First, view the following videos for some general information on the issue of capital punishment.
Top 5 Facts About Capital Punishment (https://youtu.be/hHkACC5vLek)
Death Sentence vs Life In Prison – How Do They Actually Compare? (https://youtu.be/F1qV2nEfklQ)
The State of the Death Penalty in the United States (https://youtu.be/VFZQ8SWcIVM)
2nd Step, Choose Two
View at least two of the following videos related to issues associated with capital punishment.
The Death Penalty Debate (https://youtu.be/XltuOU1A8Sk) Prof. Robert Blecker and Prof. Stephen Greenwald from either side of the death penalty debate presented their arguments.
Arguments for Death Penalty (https://youtu.be/MSo1mldNTHo)
Arguments Against Death Penalty (https://youtu.be/QUpLSmP5z4I)
A Juror’s Reflections on the Death Penalty | Lindy Lou Isonhood (https://youtu.be/FJxUN-kNXNs) Lindy Lou Isonhood grew up in a town where the death penalty was a fact of life, part of the unspoken culture. But after she served as a juror in a capital murder trial — and voted “yes” to sentencing a guilty man to death — something inside her changed. In this engaging and personal talk, Isonhood reflects on the question she’s been asking herself in the 25 years since the trial: Am I a murderer?
Death Penalty & Anti-Death Penalty: Is There Middle Ground? | Middle Ground (https://youtu.be/ceVYO03zcZU)
People who support the death penalty and those who oppose it come together to find a middle ground. Can they push past their beliefs and understand each other?
Witnessnessing A Prison Execution | All In | MSNBC (https://youtu.be/c13NPiF5X_U) Chris Hayes talks with two people who witnessed the executions of hundreds of inmates in Texas as part of their job.
Are Death Row Prisoners in the US Being Literally Tortured to Death? (https://youtu.be/9lTdu8gYb8U) According to doctors, lethal injection – America’s favorite form of execution – is an inhumane, agonizing way to die. The lethal injection consists of a combination of three drugs. The first one is meant to put the inmate in a coma. The second paralyzes all muscles, and the third, potassium chloride, causes cardiac arrest. If administered incorrectly, it results in a long and agonizing death. In recent years, there has also been a series of high-profile exonerations, shaking America’s confidence in the death penalty even further.
Inside Look at an Arizona Execution (https://youtu.be/1znTuqEJbHQ)
Troy Hayden has been an official witness for several executions in the state of Arizona. Troy talks in depth with Kari Lake about what it’s like to attend an execution, how the process works at the prison, and what is different about the Joseph Wood execution.
After my Husband was Murdered | Dionne Wilson | TEDxSanQuentin (https://youtu.be/USSLb-nOsRA 1) In 2005, Dionne Wilson’s police officer husband was killed in the line of duty. She wanted his killer found and sentenced to death. Speaking from the stage at San Quentin State Prison, where her husband’s killer sits on Death Row, listen to Dionne’s story.
Reflect on the issues discussed in the videos you viewed.
In your essay, please address the following questions:
What was the speaker’s/narrator’s point of view about the topic?
Were the issues addressed from a biased or unbiased perspective? Were the presenters operating with an underlying agenda? How can you tell?
What ethical issues and ethical reasoning were argued?
Do you agree with the speaker’s point of view? Be specific and thorough. Discuss how and why you agree or disagree and how ethics and values contribute to your opinion.