Death By Execution

There are compelling arguments on all sides of the complex morality debate surrounding the death sentence.

Because it involves deeply held convictions about justice, human rights, and the role of the state, there is no general agreement on whether it is moral, depending on who you are speaking to.

Opponents of the death penalty argue that it violates the right to be spared from unreasonably severe punishment as well as the fundamental human right to life. Furthermore, even if new evidence proves innocence, an execution cannot be undone once it has been carried out, making the risk of executing innocent people a serious worry.

Timothy John Evans was wrongly accused of killing his wife Beryl and his infant daughter Geraldine at 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill. He was hanged in 1950.

It was later discovered that he was not the killer, it was the serial killer John Reginald Christie who lived at the same address. Evans was later pardoned in 1966 – can you imagine the torture he must have gone through with losing his family and then being wrongfully hanged for something he didn’t do?

What are your thoughts on this?

Evans claimed that the murders were committed by his downstairs neighbour, John Christie, the main prosecution witness in the case against him, during his trial.

Christie was eventually captured and executed, but Evans was only partly exonerated, not that it would have mattered, they executed the wrong man and you can’t bring back a life!

Evans was not well educated and missed out on a lot of schooling. He had problems speaking and struggled at school. As a consequence, when he reached maturity Evans possessed low literacy skills, constantly needing others to read long documents to him, although he did have some ability to read simple passages such as in comics, his wages and receipts. He was also inclined to invent stories about himself to boost his self-esteem. A trait that continued into adulthood and interfered with his efforts to demonstrate credibility when dealing with the police and courts.

Evans who was married to Beryl; their marriage was characterised by angry quarrels.

Beryl was alleged to be a poor housekeeper and unable to manage the family finances, while Evans misspent his earnings on alcohol, and his heavy drinking at the time worsened his already short temper.

Physical violence between Timothy and Beryl was observed on multiple occasions, and their arguments were loud enough for the neighbours to hear.

In 1949, Beryl told Timothy that she was pregnant with their second child. Since the family was already struggling financially, Beryl chose to have an abortion. After some initial hesitation, Evans agreed to this course of action.

Studies have revealed that the death penalty is disproportionately applied to people from marginalised communities, including those with lower socioeconomic class, racial minorities and people with mental disabilities. Evans would have been in that socioeconomic status.

Some contend that the death penalty is merely retaliation for horrible actions, while others think it is an immoral kind of retaliation.

I do not agree with any death by execution. Not because I am a God-fearing person but because nobody has the right to take another life because if they do they are no better than the person themselves.