Attention Getter For Capital Punishment
Topic: Capital Punishment
General Purpose: To argue
Specific Purpose: To argue that the United States should outlaw capital punishment in all fifty states.
Thesis Statement: Capital Punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states because: (1) capital punishment once executed cannot be undone, and (2) the cost process of capital punishment isn’t worth the expense.
Introduction
I. [Attention Getter] Imagine being sentenced to die.
A. The United States gives you, the offender, five options to proceed.
1. Most likely your state will proceed with your execution through lethal injection.
2. There are other options if you so choose.
a) They are lethal gas, hanging, firing squad, and electrocution.
B. It’s hard to believe that the United States allows …show more content…
these executions, especially since many countries throughout the world have decided against it.
1. According to National Geographic’s reporter Alexis Manning, in an article she wrote in April 2013, she writes “In December 2012, 111 countries-or more than half the world’s countries- voted in favor of a United Nations resolution that would declare a global moratorium on executions” (Manning).
II. [Establish Controversy/Justify Topic] With the knowledge that capital punishment is currently legal in the U.S., many states have made the decision to be rid of it.
A. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, in an article found on their website, “Capital punishment is currently authorized in 31 states, by the federal government and the U.S. military” (NCSL).
1. This leaves 19 states without the death penalty.
B. Obtained from the Death Penalty Information Center: “A September 2016 national poll by the Pew Research Center found that fewer than half of Americans (49%) reported supporting the death penalty” (DPIC).
1. This obvious controversy is important to us, Idaho State University students, since controversies in our nation have an impact on our futures.
III. [Credibility Statement] Since I’m a believer in Human Rights, I believe that capital punishment should be outlawed.
A. I first became interested in Capital Punishment while watching the movie “Gone Girl”.
1. If you are unfamiliar with the movie, it’s about a wife who fakes her death and sets her husband up to take the fall.
2. The wife wants revenge on her husband for cheating.
3. She hopes that her husband will be put to death because capital punishment is allowed in the state the movie takes place.
B. Because capital punishment made an appearance in this movie, it piqued my interest enough to do extensive research on the topic.
IV. [Preview/Thesis Statement] From the research I’ve done, it has led me to believe that capital punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states for two reasons.
A. First, capital punishment cannot be undone.
B. Two, capital punishment is not worth the cost that is entailed.
Transition: The first reason is that capital punishment cannot be undone.
Body
I.
[Constructive Argument] Capital punishment cannot be undone.
A. If any wrongfully accused individuals have been sentenced to death, nothing can be done for the individual after the execution.
1. The justice system makes mistakes.
a) Jennifer Givens, an assistant professor and legal director at the University of Virginia: School of Law, wrote a scholarly essay in June 2017 which states “Recent research suggests that the rate of wrongful convictions in capital cases where a death sentence was imposed is approximately four percent which means that approximately 120 of the roughly 3,000 inmates on death row in this country are not guilty” (Givens).
b) Givens also states “The common causes of wrongful convictions are well documented: police and prosecutorial misconduct, mistaken eye witness identification, false confessions, lying incentivized witnesses (usually jailhouse snitches), junk or stale science, and bad lawyering on the part of the defense counsel” (Givens).
c) Information provided by Givens shows that wrong convictions can easily happen.
B. Today, I will inform you of three instances where wrongfully convicted individuals were put to death because of capital …show more content…
punishment.
1. From an article published by the Washington Post, written by Maurice Possley in March 2015, a person named Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully convicted and put to death (Possley).
a) Willingham was convicted of arson that killed his three daughters.
b) He was put to death in 2004.
c) Later on, it came to light that a witness lied on the stand to convict Willingham in exchange for a lighter sentence (Possley).
d) This leaves enough reasonable doubt that the executed may have been innocent.
2. From an article published by CNN, written by Stephanie Gallman in August 2015, Ruben Cantu is another individual wrongfully convicted.
a) Cantu had been accused of capital murder in 1993 and was put to death.
b) 12 years later, the investigation that took place was found to be false.
c) The only eyewitness at the crime withdrew their statement.
d) Another individual stated that the accused wasn’t even there the night the crime took place (Gallman).
3. From an article published by The New York Times, written by Bob Herbert in July 2005, readers learn about a man named Larry Griffin.
a) Griffin was convicted of killing a drug dealer.
b) The officer over the case told that the witness’ account was not true.
c) According to Herbert, “There was no physical evidence against Mr. Griffin”. (Herbert).
d) Herbert continued, “No one else at the trial placed him at the scene of the attack” (Herbert).
C. Each of these people were wrongfully accused and put to death.
1. It wasn’t until after their executions that evidence came to light that would have exonerated them or evidence that would have given them less of a sentence.
2. These convictions have shown how faulty testimonies of eyewitnesses can be.
a) They have detrimental effects, especially since each of these individuals were put to death.
Transition: Because human error exists, capital punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states. It is permanent and cannot be undone. Not only that, but it’s not worth the expense. This leads me to my second reason.
II. [Constructive Argument] The second reason is that capital punishment is expensive.
A. “As every prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge knows, the costs of a capital case begin long before the sentence is carried out. Experienced prosecutors and defense attorneys must be assigned and begin a long period of investigation and pre-trial hearings. Jury selection, the trial itself, and initial appeals will consume years of time and enormous amount of money before an execution is on the horizon”.
1. This statement was provided by Richard C. Dieter who is an attorney, graduate from Georgetown University Law Center, and executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.
2. This statement allows individuals to know that there are many aspects that contribute to the cost of capital punishment.
B. In a scholarly essay written by Torin McFarland, the cost of the death penalty versus life incarceration is analyzed.
1. McFarland states “Each death penalty inmate is approximately $1.12 million (2015 USD) more than a general population inmate” (McFarland).
2. McFarland continues “Many states… hold the idea that a death penalty case carried through to completion is about $1 million more expensive than a case where only a life sentence is sought” (McFarland).
3. A large expense of capital punishment is the costs for incarceration.
a) McFarland states “Death row inmates are kept in high security areas of prisons which cost more due to increased supervision, single rooms, etc.” (McFarland).
Transition: Capital punishment has many expenses like prosecutorial and incarceration costs. By being rid of capital punishment, the United States will save enormous amounts of money. However, people want it in our country. The opposition argues that it deters possible criminals from committing crimes. I will discuss this view in my last argument.
III. [Refutation] Finally, capital punishment does not deter crime.
A. [Denial] First, there are other deterrents that must be taken into account.
1. Obtained from the government website National Institute of Justice, on the webpage titled Five Things About Deterrence, it states “Research shows clearly that the chance of being caught is vastly more effective deterrent than draconian punishment” (NIJ).
a) The likelihood of being caught is the deterrent from crime.
2. Also, mentioned by the National Institute of Justice is “sending an individual convicted of a crime to prison isn’t a very effective way to deter crime” (NIJ).
a) Prison doesn’t deter crime.
(1) It prevents the individual from committing more crimes while they are incarcerated.
B. [Attack the reasoning] Second, although capital punishment could be seen as a deterrent, there’s no data to support the claim.
1. From a scholarly essay written by John Lamperti, a professor of mathematics at Dartmouth university, the author does a statistical analysis on whether or not capital punishment deters murder.
a) In his findings, he states “Data from 1973 to 1984 show that murder rates in the states without the death penalty were consistently lower and averaged only 63% of the corresponding rates in the states retaining it” (Lamperti).
(1) This data is important because it analyzes murder rates in the states before and after the death penalty was reintroduced in the United States.
C. [Minimizing] Finally, capital punishment can’t be proven to be a deterrent, so the outlawing of capital punishment in the United States won’t increase crime.
D. [Impact] With the information I have provided, it contradicts those that want capital punishment.
1. There is no factual data to back up the claim.
2. Other deterrents must be taken into account.
3. The outlaw of capital punishment in the U.S. doesn’t have negative
impacts.
Transition: As you can see, the statement that capital punishment is a deterrent of crime is false. To review, here are the reasons why the United States should outlaw capital punishment in all fifty states.
Conclusion
I. [Restatement of Main Ideas] The reasons why capital punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states are:
A. First, capital punishment executions cannot be undone.
B. Second, the cost of the process for capital punishment is too high.
C. Finally, capital punishment cannot be proven as a deterrent of crime.
II. [Closing Statement] For the reasons stated, the United States should outlaw capital punishment in all fifty states.
General Purpose: To argue
Specific Purpose: To argue that the United States should outlaw capital punishment in all fifty states.
Thesis Statement: Capital Punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states because: (1) capital punishment once executed cannot be undone, and (2) the cost process of capital punishment isn’t worth the expense.
Introduction
I. [Attention Getter] Imagine being sentenced to die.
A. The United States gives you, the offender, five options to proceed.
1. Most likely your state will proceed with your execution through lethal injection.
2. There are other options if you so choose.
a) They are lethal gas, hanging, firing squad, and electrocution.
B. It’s hard to believe that the United States allows …show more content…
these executions, especially since many countries throughout the world have decided against it.
1. According to National Geographic’s reporter Alexis Manning, in an article she wrote in April 2013, she writes “In December 2012, 111 countries-or more than half the world’s countries- voted in favor of a United Nations resolution that would declare a global moratorium on executions” (Manning).
II. [Establish Controversy/Justify Topic] With the knowledge that capital punishment is currently legal in the U.S., many states have made the decision to be rid of it.
A. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, in an article found on their website, “Capital punishment is currently authorized in 31 states, by the federal government and the U.S. military” (NCSL).
1. This leaves 19 states without the death penalty.
B. Obtained from the Death Penalty Information Center: “A September 2016 national poll by the Pew Research Center found that fewer than half of Americans (49%) reported supporting the death penalty” (DPIC).
1. This obvious controversy is important to us, Idaho State University students, since controversies in our nation have an impact on our futures.
III. [Credibility Statement] Since I’m a believer in Human Rights, I believe that capital punishment should be outlawed.
A. I first became interested in Capital Punishment while watching the movie “Gone Girl”.
1. If you are unfamiliar with the movie, it’s about a wife who fakes her death and sets her husband up to take the fall.
2. The wife wants revenge on her husband for cheating.
3. She hopes that her husband will be put to death because capital punishment is allowed in the state the movie takes place.
B. Because capital punishment made an appearance in this movie, it piqued my interest enough to do extensive research on the topic.
IV. [Preview/Thesis Statement] From the research I’ve done, it has led me to believe that capital punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states for two reasons.
A. First, capital punishment cannot be undone.
B. Two, capital punishment is not worth the cost that is entailed.
Transition: The first reason is that capital punishment cannot be undone.
Body
I.
[Constructive Argument] Capital punishment cannot be undone.
A. If any wrongfully accused individuals have been sentenced to death, nothing can be done for the individual after the execution.
1. The justice system makes mistakes.
a) Jennifer Givens, an assistant professor and legal director at the University of Virginia: School of Law, wrote a scholarly essay in June 2017 which states “Recent research suggests that the rate of wrongful convictions in capital cases where a death sentence was imposed is approximately four percent which means that approximately 120 of the roughly 3,000 inmates on death row in this country are not guilty” (Givens).
b) Givens also states “The common causes of wrongful convictions are well documented: police and prosecutorial misconduct, mistaken eye witness identification, false confessions, lying incentivized witnesses (usually jailhouse snitches), junk or stale science, and bad lawyering on the part of the defense counsel” (Givens).
c) Information provided by Givens shows that wrong convictions can easily happen.
B. Today, I will inform you of three instances where wrongfully convicted individuals were put to death because of capital …show more content…
punishment.
1. From an article published by the Washington Post, written by Maurice Possley in March 2015, a person named Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully convicted and put to death (Possley).
a) Willingham was convicted of arson that killed his three daughters.
b) He was put to death in 2004.
c) Later on, it came to light that a witness lied on the stand to convict Willingham in exchange for a lighter sentence (Possley).
d) This leaves enough reasonable doubt that the executed may have been innocent.
2. From an article published by CNN, written by Stephanie Gallman in August 2015, Ruben Cantu is another individual wrongfully convicted.
a) Cantu had been accused of capital murder in 1993 and was put to death.
b) 12 years later, the investigation that took place was found to be false.
c) The only eyewitness at the crime withdrew their statement.
d) Another individual stated that the accused wasn’t even there the night the crime took place (Gallman).
3. From an article published by The New York Times, written by Bob Herbert in July 2005, readers learn about a man named Larry Griffin.
a) Griffin was convicted of killing a drug dealer.
b) The officer over the case told that the witness’ account was not true.
c) According to Herbert, “There was no physical evidence against Mr. Griffin”. (Herbert).
d) Herbert continued, “No one else at the trial placed him at the scene of the attack” (Herbert).
C. Each of these people were wrongfully accused and put to death.
1. It wasn’t until after their executions that evidence came to light that would have exonerated them or evidence that would have given them less of a sentence.
2. These convictions have shown how faulty testimonies of eyewitnesses can be.
a) They have detrimental effects, especially since each of these individuals were put to death.
Transition: Because human error exists, capital punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states. It is permanent and cannot be undone. Not only that, but it’s not worth the expense. This leads me to my second reason.
II. [Constructive Argument] The second reason is that capital punishment is expensive.
A. “As every prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge knows, the costs of a capital case begin long before the sentence is carried out. Experienced prosecutors and defense attorneys must be assigned and begin a long period of investigation and pre-trial hearings. Jury selection, the trial itself, and initial appeals will consume years of time and enormous amount of money before an execution is on the horizon”.
1. This statement was provided by Richard C. Dieter who is an attorney, graduate from Georgetown University Law Center, and executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.
2. This statement allows individuals to know that there are many aspects that contribute to the cost of capital punishment.
B. In a scholarly essay written by Torin McFarland, the cost of the death penalty versus life incarceration is analyzed.
1. McFarland states “Each death penalty inmate is approximately $1.12 million (2015 USD) more than a general population inmate” (McFarland).
2. McFarland continues “Many states… hold the idea that a death penalty case carried through to completion is about $1 million more expensive than a case where only a life sentence is sought” (McFarland).
3. A large expense of capital punishment is the costs for incarceration.
a) McFarland states “Death row inmates are kept in high security areas of prisons which cost more due to increased supervision, single rooms, etc.” (McFarland).
Transition: Capital punishment has many expenses like prosecutorial and incarceration costs. By being rid of capital punishment, the United States will save enormous amounts of money. However, people want it in our country. The opposition argues that it deters possible criminals from committing crimes. I will discuss this view in my last argument.
III. [Refutation] Finally, capital punishment does not deter crime.
A. [Denial] First, there are other deterrents that must be taken into account.
1. Obtained from the government website National Institute of Justice, on the webpage titled Five Things About Deterrence, it states “Research shows clearly that the chance of being caught is vastly more effective deterrent than draconian punishment” (NIJ).
a) The likelihood of being caught is the deterrent from crime.
2. Also, mentioned by the National Institute of Justice is “sending an individual convicted of a crime to prison isn’t a very effective way to deter crime” (NIJ).
a) Prison doesn’t deter crime.
(1) It prevents the individual from committing more crimes while they are incarcerated.
B. [Attack the reasoning] Second, although capital punishment could be seen as a deterrent, there’s no data to support the claim.
1. From a scholarly essay written by John Lamperti, a professor of mathematics at Dartmouth university, the author does a statistical analysis on whether or not capital punishment deters murder.
a) In his findings, he states “Data from 1973 to 1984 show that murder rates in the states without the death penalty were consistently lower and averaged only 63% of the corresponding rates in the states retaining it” (Lamperti).
(1) This data is important because it analyzes murder rates in the states before and after the death penalty was reintroduced in the United States.
C. [Minimizing] Finally, capital punishment can’t be proven to be a deterrent, so the outlawing of capital punishment in the United States won’t increase crime.
D. [Impact] With the information I have provided, it contradicts those that want capital punishment.
1. There is no factual data to back up the claim.
2. Other deterrents must be taken into account.
3. The outlaw of capital punishment in the U.S. doesn’t have negative
impacts.
Transition: As you can see, the statement that capital punishment is a deterrent of crime is false. To review, here are the reasons why the United States should outlaw capital punishment in all fifty states.
Conclusion
I. [Restatement of Main Ideas] The reasons why capital punishment should be outlawed in all fifty states are:
A. First, capital punishment executions cannot be undone.
B. Second, the cost of the process for capital punishment is too high.
C. Finally, capital punishment cannot be proven as a deterrent of crime.
II. [Closing Statement] For the reasons stated, the United States should outlaw capital punishment in all fifty states.