I support this decision.

These people/animals gave up their rights as human beings when they committed such awful acts to get te death penalty.

Prison time does little to thwart evil acts against humanity.

Why send them to life in prison and feel compassion for them when they felt none for their victims?

Also I think that the death penalty should be enacted only after 110% guilt has been established, not witness testimony only.

We have way too many multiple lifers living off of the taxpayers dime.

I agree with everything you've said there ... and added a little emphasis.

Some folks are highly offended, that we, as a society, would bring another's life to a sudden end. If those folks would get together and willingly pay to keep the incorrigible alive (and locked away) ... I could consider that. There's a reason for the courts. There's a reason we have laws and process. It's not fair ... and I get that.

a reply to: Snarl

yeah suppose he really did that extra jolt up the ass and all either way apparently people been offing each other over heinous things forever apparently cops and legal departments call for law and order wonder how a neighborhood would have dealt with said shiiitbag if given a chance probably wouldnt cost a dime. sorry im venting my frustrations and confusions dont beat me up too bad here plz

a reply to: liejunkie01

These people/animals gave up their rights as human beings when they committed such awful acts to get te death penalty.

That'd be a fairer argument if it wasn't for the evidence that ~4% of executions came from false convictions. Before we call people animals and kill them, we need to be more than ~96% sure.

Sadly indeed, there will always be a call for executions when we share our world with people who corrupt lives...or take them. I'm against execution but there are cases out there that make me wonder.

a reply to: Kandinsky

well said i couldnt agree more then again there is that 51% vote that still justifies and then again thinking of it all dont they have power to do this remotley with drones and behind closed doors. I still agree but to be honest I really am terribly confused about the whole issue