The Atheist Blogger

There are a few reasons why I think the death penalty (thankfully banned in the UK) is wrong and ridiculous. Other than the obvious ironic nature of “killing a killer”, the fact that it goes against all human rights, and it being the cheap way out for governments, there is the problem of miscarriages of justice.

Let me put you in the picture. You have recently turned 40, you have no qualifications, and an estimated IQ of 75, putting you in the bottom 5% of the country. Additionally, you are suffering from mental and personality problems. You have an interest in guns and because of previous charges of stalking, you are classed as an eccentric.

The police arrest you for the murder of a TV personality, who worked for the BBC, an organization you worked for in the past, but at a low level. You are tried and wrongly convicted of shooting her once in the head, even thought the only piece of physical evidence is a tiny portion of gun residue in your coat pocket. You are sentenced to life imprisonment.

An unlikely verdict, but one that happened 8 years ago to Barry George, now 48, who was accused of murdering popular TV presenter Jill Dando. Instead of looking at the evidence, the prosecutors simply pointed the finger at George and built the case up to suit his character. He never pled guilty, and has always protested his innocence from jail. Even his ex-wife vouched for him, saying she was “certain” he could never kill someone.

Circumstantial evidence and a lousy police investigation robbed this man of 8 years of his life. It could have been more. If the death penalty had still been in place, he might have been executed, and he would have lost everything. People like Barry George need care, not prison. Yes, he was a “messed up” individual, but not one that plans and commits murder. The £1,000,000 compensation he will get from the government won’t make him forget the last 8 years, and Jill Dandos murderer is still out there.

Now, in most cases it takes more than a simple murder to get you the death penalty, but this entire trial proves, if anything, that anyone can get it wrong. There is no need to kill people for their crimes. It doesn’t make things better, and it isn’t a deterrant.