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After Oklahoma City

Execution Delay: Attorney General Ashcroft announces a one-month delay in the execution of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
(5/11/01)

Death Penalty update:
Americans changing opinion on the death penalty. (5/10/01)

Kids and Crime:
The youngest person ever convicted of murder is sentenced to death.
(1/14/00)

McVeigh and the death penalty:
A NewsHour discussion on the sentence of Timothy McVeigh.
(6/4/97)

Get the NewsHour Extra history:

Death Penalty on Hold:
Illinois examines their use of the death penalty. (2/22/00)

NewsHour coverage of: Law

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National Criminal Referral Service

The ACLU and the Death Penalty

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Pro-Death Penalty.com

Legal punishment or murder: the death penalty

Last month, Extra covered the McVeigh case and the controversy surrounding the death penalty. Many readers had strong reactions to this topic -- below are some of your responses.

Sarah, Utah

I'm neither for nor against the death penalty. I think it should only be carried out if they know for a fact that the defendant is guilty. I think it's pathetic how many executions have been carried out in Texas over the past 19 years, yet, they've found out afterwards that some of those people are innocent. What can they do about that? Nothing. I think people need to really investigate the scene, and make sure the person is guilty before they do anything.

Also I think this whole thing with Timothy McVeigh is a bunch of bull. He did it. We all know darn well he did it. There's no way he is going to get out of prison, (and if he does it's a sick, sick country and I'm moving to Canada) So why even consider asking for a stay? He should be executed as soon as possible... And he shouldnt have even been granted the first stay.

Kati, Canada

All I would like to mention here is that whenever I hear the arguments of those who are against the death penalty I always wonder if any of those people's close relatives had been murdered or raped. If yes, what is the percentage of these people who went through that tragedy? If a lot of them experienced this worst heartache of life then I would seriously consider the reasons for their fight against death penalty. Also, being a person sensitive towards lives I would try to somehow understand them.

Jessica, Ohio

I don't think that Tim McVeigh should get the death penalty because the death penalty is way too good for him. I think that they should make him suffer. Sure the death penalty will kill him but he needs to suffer just like all those people's families and all those people that didn't die but had some very serious injuries that will effect the rest of their lives. So no, don't kill him, make him suffer badly.

Jim, Australia

Definitely No to capital punishment.
Alternatives: Executive Leisure, that is a criminal is sentenced in the normal manner by a Court to remain in custody until the Cabinet decide it is safe to release them. Normally used in extreme cases of sociopathy and atrocities. (Oklahoma City would be an example.) A form of throwing away the key. Life imprisonment (with or without parole)

As an observer of the U.S. system and society both through the media, people I know from the States and maybe even entertainment releases, one question continually comes up: "When are Americans going to stop killing Americans?" If in the case of Timothy McVeigh and he is eventually put to death, then 169 Americans will have died as a result of Oklahoma City. Another martyr created for the next crack pot.

The rest of the English speaking world found there absolutely no evidence to support the death penalty as a deterent. Likewise the European countries have found the same thing, and abolished capital punishment. Maybe there are other questions to face the American people. Why would a Democratic Government ever want to kill its own people? Who really benefits? It is an enormous social issue.

Government can show the leadership and has the courage to say to the American people the "Violence Ends Here."

Maria, London

I think that no one should die unless they do something really bad like kill 168 people like Timothy McVeigh.

I think that he should die.

Dustin, Indiana

Put him in the Chair, he deserves it.

Thomas, South Carolina

Absolute life in prison, NO PAROLE!!! PERIOD....

Diane, Chicago

The death penalty is wrong. Man should not take a life. Neither should the state.

Becky, Iowa

I support the death penalty and am tired of tax payers dollars paying to keep inmates in prison for life. There is no quality of life being locked up until eternity, so the guilty should be put to death.

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