Private Eddie Slovik/Merged

[Vern Humphrey]

How many of the other sentenced to death for desertion (during WW2) were executed? None. So why did the others get a pass?

That is the key question. Opponents of the death penalty say it isn't a deterrant (ignoring that it deterrs the person executed from committing more crimes.) The reason it isn't a better deterrant is that the odds of a henious criminal being executed are about those of a person being struck by lightning -- and we don't go around holding lightning rods over our heads, do we?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[limazulu]

That is the key question. Opponents of the death penalty say it isn't a deterrant (ignoring that it deterrs the person executed from committing more crimes.) The reason it isn't a better deterrant is that the odds of a henious criminal being executed are about those of a person being struck by lightning -- and we don't go around holding lightning rods over our heads, do we?

Opponents of the death penalty are making a phoney argument. The death penalty was never enacted into law to be a deterrent. The word penalty can have two meanings. One, punishment. The other, a fee for damages. It is the second that defines the death penalty which, is a payment for damages caused to society as a whole.

It goes back to English common law where everyone being subjects of the crown if one subject harmed another subject then they did harm to the crown and the crown demanded restitution in the form of payment either in cash, loss of property, loss of freedom or the ultimate loss - loss of life.

[milprileb]

Well, okay then, debate the merits of the case regarding how guilty of desertion is for having deserting TWICE for a soldier in a war.

And if he got the same justice for the crime as other deserters.

Just let me toss this your way in this academic chase of excellence: how much justice did the KIA get for doing their duty get in WWII ???? They lost it all for all of us and never will get this kind of attention regarding individual by name recognition for their sacrifice.

I do not think the US Army executed this deserter without sufficient justification and I will not second guess them on that.

nuff said.