Opinion: New Zealand should bring back the Death Penalty.
This comes after Grace Millane’s evil murderer was sentenced to life in prison — but with a parole period after 17 years, in addition to last years Christchurch Terror attacks, which left 51 innocent people dead. The terrorist is yet to be given a sentence.
And that’s only just the beginning. Black people in the United States get shot by police for even just a gram of cannabis possession, being found with a toy gun that is used by kids (like nerf). Here in New Zealand, Maori, pasifika and other people of colour are more likely to be shot by police for lesser crimes, than white people in general or those who willfully committed murder (except in self defense) or terrorism.
What’s more, we, as New Zealand citizens, have to pay tax to keep people who have committed heinous crimes such as rape, pedophilia or murder, in prison. Why should ordinary people like you and I be responsible for keeping people like the Christchurch terrorist and Grace Millane’s killer (or the Raglan Killer) in prison? There are so many things we could do with our own money, such as donate to help others during the coronavirus pandemic, and donate to organizations that help people in need, such as Women’s Refuge. Also I’d much rather use my own money for my own hobbies as well, than pay to keep serial killers in prison.
Why should we bring back the death penalty?
New Zealand has a problem with murder and violence resulting in death. Additionally, violence against women and girls (including pedophilia) is an ongoing manifesting problem. Now, to contend to that, we have the Christchurch terrorist, Grace’s killer, and NZ’s terrorist Mark John Taylor (2014). Also, convicted pedophiles and perpetrators of violence against women are let off with a light sentence, sometimes given community work or supervision. Sometimes, the courts blame alcohol and/or drugs. Already, we have seen notorious criminals in the past, such as Ian Brady, Myra Mindley (United Kingdom), Mary Bell (United Kingdom), Marc Dutrox and accomplices (Belgium), Jon Venables and Robert Thompson (United Kingdom), Anders Breivik (Norway) and Unite the Right Rally murderer (James Alex Fields)— and none were given the death penalty, in spite of public anger. Public justice would have been served if they were put to death. Additionally, putting a criminal to death for the most serious and unforgivable of crimes will hopefully act as a deterrent to those wishing to commit a serious crime. It also reduces prison space so prison can be used for less than extreme offenders (but still serious)— like bank robbers, thieves, serious drink or drug drivers that results in death, fraudsters, drug traffickers and more.
In addition to the above, New Zealand has NO problem with putting down dogs and other wild animals who have been found guilty for biting or attacking people, but yet is not willing to execute perpetrators of murder or terrorism and in fact, protects the murderer by giving murderers name suppression. Dogs can become aggressive under many circumstances — like if they have been abused by humans in the past, or if they are unwell, or if their human owners teach them how to attack or even kill people (the owner should be held fully responsible for this). And most of all, animals don’t even understand what they have done wrong, unlike humans — also they cannot consent. But for monsters like Grace Millane’s killer and the Christchurch Terrorist? They are both human beings, they fully know right from wrong and the law, and they also know that murder will end them up in prison, or even the death penalty in some countries, yet they made the choice to carry out the acts. The NZ government gives them safety and protection in prison — in countries like Belarus, China, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia, they would have been given the death penalty and no mercy.
In the case above, a man’s dog was ordered to be destroyed after a dog bit a girl, who, despite being told not to touch the dog’s head, did not obey the owner and touched the dog’s head, in which the dog then bit her. The owner also has diabetes and his partner reportedly has health issues according to the lawyer.
It doesn’t make sense that a dog has to be put down for biting a girl who decided not to obey the owner (the bite was treatable also), but murders can walk free on parole or even be released from prison after being convicted of murder. It makes even less sense that dogs are put down for biting people, but the death penalty is not applied to the most (or one of the most) dangerous animal— the human being. Humans kill each other, more so than dogs kill people. Dogs and other animals can be trained not to attack people, but sometimes people with poisonous attitudes will never lose their spots, as murderers, terrorists, pedophiles, rapists and serial killers throughout history have demonstrated.
How should the final days for the criminal be?
When it comes to execution, I think the criminal should have a very limited choice to their last meal (victims don’t choose their last meal or know that what they had was their last meal), with alcohol, drugs and tobacco completely off the menu. The executions must be done in a safe way and must follow hygienic standards in the case that the condemned has an infection of some sort. The criminal needs to understand why he or she is brought up for execution. If the courts and the victims family is okay with a public execution, that wish should be respected.
The conditions for an eligible death penalty in New Zealand should be:
- That a heinous crime has been committed that has resulted in serious harm or death of a person or a threat to national security — terrorism.
- There has to be a right to a fair trial in order to confirm that the defendant was the person who carried out the act.
- It should apply to men, aged 18 and over (unless a woman commits a crime of an extreme nature, such as terrorism which results in multiple deaths).
- The death penalty must NEVER be applied to minors
- People with mental health conditions are seen on a case by case basis. However, defendants should NOT be allowed to use mental health as an excuse to evade the death penalty — mental health issues are not an excuse for unforgivable crimes
- Sex offenders who repeatedly commit crimes after being released from prison, especially if it results in death and/or the offender cannot/or is unwilling to be rehabilitated.
- An innocent person cannot be forced or coerced into admitting a crime that they didn’t commit
- That the person poses a severe risk to the public, public security
- The person is likely to commit multiple crimes in prison resulting in serious harm or death, after being convicted for murder of one or more people.
The crimes that must fit the criteria for the death penalty:
- Vehicle hijacking, including and especially airplane hijacking
- That the criminal committed an act of murder against foreign tourists or visitors in our country, damaging the reputation of New Zealand.
- Terrorism, including planting bombs
- Treason and espionage
- War Crimes
- Hate crimes, including racism or xenophobia, antisemitism or Islamophobia, misogyny, members of the LGBTQA+ community or indigenous people etc. which result in death of a person or a group of people
- That the defendant committed an assassination of a government or political official, or killing of law enforcement officials, paramedics or fire officers, or people with essential or high ranking jobs.
- Killing of pregnant people (omit women for people, as trans and non binary people can and do get pregnant)
- The murder was premeditated, and/or had a reason
- Animal, human or sex trafficking or being a ringleader of these organizations
- Murder for financial reasons, including fraud, money laundering, robbery, bank or jewel heists
- That a person has proven that he or she cannot be rehabilitated, after being found guilty of pedophilia and crimes against children. (like Stewart Murray Wilson, Beast of Blenheim)
- Rape — if repeat offender, or done to a child under the age of 13
There are exceptions to this. Personally, I think that the drug traffickers should not get the death penalty unless they have committed another crime that is either hate based or terrorism motivates, or one that results in serious harm of a minor or a death of another person. Also, killing in self defense should be exempt as well, as some people act instinctively as a last resort in life threatening situations, like a home invasion or robbery or an encounter with a rapist. Another type of killing, revenge killing, should be seen on a case by case basis.
Concluding, the benefits of having the death penalty reinstated in New Zealand outweighs the risks and harm. For a start, it will reduce the human population in a good way, by removing the bad people in New Zealand’s society. It also makes the country safer, reducing the potential for revenge killing (and potential killing of innocent people due to being a lookalike to a murderer or a terrorist — mistaken identity). We would not be having to pay taxes to keep criminals like Stewart Murray Wilson and the Christchurch mosque terrorist locked up. And the best of all, we would never have to worry about these criminals and terrorists being a danger to the public ever again.
Here are the available petitions to petition the New Zealand government to reinstate the death penalty.
Parliament petition — Petition of Natalie Dunn: Reinstate the death penalty in New Zealand
Change.org petition — Bring back the Death Penalty to New Zealand.
