Hamza Al Mustapha: Between the Noose and the Muse

By Abdulrazaq Magaji, (magaji777@yahoo.com)

Abuja, Nigeria.

Right from the beginning of his trial, Hamza Al Mustapha, a Major and former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha has not failed to intrigue Nigerians. For most part of the trial, he has conducted himself as one of the politicians hauled before the courts to answer to charges of corruption. And like the politicians, most of whom hire praise singers each time they make a court appearance, Al Mustapha has so far displayed the characteristics of a man oblivious of the gravity of the charge hanging on his neck. Interestingly, his fans and supporters are not helping matters.

For the records, Al Mustapha alongside Lateef Shofolahan, top aide to late Alhaji Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, were recently convicted for the 1996 murder of Abiola’s wife, Hajiya Kudirat by a Lagos state High Court. Even on the day of the convictions, Al Mustapha, probably playing out a line presented to him by his handlers, was full of banters and theatrics. For a man battling to save his life, Al Mustapha did not cut the picture of a man who was about to keep a date with the hangman. And for some of us who feel the wheel of justice had dragged rather too slowly in the case, the man’s appearance did not help matters.

Even before his conviction for the murder of Hajiya Kudirat Abiola, Al Mustapha had, in other cases, played the role of a man ahead of a conquering army. For most part of those trials, he pointed fingers in the direction of prominent Nigerians and created the impression that he was being persecuted for who he is instead of addressing the substance of his case. But that is not unusual: when a man has his back to the wall, foul play could as well mean fair play. It is done even in the so called advanced countries. Remember the case of the randy Dominique Strauss Kahn, former IMF chief in his encounter with Nafisatou in a New York hotel room? The man simply got some of the best lawyers around who dug into the poor woman’s past and presented her as a liar. Here at home, Saburi Oladimeji Bankole, former speaker of the House of Representatives, treaded that weather beaten path when he spent hours trying to discredit a member of the prosecution team. Fair enough!

It is enough to send a jury on a wild goose chase. But even if that was not the intention of Al Mustapha, he appeared to have perfected the art of whipping up sentiments rather than addressing the charges against him. Beyond maintaining a straight face, he also presented himself as a lion hearted, no nonsense military officer to whom death should mean nothing. In the not too recent past, Nigerians were treated to last minute theatrics by convicted coup plotters just minutes before they were tied to the stakes and shot. One funny coup plotter, realizing that he was going to miss life on the fast lane in pepper soup joints in the barracks (where, on earth, is former cop, Alozie Ogugbuaja?) even requested for a stick of cigarette before he was shot: remorseless, heartless and unrepentant till the end. If the picture of bravado was what Al Mustapha’s handlers wanted him to cut, they got it all wrongand it was better they changed tactics. If, however, Al Mustapha chose that course, in defiance of his handler’s wish to for him to cut the picture of a man wrongly accused of the murder, then he had better begin to listen to his handlers.

Being accused of murder is certainly not a thing to be proud of and nobody is saying Al Mustapha should wear a mournful face at his next court appearance. But even if deep down, he is convinced that he knew nothing about the murder of Hajiya Kudirat Abiola, there was and, certainly there is no need for him to play to the gallery. What, through his theatrics, has he been trying to tell the world? That, by bantering and joking and playing to the gallery, he is innocent of the charge against him? Or, that, as a soldier and just as the cigarette puffing coup plotter, he was trained in the rather fatalistic school of thought that a soldier’s life is worthless? Sobriety, lest we forget, should not be equated with complicity. It is not being suggested here that Al Mustapha had a hand in the murder. No! But he will also do well to remember that even some of his staunchest admirers feel less impressed with his bold face.

It is just as well that some members of the Abiola family now have the unusual duty of joining placard carrying Nigerians in the clamour for Al Mustapha’s life to be spared. Namesake of Al Mustapha’s wife, Hafsat and her brother, Jamiu, both children of the slain Hajiya Kudirat Abiola, literally said, in the wake of the convictions, that though they still feel the pain of the cold blooded murder of their mother, they are not about to join in celebrating the death sentence. While towing the religious line, Jamiu was non committal, insisting that whoever killed his mother should be prepared to account for his deeds in the here after. But Hafsat was specific in condemning the death sentence: she prefers a life in jail, rather than the hangman’s noose, for those whoever murdered her mother. Few bereaved people will tow that line, especially in these self imposed hateful and hate filled days Nigeria is passing through.

It is also as well that, even outside the Abiola homestead, prominent Nigerians, especially from the south west, some of whom had one ugly tale or the other to tell in their past encounters with Al Mustapha by being members of NADECO, or the National Democratic Coalition, have joined in the clamour for his life to be spared. One of them is Dr. Frederick Fasehun, founder of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress. And as the campaign to get Al Mustapha off the death row gathers momentum, here is a wish as well as a prayer that the man is spared the noose. Inspite of everything, Nigerians are a largely forgiving people with a short memory of hate. In his cell, the man must be musing over his role in the days of General Abacha. If anything, the lower court’s pronouncement must have jolted him; it is expected to have sobered him up, something the thirteen years he has spent as an awaiting trial man failed to do.

Abdulrazaq Magaji, a journalist and writer, lives in Abuja

Rizal was immediately transferred to a chapel cell to wait for his last moment. Among those who visited him were his Jesuit professors at the Ateneo de Manila where he attended high school and earned the degree of Bachiller en Artes. There was no representative from the University of Santo Tomas where he pursued Medicine and Philosophy.

Standouts among those who viewed him on his last hour were his lawyer; his bodyguard; Fr. Federico Faura who had predicted that his novel the Noli Me Tangere would cost him his life; Fr. Vicente Balaguer who was known to have married him and Josephine Bracken and who convinced him to retract his “anti-Catholic” ideas found in his novels; Donya Teodora his mother; Trinidad his sister to whom he gave the alcohol cooking stove which contained his last poem of farewell; Josephine Bracken his “wife”.

About 6:30 a.m. of December 30, 1896 a trumpet heralded the start of Dr. Jose Rizal’s death march to Bagumbayan (now the Luneta or Rizal Park), a mound facing the sea. At a distance lay the island of Corregidor and the hills of Bataan. Four soldiers with bayoneted rifles formed the advance guard. A few meters behind them Rizal marched calmly in black suit, black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt, and black tie. His arms were tied from elbow to elbow, but the rope was loose enough to make him move. To the muffled sounds of the drums the cavalcade marched serenely. A few curious spectators lined the street from Fort Santiago to Plaza del Palacio of the Manila Cathedral.

Rizal and the cavalcade arrived at Bagumbayan at exactly 7:00 a.m. He faced the firing squad ready to be shot facing the enemy. He asked Captain Dominguez that he be shot through his heart but the request was denied because the death sentence specified that he be shot at the back. Rizal reluctantly turned his back facing the sea. Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo felt his pulse and was surprised to find that it was normal— meaning, he was not afraid to die. One friar came forward to let him kiss the Crucifix. Without a word he turned his face away. (Was this the action of a man who retracted his “anti-Catholic religious errors”?)

Captain Dominguez raised his sword and ordered the executioners: “Ready, aim, fire!” Riddled with bullets Rizal whirled and fell on his back, looking up at the sky. He died at exactly 7:03 a.m. on December 30, 1896. He was 35 years, 5 months, and 11 days old.

In his prophetic vision (like his dream which foretold the exact date of his execution, December 30) he had seen himself die (as described in the third stanza of his celebrated “Mi Ultimo Adios”, his last farewell poem) wherein he imagines his blood dyeing with crimson the newborn day.

I die just when I see the dawn break,
Through the gloom of night, to herald the day;
And if color is lacking, my blood thou shalt take,
Pour’d out at need for thy dear sake,
To dye with its crimson the waking ray.

In previous executions at Bagumbayan, it was normal for spectators to be noisy after the execution. But when Rizal fell Capt. Rafael Dominguez who supervised his execution ordered the crowd and his men to be silent. The silence was a recognition of “the brave recognizing the brave.”

Rizal’s remains were first buried at Paco Cemetery which, since early times had been a graveyard for early prelates and governors-general as well as victims of cholera that plagued Manila in 1820. Sixteen years later on December 30, 1912 his remains were exhumed and placed in a glass crypt at the base of Rizal’s present monument and tomb at the Luneta or Rizal Park (previously Bagumbayan where he had been shot by firing squad). The cemetery became a national shrine during the American Occupation.

“The verdict is final by the Chinese judicial authorities in strict accordance with the Chinese law. We hope that the Philippine side could understand,” Sun Yi, Chinese embassy spokesman, said.

“The Chinese side will provide all the necessary assistance to the relatives and Philippine consular officials for their visits to the convicted and other related matters,” he said.

Earlier, officials said they were resigned to the fate of the three convicts.

“Not that I know of,” said acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario when asked if there was word from Beijing on the Philippines’ last minute plea for a stay of execution of Credo, Ordinario-Villanueva and Batain.

“I think we’ve tried everything that we can already and at some point I think we have to accept the fact that the sentence is a finality,” Del Rosario told reporters.

He said President Aquino himself had written Chinese President Hu Jintao thrice, seeking reprieve for the three Filipinos. This was on top of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s own initiative to convince Beijing to spare the three Filipinos from death.

“The President has written three times, there have been back-channeling and I’m afraid at this point in time there really isn’t much left we can do,” he said.

He said Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Francisco Benedicto has been busy making representations with the Chinese government.

“We obviously sympathize with them (families) and we’ll be holding a Mass here (DFA) tomorrow (today),” Del Rosario added.

Villanueva, 32, was convicted for smuggling 4,110 grams of heroin on Dec. 24, 2008, and Credo, 42, four days later for smuggling a slightly bigger amount of heroin. Batain was sentenced to death on May 24 in the same year also for drug trafficking.

DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya said the families of Credo and Ordinario-Villanueva have been allowed by the Fujian Provincial Higher People’s Court to visit them today from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Xiamen No. 1 Detention House.

The Batain family will have the opportunity to visit her at 9:30 a.m. at the Shenzhen No. 3 Detention House. The exact time of execution was not revealed.

Malaya said the families of the three would not be allowed to witness the execution.

“No. Under Chinese law and regulation the carrying out of the sentence will be made in private,” Malaya said.

“Officials of the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen will be with the Credo and Ordinario families during their visit and during the promulgation of the sentences. Officials of the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou will likewise accompany the Batain family during their visitation,” the DFA said in a statement.

‘Keep on hoping’

But at Malacañang, spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, “We should keep on hoping” until the sentences are carried out.

“Hoping that similar to the last instance that happened before, when we felt that all hope was lost, China decided to postpone the execution. But we are still hoping within the realization that we are limited by what we can do. So we will leave it up to the Chinese authorities but, again, while the execution has not been carried out, we will still hope,” Lacierda said.

China had originally set the execution of the three last Feb. 21 and 22 but decided to give them a reprieve following a visit from Binay.

Lacierda also disclosed that the President ordered Binay and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to look into cases of overseas Filipino workers involved in drug trafficking and find out how and why they managed to leave the country undetected by airport scanners.

Lacierda said the thrust right now was to establish greater coordination between China and the Philippines to prevent Filipino travelers from being used as drug mules.

“My understanding is that the 70-plus Filipinos in China who are on death row have had commutation of sentence. In other words, within two years of good behavior they will no longer be executed. This was discussed between the President, Vice President Binay and me after the Cabinet meeting last Monday,” Lacierda said.

He said concerned agencies like the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration should make sure that OFWs are protected from drug syndicates.

Binay’s tack

Binay, for his part, told Beijing that the three Filipinos, particularly Villanueva, should be spared from execution because they can help Chinese authorities track down and prosecute the leaders of big crime syndicates.

Binay told the Chinese president that Villanueva, based on her affidavit, named her recruiter Mapet Cortez or Tita Cacayan as the source of the illegal drugs she carried to China.

“In light of that testimony, which we believe is very material to the prosecution of Cortez (aka Cacayan), and our effort to break the back of the illegal drug traffic from the Philippines, I appeal to the Chinese government to help us keep Villanueva and the two others alive to enable us to establish beyond any reasonable doubt whether at least one or two or all three of them are mere unwitting couriers, while the real principals are still at large in the Philippines,” Binay said.

In her sworn statement, Villanueva said Cortez recruited her for a job in Xiamen and provided her with an empty suitcase that she used for her travel to China. Cortez is in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Villanueva claimed she was not aware that the suitcase contained heroin. She said Cortez “knowingly tricked” her into smuggling the illegal drugs.

“It is my fervent hope that Your Excellency will see in this appeal a sincere effort on our part, who hold the highest regard for China and its criminal justice system, to make sure that the truly guilty are punished and those who merely happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and are defrauded or forced to commit crime by the real criminals are given a second chance, according to your own policy of combining leniency with rigidity in the implementation of your criminal laws,” Binay said.

“I am honored to write at this time, to reiterate, first of all, my profound gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for its decision, on the occasion of my visit to Beijing on 18-19 February 2011, to stay the execution of Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, Ramon Credo and Elizabeth Batain, who had been convicted of drug trafficking, and finally to appeal for the continued suspension of their execution, in light of the discovery by Philippine authorities of certain evidence which could help us break wide open the illegal drug traffic into China from the Philippines,” Binay said.

“It is my further hope that our two governments and peoples would continue to work as closely together as possible in providing our region and the world the most humane expression of justice for all. Please accept, Excellency, renewed assurances of my highest consideration and esteem,” Binay said.

“We’re aware of the efforts undertaken by the Vice President and we’re grateful to the Vice President for his continuing effort on behalf of our three nationals in China. And the DFA continues to work with the Vice President and our consulate officials on this matter,” Malaya said.

But for some lawyers, Villanueva’s sworn affidavit executed last March 26 before Philippine Vice Consul Ambrosio Brian Enciso III in Xiamen City, China had come too late.

“We cannot be sure what legal effect the affidavit may have although we remain hopeful it does,” said Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, a lawyer and province mate of Villanueva.

Former Justice secretary Silvestre Bello III said there was nothing in the affidavit that could justify a review of the case. “The affidavit should have been made before the final decision and when there was still enough time for the government to make an appeal,” he said.

In Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Regional Prosecutor Rommel Baligod said, “Experience has shown us that the Chinese government is unforgiving when it comes to drugs.”

Acceptance, hope

Sen. Loren Legarda said the government should just respect the decision of China if it decides to continue with the executions today.

“It’s their law,” Legarda said.

“So we should not be a nation just pleading to other nations not to execute our nationals. Let’s not deploy them (workers). Let’s not allow them to be sold and to be trafficked,” Legarda said.

She said the government should strengthen the country’s anti-drug trafficking law and not just wait for another Filipino to be arrested and convicted abroad.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said he does not expect Chinese leaders to “change their minds” and stop the executions.

“Let it be a lesson to us and Philippine leaders, a long overdue call to focus on job creation at home. This, after all, is the only possible explanation why many agree to be drug mules,” Angara said.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said he believes the government has exhausted all diplomatic efforts in trying to save the Filipino drug mules.

“This is a stern warning to Filipinos trying to smuggle drugs abroad (on) the consequences they will face,” Castelo said. “Officials involved should suffer the same fate.”

“We can only do so much in terms of representing them in their legal case. But if our own authorities were being strict in our own borders, these people would not have reached foreign shores with their packages,” Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said.

Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III also said he believes the government has done enough to try to save the three Filipinos.

“But there is nothing wrong going the extra mile in trying to save them. If you want other countries to respect our laws and sovereignty, we should also respect their laws and sovereignty,” Tañada said.

Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco said prayers can do wonders but the nation should also be prepared for the worst.

“The important thing is we learn from this and nothing of this sort happens again. Because if these things happen again, especially the use of gullible Filipinos as drug mules, then we would lose not only lives but respect,” Haresco said.

“We are knocking on all doors. We are trying to storm heavens for a change in their fate of what will happen to them. We still don’t know. I think the best weapon we can still think of, so far, is still prayers,” said Fr. Edwin Corros, executive secretary of CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People.

“The Philippines does not ask the Chinese government to bend its laws on the issue, only appeals for the sake of friendship and humanitarian reasons,” Francis Chua, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

“PCCI joins the public sentiments in hope for possible change in the decision on the execution of the three workers on death row,” he said.

“We have been reminding our Filipino workers against becoming drug couriers of international drug syndicates and the case of the three Filipinos should serve as warning to them,” Labor department spokesman Nicon Fameronag said

Recently, Tamil Nadu State Assembly passed a resolution, recommending commuting of the death sentence to the three assassins of India’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to life imprisonment. This has shocked the entire nation. All the right thinking people, including people in Tamil Nadu, condemned this resolution. Now the Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has tweeted whether the national response will be as muted if J&K Assembly passed a resolution recommending for the commutation of Afzal Guru’s death sentence also.

Image via Wikipedia

BJP’s double standards

Omar has a point. He has hit at the bull’s eye. He has nailed the coffin. Even before the J&K Assembly passed such a resolution or even contemplated passing it, BJP has expressed its opposition to it. But the same BJP was silent on the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution. Why? Was it not double standards?

BJP needs Jayalalithaa’s support to come to power in Delhi

One reason for the BJP’s double standards is that it does not want to spoil its relationship with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa or her principal opponent and the DMK President Karunanidhi. BJP senses that the days of the Congress government are numbered with one scam after another breaking out. The Central government and the Congress Party are totally discredited. In the 2014 elections (or in the elections if it comes much before schedule), BJP is sensing victory. But it will not be a single handed victory. BJP can come to power only with the support of other political parties, particularly the regional parties. Therefore, there is advantage in keeping silent on the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution for it. In the event of BJP emerging as the largest single party in the Parliamentary elections, the BJP may need the help of either Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi to catapult itself into power.

BJP has no stakes in Kashmir

No such advantage will accrue to the BJP if it keeps silent on any similar resolution by the J&K Assembly. This is because Omar Abdullah’s National Conference Party or his opponents like Mehbooba Mufti of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Hurriyat leaders are not expected to go for an alliance with the BJP. Therefore, BJP has no stakes in opposing the J&K Assembly resolution tooth and nail, if it comes about.

Rajiv assassins are Hindus, Afzal and Kasab are Muslims

Second reason is of course religious polarisation. The three assassins of Rajiv Gandhi, namely Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan are all Hindus whereas Afzal Guru is a Muslim. BJP has built its political platform on strong anti Muslim sentiments and especially singling out Islamic terrorism as the reason for all evils gripping the nation. Therefore it will view it as a great opportunity to politically sensitise the matter if J&K Assembly passes a resolution in favour of Afzal Guru. BJP’s political fortunes depend on it.

Congress will lose the elections if it goes soft on Afzal or Kasab

Now Omar will understand the difference. Okay, for a moment let us forget about the BJP’s stand or attitude to this matter and concentrate on the general public opinion in India. If Afzal Guru is granted a commutation from death sentence to life imprisonment, the general public will feel that the Congress Party is soft on Islamic terrorism just for the sake of garnering Muslim votes. This will turn the majority Hindu public against the ruling party in the coming Parliamentary elections and will be one more contributory factor to unseat it from power. Granting a commutation to the Rajiv Gandhi assassins will also be viewed similarly, but with a lesser degree of importance.

LTTE did not kill innocent people, Islamic terrorists aim only at innocent people

What is the difference? This is because the LTTE was involved in only one time killing of an important Indian leader on Indian soil. After this, the LTTE never repeated such acts on Indian soil, though it killed many people in Sri Lanka. Even in the case of Rajiv Gandhi assassination, the LTTE did not aim to kill the innocent people in Tamil Nadu. On the other hand Islamic terrorists are again and again killing many innocent Indians because of their religious bigotry. Indian public have suffered for many years and are still suffering because of the Islamic terrorism. In fact, Islamic terrorists like Laskar-e-Toiba concentrate in killing only innocent public in shopping areas, bus stands, railway stations and other public places. They never aim to kill the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister or any other political bigwig. Therefore, there is a strong public opinion on the part of the Indians and particularly by the majority Hindu population, who are by and large peace loving, to view strongly any leniency shown to the Islamic terrorists who were caught by the police. Therefore, a soft corner shown by the government towards terrorists like Afzal Guru and Kasab will land the government and the ruling party in a big soup. On the other hand, execution of these hard core criminals will lift the fortunes of the Central government and the Congress Party and may result in electoral gains for them. In other words, an execution of Afzal Guru and Kasab before the Parliamentary elections is capable of giving a good advantage to the ruling Congress Party and compensating its loss of image because of the scams. This may help the Congress to come back to power for the third time in a row as the principal opposition BJP is also in disarray with war of words among its top leaders.

Omar is not a fool

In addition, media will also blow up any leniency shown by the government to the Islamic terrorists. Omar knows all these things. He is not a fool. But still he has deliberately tweeted this question just to probe others.

To my Mum and Dad,

 These are going to comprise my last words. It has been two years, a long time since my arrest. Two years since I’ve been in this prison. During this time I have discovered a good deal more about people now and especially the enormousness and wonder of family ties.

 I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the hardship you went through, to bestow me up and furnish for me for over 20 years. Every parent consumes high desires for their children and I acknowledge I have thwarted you. I know my brother won’t do as I did and that he bequeaths to provide for you in a way that I didn’t. Please don’t grieve when I’m gone. I know I’m going to heaven. I repent too much and cried too much. This is just an impermanent parting and I know we’ll meet again. Be happy for me.

 Everybody finishes his or her travel in life one day, nobody can avoid that. It is just a substance of the way we walk of life the journey. I’m going to die soon. And this is the result of choices I made. I can’t charge myself now. We can’t fault anyone else. Please don’t blame yourselves too. If anything, I am really the one to put all the blame. I never heeded to any of the advice you brought about me. I profoundly repent treating you badly. I know we contended more than we should have. I want to thank you now for making up there for me despite all he pain I know I’ve caused.

 I’ve been a burden to you for so long and even after I’m gone I need to bother you to take care of the funeral. I have brought hurt to you and expanded your burden. And I have given you nothing you could be proud of. Instead, I brought you and my brother’s disgrace. I owe you so much but I will not be able to repay it.  I really don’t know what else to say except to wish you wellness. I am going and I shall take along whatever disappointment the family has with me. I leave behind all my wishes hoping that you will forgive me for not being a filial son.

 Please take care.

This letter is written by a 29 years old man two days before his execution. He will be hanged because he was caught of selling slabs of heroin to a drug dealer. He appealed after convicted but rejected and sentenced to death.

It was a very long time ago when he composed a letter to his parents. Perhaps, once he was just 6 years old. He can’t remember much. Only now he recalled saying everything his heart wants to utter before. Only now before he will die.

 

Should mandatory sterilization be considered for sex offenders? Since there are only 4 purposes in which a punishment is carried out, we can do away with protracted and otiose discussion by going straight into considering them.

1)      1) Rehabilitation

Incarceration works the same way as to how detention applies to an insolent kid. They will be forcefully given the time to self-reflect on their actions or omissions. With that in mind, it makes no sense for a judge to adjure a punishment that is irreversible. Bear in mind that sex offenders include sexual offenses which varies from trivial crimes which are exonerative to serious cases such as child rape. In law, morality, and also economically, it would be best to give offenders of the former category the chance to expiate their guilt.

2)     2) Retribution

The idea of retribution is now anachronistic. While in the eyes of the society, certain type of offenders deserve to be punished, we rarely see written judgment passed with ratio or obiter which states retribution as one of the reasons. More and more countries are even abrogating death sentences. The law has a normative role to play in the society. It would be counter-productive for the law to allow such primitive reasoning to be a canker to society.

3)     3) Deterrence

This is probably the most common reason used by the prosecution to allow heavy sentences to be passed to a convict. Deterring a criminal from committing an odious crime will, more often than not, outweigh the importance of his individual interest. However, it is already status quo that most countries have heavy and punitive sentences for rapists. Would it be necessary for a rapist to be convicted for 20 years imprisonment, and permanently deprive him of his right to even, say, start a family once he has duly served his sentence? Some countries even implement whipping in addition to imprisonment. The psychological fear instilled in a convict through pain is far more effective than sterilization.

4)      4) Incapacitation

While many countries have already abrogated death sentences, many others still practice them. The reason is simple. There are certain crimes which are too heinous that the only permanent way to prevent it is to take away his life. However, it is a flawed analogy to equate sterilization to death sentence, thinking that they can prevent certain types of crime to ever happen again. It is no guarantee that sterilization can stop a recidivist from committing the same sexual offences. It could be a psychological phenomenon which cannot be dealt with physical deprivation. In other words, sterilization will bring permanent harm to those who want to expiate their crimes, but will be of no help to stop recidivists from committing those sexual offences.

Image via Wikipedia

Currently there are 15 states out of 50 without death penalty.  3.261 people are in death corridor waiting for execution.  The waiting time is around 15 years.

Death penalty

A large number of terrible crimes occur every day in the United States, and individuals who commit such crimes must be punished.  The way criminals should be punished and whether to use death penalty or not are a complex issue.  Those who support capital punishment claim that people would feel much safer if criminals were executed.  They believe criminals must pay the same way and they don’t have the right to live.  They also think that keeping criminals in jail is very costly and it is not fair prisoners live a comfortable life, with a guaranteed plate on the table, shelter and even internet access.  Tax payers should not be maintaining people who are responsible of horrible acts of violence. 

Most opposition to death penalty centers around flaws in the criminal justice.  There are many cases of innocent people who were executed.  Judicial system should improve and proper evidence and corroboration should be presented and analysed carefully before sentencing someone to death.  In addition, murderers should be punished with appropriate sentences, that way death penalty should not be necessary.  A life sentence should mean a life sentence without parole.

Effectiveness of capital punishment

Has capital punishment a deterrent effect?  All sorts of studies and research are brought up on both sides of the controversy.  People who support that assume that criminals may reconsider committing a crime under the assumption of losing their own life.  People fear death more than life prison.  Opponents believe that murders are normally unplanned and criminals act as a consequence of an impulse.  They don’t stop to think about a long-term possible consequence.  They cannot or don’t want to control their emotions as rational human beings and get carried away.  Abolitionists also claim that contrary to popular belief, crime rate goes up in states where there is capital punishment

This is a controversial debate where emotions play a big part and many claim that liberals are incoherent.  On one side they are against death penalty and on the other they are for abortion.  Taking human lifes is morally wrong in both cases.  But common sense and acting as real human beings should be the aim of a rational society.  Killing a criminal to make him pay is acting just like them.  Jails should be real jails and instead of a death sentence, murderers should spend their life behind bars giving something back to the society through hard labor.

Rising Gas Prices Causing Premature Ejaculation, Low Libido and Other Sexual Problems

Disturbing news,

Republican senator from Plymouth, Massachusetts

Rick Dickenton was sentenced to death after violent sodomy committed on three young boys from Boston.

Former governor was “caught in the act” last summer after the police and the FBI received anonymous phone call from New Jersey area.

Caller warned the police and the federal agents about the screams coming from the vicinity of urban villa that belongs to the Rick Dickenton.

Police action was fast and the evil doer was transferred to the prison that same day.

Trial was closed for public because of a sensitive matter involved as well the position of the accused politician.

This is the first time in history that one politician was sentenced to death.

State of Massachusetts does not use death penalty so poor republican senator has been transferred to the high security prison in the state of Virgina where his death penalty will be performed.

Former Republican governor last words in the court were: “I don’t have any regrets!”

Republican Anti-union Bill: 80 000 Protest in Wisconsin

Gaddafi Will Not be Removed From Power, Unless Western Governments Use Brute Force

Arizona’s Republican governor Jan Brewer criticized Health Care Reform (HCR) during her campaign – in particular making much of the “death panels” talking point. The claim made was that a “government takeover” of health care would result in the appointment of panels that would decide who lived and who died based purely on financial factors. Governor Brewer seems immune to the irony implicit in her own action as Arizona’s death panel; so far resulting in the deaths of two Arizonans denied needed transplants and more than 90 more currently at risk.

Governor Brewer has claimed that she made a difficult decision to deny needed operations based solely on the costs involved to the state Medicaid program. This decision was made while financing for school team transport is still in place. It is amazing that getting football players to games is more important in Arizona than human lives.

The granddaughter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Nina Roosevelt Gibson a psychologist who lives in Arizona, is on record as being outraged at the actions taken. Gibson has a daughter in need of a heart transplant, though with the current changes she is still eligible for that transplant on a low priority, because her health is stable at the moment. The concern for the granddaughter the man who led America out of the Great Depression and through the Second World War is that HCR will be repealed which would place her own daughter at risk.

Gibson has spoken of being close to her grandmother, Eleanor Roosevelt. She is very clear that her grandparents would be shocked at the idea that in this wealthy nation, people are denied healthcare in order to save the state a few dollars.

If funding for these transplants is not restored, it is certain that people perfectly capable of recovery will die instead.

Representative Stevan Daglas, a Republican from IL, has figured out 26 different ways to restore Arizona’s funding for transplants. So far his proposals have not received a response from the office of Governor Brewer.

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia