Rev. Capill's Call For Death Penalty Flawed Says Dunne

The call by Graham Capill, Leader of Christian Heritage Party, for the reintroduction of the death penalty for capital crimes has been condemned by Leader of United Future New Zealand, Hon Peter Dunne.

"The knee-jerk reaction of the Reverend Mr Capill is out of touch with the operation of a justice system in a modern democracy," Mr Dunne said.

"There is simply no evidence anywhere in the Western World where the death penalty has any proven effect on the reduction of such heinous crimes as the murder of Karla Cardno."

"Despite Christian Heritage's policy of the safeguards they would like to implement there is always the possibility that mistakes can occur with innocent people being put to death by the State."

"While the public outrage over such crimes is understandable, as is the sympathy for the actions of Mark Middleton, there is no justification for the use of State sanctioned executions to be used as a deterrent for any future crimes of this nature."

"Perhaps we should instead be looking for ways to identify and treat the illness that besets such individuals as Paul Dally before they feel compelled to commit such appalling crimes."

"A commitment to the values of identification, education and treatment of those at risk of offending will be a far more positive step than simply shooting the hinges off the stable door."

"Society has the right to be outraged at such crimes and there is a great deal more to be done to address the victims rights," Mr Dunne says.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>