should legal executions be captured in videos?
By cuddleme01
@cuddleme01 (2725)
Philippines
January 4, 2007 6:45pm CST
i believe legal executions be it by hanging, lethal injection or electrification shouldn't be video taped. well, in a way video tapes of these executions may help deter others from commiting crimes. however, i also find these videos demoralizing and uncomforting especially for children. i mean how sure are we that children wont have acces to these execution videos? i can't let children witness an actual killing of a person. besides, videos of execution only refreshes the pain that the family of the executed feel over the ill fate of a loved one.
just like what happened in the execution of Saddam Hussein. i don't know who's to be blame for the release of the execution video. in the first place, how come it was video taped? are there laws prohibiting the taking of videos inside the execution chamber?
8 people like this
51 responses
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
5 Jan 07
Saddam's hanging was done officially to record the event for history so that no one could claim that he was alive and well and living in Beverly Hills. According the Chief of the Iraqi Security Force, the incident was done with dignity. However, the fact that non-authorized personnel present recorded it on cell phones for personal financial gain is absolutely not acceptable. I am glad that these people have been arrested and going to trial. I must say that there are a lot of sick people in this world that relished seeing the hanging but I am definitely not one of them. I haven't even seen it on YouTube and I won't.
2 people like this
@sylviekitty (2083)
• United States
5 Jan 07
Well, I think obviously we can all say that the Chief of the Iraqi Security Force did not know that somebody else recorded it with a cell phone... otherwise, there is no way he could say with a straight face that Saddam was executed with dignity. Whether one was "for" the hanging or not (and frankly, I think Saddam deserved what he got), there was nothing dignified about how it went down.
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
5 Jan 07
The people who recorded it on their cell phones are now in custody and will be put on trial...which I think is justified. The actual hanging was not intended to be made public but the jerks who did in surreptiously will be tried and punished, which I think is correct.
@wavelander (1526)
• Portugal
5 Jan 07
Legal executions! Now there's a wrong sentence!
It's the 21st century we can't have executions like in the middle age! Aren't we smarter than that?
2 people like this
@JamHowieuha (36)
• United States
5 Jan 07
I totally agree with this statement, executions...what barbaric world arer we living in..i mean i'm not saying all is peaceful and all but a hanging is just taking steps backwards...keep in mind this was advised by the US...being that they put together the government..
@Joker7 (106)
• Canada
5 Jan 07
I'm not sure, I think in the case of Saddam Hussein I think some people needed proof.. Besides if they did video tape executions legally, people wouldn't feel the need to record it ont thir phones? If you're worried about childred watching it, I'm sorry to tell you that there are tonnes of video's of people being murdered in disgusting ways and if the kids wants to find it, they will. So it doesn't really matter if it's ilegal or legal it will still be done.
2 people like this
@nanoblazer (1)
• India
5 Jan 07
Saddam's hanging was done officially to record the event for history so that no one could claim that he was alive and well and living in Beverly Hills. According the Chief of the Iraqi Security Force, the incident was done with dignity. However, the fact that non-authorized personnel present recorded it on cell phones for personal financial gain is absolutely not acceptable. I am glad that these people have been arrested and going to trial. I must say that there are a lot of sick people in this world that relished seeing the hanging but I am definitely not one of them
1 person likes this
@mirage108 (3402)
• United States
5 Jan 07
recording the execution by any means should not be allowed for any reason. It is only for respect of the family. No body should have to see it and I do understand that there have to be live witnesses for legle purposes. but no tapes.
1 person likes this
@mhv236690 (341)
• India
5 Jan 07
it shudnt be made public as it will have an adverse affect on the chidren as well as the youth of the country!!!
@venshida (4836)
• United States
5 Jan 07
I don't think its necessary to videotape an execution. Its like punishing the victim over and over again, and you know someone is going to make money of it. I think it was disgusting video taping Saddam execution.
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
5 Jan 07
No...I think it's barbaric. I used to be glad ,when I read about the French Revolution & the public quillotine, that we weren't like that anymore and now here we are. Of course I don't support capital punishment either.
1 person likes this
@nitrodona (418)
• Italy
5 Jan 07
i think that is not right to make end in a human life! and make a video tape with the last seconds of one persons is a very bad thing for me!
1 person likes this
@rakrodnahc (38)
• India
5 Jan 07
yes i feel to record it as an historical event it is fine. but using those videos for generating money is really not acceptable. i feel its mockery that people do. why shud a person have this morbid curiosity . its not a nice thing to see someone dying.
1 person likes this
@mercadomaude (15)
• Philippines
5 Jan 07
in a way the filming of excution is traumatizing to a child but their parents my help them to explain why this excution is done to a particular person, that this person is a criminal and he or she must not be a rule model to a child like them.
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
5 Jan 07
i really dont think capital punishment deters anyone from crime, but i do think putting it on tape does prove to people that it really has happened so there can be no later doubts or myth making
@brazilian (263)
• Brazil
5 Jan 07
I think is legal show executions in TV to all countryes in the world.
The execution can be an example to other people.
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
5 Jan 07
I believe that legal execution should be video taped, but it was video taped so as the people like Saddam Hussein would show what happens to people like him in the world that we live in today. So in some respect we have to show what the consequences are when you do something so outrageous as Saddam did to his own people and other countries.
@chemeketa (9)
• United States
5 Jan 07
Legal execution should be made public for all to see. This is real. Videos should be taped under goverment control and be part of public record. Individuals thought, should not be allowd to take pictures or videos in execution chambers for private use.
@piyush_1990 (288)
• India
13 Jan 07
I think they should be captured in Videos
At least this will be fair for the person.............
@adicorsair (9)
• India
5 Jan 07
filming a legal execution, as long as it remains in the hidden govt archives, is not such a bad idea. but yes, what was disturbing was the fact that the video showed saddam being taunted before being hanged. that is wrong for any convict, no matter how justly he deserved the punishment.
