Melbourne CBD Incident

[tonyo]

The other thing you would hope the death penalty would bring is some added deterrent, assuming they are capable of some degree of rational thinking.

All the death penalty does is satisfy society's desire to seek revenge......

[PaulP]

Agree with tonyo and dodge. Education, proper values and genuine support for those that need it are key. You know, the stuff that actually requires effort and being knowledgable and educated and on the same page.

[ElwoodBlues1]

All the death penalty does is satisfy society's desire to seek revenge......

Some might say it satisfies society's need for justice....Benjamin Franklin wrote:

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”

[Gointocarlton]

Agree with tonyo and dodge. Education, proper values and genuine support for those that need it are key. You know, the stuff that actually requires effort and being knowledgable and educated and on the same page.

Pauly could you please elaborate, Im not sure I follow. Education, proper values and support for who?

[Gointocarlton]

All the death penalty does is satisfy society's desire to seek revenge......

And in the mean time, "the nice guys come last" again.

[LoveNavy]

I expect the legal process will address issues of competence v insanity and intent v accidental (or forced by another for fear of one's life). Which ever way the cards fall, he's guilty and will be charged and locked away. Extenuating circumstances (if there are any) will, as I understand it, impacts only 'for how long'. He killed 5 people and injured many others.
It doesn't get more culpable.
Like others have said, his life inside may be shortened at the hands of others who are, well, serial immoralists.... Perhaps the system will right the wrongs.

[sandsmere]

All the death penalty does is satisfy society's desire to seek revenge......

No. . . . . The death penalty also PUNISHES the perpetrator.

[tonyo]

No. . . . . The death penalty also PUNISHES the perpetrator.

The death penalty does nothing to deter people who commit these sorts of crimes - all it does it let them go out in a blaze of "in-glory" and then some other whacko reads about it and says "hey that was cool - I'd like to try that!". 

If the death penalty worked so well, the places in the world that still allow it shouldn't have any murders?

Perhaps we should be tackling the crap that makes them murderers in the first place......

[madbluboy]

The cop should have put a few extra bullets in him.

[LP]

Some might say it satisfies society's need for justice....Benjamin Franklin wrote:

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”

I think the problem is EB1 the minute you have a death penalty the money people think they will save from not having long term imprisoned is actually consumed many times over by legal appeals.

Also, the death penalty promotes violent confrontations between police and desperate criminals, which is why many police are against it.

I think the solution is to bring back the asylums, seriously kit out the police force to deal with these sorts of situations, and setup some sensible preventative measures. But the politicians won't because it costs money. In the meantime, the Lord Major will keep complaining about the lack of police and security in the CBD while he blows up another few $million in fireworks. The money spent on those fireworks could fit vehicle, pedestrian barriers or bollards at most critical CBD or Suburban locations in the state.