Dem bill would end death penalty for federal law

So, a bunch of democrats have put together a bill to abolish the death penalty for federal law under some circumstances. I find this interesting in light of the severe polarization of the country. Maybe someone is getting worried or maybe simply planning for the future? This seems pretty weird to me.

Dem bill would end death penalty for federal law

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and seven other Democrats have proposed legislation that would eliminate the possibility of imposing the death penalty for a range of federal offenses, including several categories of murder and crimes against the government like treason and espionage.

The following crimes would no longer result in the death penalty under H.R.3741, The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act:

Assassination or kidnapping that results in the death of the president or vice president, and also ends it for the murder of a member of Congress.

Using a weapon of mass destruction, or murder done via torture, child abuse, war crimes, aircraft hijackings, sexual abuse, bank robberies or the willful wrecking of a train.

Use of chemical or biological materials to kill could also no longer result in the death penalty, nor could deaths related to treason or espionage. The death or injury of an unborn child could not result in the death penalty either.

Death of state or local law enforcement officials, using the mail to kill, kidnapping and killing people to stop them from testifying could no longer lead to the death penalty, nor could the use of firearms or armor piercing ammunition during any crime of violence.

The final results of this bill are the following:

The legislation specifically prevents anyone from being sentenced to death or put to death for federal offenses after the bill becomes law. Anyone who was already sentenced to death for a federal crime prior to the bill taking effect would have that sentence reduced to a lifetime prison sentence without any possibility of parole.

Bassago

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and seven other Democrats have proposed legislation that would eliminate the possibility of imposing the death penalty for a range of federal offenses, including several categories of murder and crimes against the government like treason and espionage.

The following crimes would no longer result in the death penalty under H.R.3741, The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act:

Assassination or kidnapping that results in the death of the president or vice president, and also ends it for the murder of a member of Congress.

Using a weapon of mass destruction, or murder done via torture, child abuse, war crimes, aircraft hijackings, sexual abuse, bank robberies or the willful wrecking of a train.

Use of chemical or biological materials to kill could also no longer result in the death penalty, nor could deaths related to treason or espionage. The death or injury of an unborn child could not result in the death penalty either.

Death of state or local law enforcement officials, using the mail to kill, kidnapping and killing people to stop them from testifying could no longer lead to the death penalty, nor could the use of firearms or armor piercing ammunition during any crime of violence.

This is indeed very weird and disturbing.

It's almost too bad to be true...

Couldn't possibly look more like they are planning to protect themselves in the near future.
Makes me scratch my head so hard.

May as well make a law and look like you care. In reality if they want to kill you they will just drone you and there will be no trial.

reply to post by Bassago


Hmmm.... so they want the right to kill but are afraid to die?

Sounds about right. (rolling my eyes.)

I figure President Obama will use his magic pen and pass this bill into law very soon.

The last time the death penalty was abolished, this happened:

Charles Manson and the Death Penalty

Is it any surprise that this happened in a Democratic state? Is it also a surprise that Democrats want to repeat this idiocy again?

The whole thing seems strange to me.

Assassination or kidnapping that results in the death of the president or vice president, and also ends it for the murder of a member of Congress.

Almost seems like they're getting ready for the last act of "Julius Caesar" or something.

Granted these pols throw out new laws in an unending stream but this one...

Maybe they have been bought off by Lobbyists.

This could open doors for some of those very crimes listed.

proposed legislation that would eliminate the possibility of imposing the death penalty for a range of federal offenses, including several categories of murder and crimes against the government like treason and espionage.

Hmmm. Many politicians do these things.

Perhaps they've been tipped off about some current investigations.

Hillary and Holder come to mind first.

reply to post by Bassago

Democrats have proposed legislation that would eliminate the possibility of imposing the death penalty for a range of federal offenses, including several categories of murder and crimes against the government like treason and espionage.

Wait a minute....i think according to some republicans(and libertarians in denial, aka claim to be libertarians but are in fact republicans) that the Obama/democratic agenda is to "get rid" of people that involve in government spying that expose government info, aka treason.

Why lessen the penalty for them?

luciddream
reply to post by Bassago

 

Democrats have proposed legislation that would eliminate the possibility of imposing the death penalty for a range of federal offenses, including several categories of murder and crimes against the government like treason and espionage.

Wait a minute....i think according to some republicans(and libertarians in denial, aka claim to be libertarians but are in fact republicans) that the Obama/democratic agenda is to "get rid" of people that involve in government spying that expose government info, aka treason.

Why lessen the penalty for them?

That's what I mean, this whole thing seems at cross purposes to all logic. Maybe that's the point, if the government can't blind us with their brilliance then they'll baffle us with their BS.

Frankly I'm baffled but it feels like something with a much bigger agenda than specific individuals. Maybe they wish to apply it to the DHS to cover for them in the future.

reply to post by xuenchen

Perhaps they've been tipped off about some current investigations.

Hillary and Holder come to mind first.

Maybe not so much current investigations as upcoming investigations. If the 2014 elections give the control to the republicans poor old Obama is going to be wearing out his veto pen and prayer mat all the while hoping they don't have enough votes to override him.

reply to post by Bassago

Does this mean that the federal government could no longer assassinate citizens without due process?

They better clarify. They dont want to inadvertently obey the Constitution.

But I no longer support the death penalty, especially when we have a government that we can no longer trust. Some would argue that we havent been able to trust the government for decades.

And then theres the Innocence Project. 312 people have been set free using DNA evidence and 18 of those people were on death row, some even confessed!?

gladtobehere
reply to post by Bassago

 

Does this mean that the federal government could no longer assassinate citizens without due process?

They better clarify. They dont want to inadvertently obey the Constitution.

Maybe it's more so they don't suffer the ultimate penalty when the get caught in the following crimes:

Using a weapon of mass destruction, or murder done via torture, child abuse, war crimes, aircraft hijackings, sexual abuse, bank robberies or the willful wrecking of a train.

Use of chemical or biological materials to kill could also no longer result in the death penalty

I'm thinking the administrations support of terrorists in Syria and Gitmo.

Until this system of ours stops executing innocent people, I think this is probably the best move they can make. I don't trust motives of the people behind this, but the end result is just and fair enough to put that aside as I see it here.

The Innocence Project alone has proven, beyond question or doubt (even a reasonable doubt!) that innocent men have been sent to Death Row. They have proven beyond doubt, innocent men have come a hairs breath from being executed by the state. Not "technically" innocent people...but FACTUALLY innocent men, proven by DNA and supporting evidence to that ultimate signature of responsibility. I assume, knowing the full meaning of the word, that we HAVE absolutely put innocent people to death. Given the sheer numbers of men proven innocent while ON Death Row, to assume otherwise is folly or wishful thinking.

Our legal system is broken...and while that is the case, it's better that men go free than ONE man should die for a thing he did not do. This is being done in ALL OUR NAMES, for those in America ...I'd hope, based on that sound reasoning, my fellow Americans would be as opposed to execution under these conditions as can be had.

* Oh.. and you'll likely find no stronger supporter of the Death Penalty, in concept, than I. I just can't stand innocent people dying so we "don't miss" a guilty one. Un-American doesn't even start to touch that thinking.

Never pass the House. Waste of time.

Wrabbit2000
Until this system of ours stops executing innocent people, I think this is probably the best move they can make. I don't trust motives of the people behind this, but the end result is just and fair enough to put that aside as I see it here.

The Innocence Project alone has proven, beyond question or doubt (even a reasonable doubt!) that innocent men have been sent to Death Row. They have proven beyond doubt, innocent men have come a hairs breath from being executed by the state. Not "technically" innocent people...but FACTUALLY innocent men, proven by DNA and supporting evidence to that ultimate signature of responsibility. I assume, knowing the full meaning of the word, that we HAVE absolutely put innocent people to death. Given the sheer numbers of men proven innocent while ON Death Row, to assume otherwise is folly or wishful thinking.

Our legal system is broken...and while that is the case, it's better that men go free than ONE man should die for a thing he did not do. This is being done in ALL OUR NAMES, for those in America ...I'd hope, based on that sound reasoning, my fellow Americans would be as opposed to execution under these conditions as can be had.

* Oh.. and you'll likely find no stronger supporter of the Death Penalty, in concept, than I. I just can't stand innocent people dying so we "don't miss" a guilty one. Un-American doesn't even start to touch that thinking.

Very well stated! I couldn't agree more!

There was a time when I too favored the use of the death penalty but not anymore. The Innocence Project has definitely opened my eyes and I can't think of too many things worse than killing someone just to later find out that they were innocent.

Furthermore, I think I read somewhere that when the appeals process is taken into consideration, it's actually cheaper to imprison someone for life than it is to put them to death. On top of that, as far as actual punishment is concerned, I'm not so sure that life in prison isn't worse than death.

I agree with the Democrats on this one but I seriously doubt it will ever pass in the House.

I get quite a different take on this. It seems to me that this Bill shrinks the power of the federal government by limiting it's punitive capabilities. This makes what determines crimes punishable by death up to individual States to determine.

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and seven other Democrats have proposed legislation that would eliminate the possibility of imposing the death penalty for a range of federal offenses, including several categories of murder and crimes against the government like treason and espionage.

Sounds like they don't want their boss to get executed.

He has been treasonous the past 6 years, but then again the majority of those Democratic congressman have been treasonous for decades.

Basically they can kill you, but you can't kill them.

never going to happen