I am sure everyone has heard by now, former Iraq leader, Saddam Hussein has been executed for the crimes he committed over several decades. Hussein was sentenced to death in November after his conviction, and was executed on December 30. This leads me to the question: Why does it take so long for the American justice system to send a convicted criminal to the death penalty?
When criminals in our system are sentenced to death, by the time their appeals run out, 20 years or more have passed since their conviction. If justice is not going to be served right away, then why give a jury the option of punishing someone by death? The convicted criminals are rotting away in prison like they were given a life sentence anyways.
Look at Scott Peterson. He was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering his pregnant wife Laci. However, Peterson will probably not be put to death in another 20 years after his appeals are exhausted. Another example, Richard Allen Davis, kidnapped and murdered 12-year-old Polly Klaas back in 1993. Davis was sentenced to death for the crime, but has yet to be executed. He sits alongside Peterson in San Quentin State Prison. Davis and Peterson both have no remorse for what they have done and deserve the ultimate punishment sooner rather than later.
Why is our justice system so slow? I understand that convicted criminals have the right to appeal their conviction, but justice finally being done several years after the crime is committed is ridiculous. Iraq did not waste time in executing Hussein, which is good. Hussein was a monster whose capture was actually long overdue in my opinion. He should have been captured back in 1991 during the Gulf War.
I think if we are going to take forever to execute someone who has been sentenced to die, then what is the point of the death penalty?
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