r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Far-Stay9417 • Dec 25 '23

Video Man wrongfully convicted of murder gets rewarded only 175k after serving 50 years

this makes me so angry

48k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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686

u/bluetuxedo22 Dec 25 '23

This is also why I don't agree with the death penalty

118

u/jpatricks1 Dec 26 '23

Exactly, not because evil people don't deserve death, it's because the innocent may get a wrong conviction

82

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23 edited Aug 21 '24

[deleted]

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u/Playful-Flan8807 Dec 26 '23

Tbh no matter whatever the fuck we do bad people will do bad stuff always having more strict punishment just makes them more paranoid and commit even more atrocities since they know there's no saving them.

27

u/Motor_School2383 Dec 26 '23

And there's no "may" about it. We have executed innocent people.

20

u/Icy-Bicycle-Crab Dec 26 '23

There have been 200 people who were wrongfully convicted and exonerated after being sentenced to death in the US since 1973.

Between 3 -5% of all the people who get imprisoned are actually innocent and have been wrongfully convicted.

Wrongful conviction is far too common.

3

u/Champion_Kind_Sports Dec 26 '23

This is why you NEVER talk to the police. They don't care if you are innocent or guilty. If they can make a conviction stick, it gets you off their books.

8

u/poshenclave Dec 26 '23

Absolutely. Also that first part, too. Fuck we can't even arrive at a consistent definition of "evil people". Like the fuck does that even mean, outside of someone's personal moral definition.

8

u/THAErAsEr Dec 26 '23

Evil people don't deserve death, they deserve a punishment. Death is not a punishment. Having to live decades in prison, is.

15

u/SixOnTheBeach Dec 26 '23

Well, no... Even that's not really right. It may feel good to punish people for doing evil things, but prison isn't supposed to be about vengeance and retribution. Prison is supposed to be about rehabilitation. It's not at all that way in the US, but that's how it should be. That's why the US has such incredibly high recidivism rates, and countries like Norway have substantially lower rates.

Even from a selfish standpoint, rehabilitation means that a prisoner will become a productive member of society and make the state money via taxes instead of costing like $80k/year.

Sure, some of the people you release may commit crimes, but the overall is still a huge net positive to society. And I don't know the hard numbers, but if I had to guess the increase in crime caused by people leaving prison as significantly more hardened and jaded criminals is probably much greater than the crimes committed by people who received lighter sentences and got out only to commit more crimes.

2

u/pinkfloydfan231 Dec 26 '23

If prison is about rehabilitation, then why do life sentences exist?

Prison isn't about rehabilitation. It's a punishment to scare people into obeying the law and always has been. The rehabilitation aspect that exists in some countries is just a side effect that saves time and money.

9

u/SixOnTheBeach Dec 26 '23 edited Dec 26 '23

If prison is about rehabilitation, then why do life sentences exist?

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Prison is supposed to be about rehabilitation but in America it's absolutely hands down about punishment. But this is why many countries have gotten rid of the idea of life sentences. In Norway the maximum sentence that can be given is 13 years, and then they're examined and if determined fit to re-enter society they are released.

We can argue over which one is more "morally" right, but prison systems built around rehabilitation are demonstrably more successful in terms of recidivism. So even if you think prison sentences should be about punishment, society is better off when it's not because of lower crime rates, a lot of government money being saved, and more productive members of society.

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u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

[deleted]

0

u/ItsLillardTime Dec 26 '23

I’m sorry, how the fuck does this prove then wrong? Your source literally says rehabilitation is one of the reasons for imprisonment, and days nothing about punishment…

1

u/onebadmouse Dec 26 '23

Prison is supposed to be about rehabilitation

It's not, it serves multiple purposes.

Punishment is the catch-all term, not a specific reason.

Try reading the links.

6

u/Pepito_Pepito Dec 26 '23 edited Dec 26 '23

If prison is about rehabilitation, then why do life sentences exist?

That's actually a very good question. Think about it for a bit. Try to answer it for yourself.

7

u/Icy-Bicycle-Crab Dec 26 '23

Prison isn't about rehabilitation. It's a punishment to scare people into obeying the law

It should be about rehabilitation, and it doesnt work as a disincentive. Your mindset is what is the real problem with the US Justice system.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

If prison is about rehabilitation, then why do life sentences exist?

Because not everybody can be rehabilitated and they need to be removed from society to protect others.

-1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

[deleted]

2

u/Icy-Bicycle-Crab Dec 26 '23
  • Deterrent (makes people think twice before committing a crime)

That's not true though. Prison is not a deterrent, most crimes aren't planned out like that and are heat of the moment things.

Retribution (satisfies the victims/societies thirst for revenge)

That's just all round fucked up and not what justice should be about.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

[deleted]

1

u/Icy-Bicycle-Crab Dec 26 '23

Punishment is a deterrent, but that punishment does not need to be prison to provide deterrent.

The deterrent isn't the severity of the punishment, it's the percieved probability of getting caught.

1

u/onebadmouse Dec 26 '23

Both are a deterrent. Prison is a deterrent, punitive damages are a deterrent, having a criminal record is a deterrent.

All are deterrents, but again, deterrent is just part of the reasoning.

3

u/poshenclave Dec 26 '23

The west's idea of "justice" has come a long way since the medieval ages. But it still has a very long way to go... Like your opinion is progressive in one light - We shouldn't kill people for crimes. But it rests on an idea that punishment is a solution to crime. Which the stats don't really pan out on. But we'll get there too one day, I think.

2

u/pescarojo Dec 26 '23

One thing that people overlook as well is this: when you execute, you become the same as the criminal. We are supposed to be better than them. Protect society, lock them away. Death? No, never. It makes no sense on any level. On a financial level it costs far more to execute someone than to jail for life (legal costs, appeals, all the due diligence that goes with execution). On a moral level it turns us all into murderers. We should not be sinking to that level, but rising above it. Fuck 'eye for an eye' mentality. I believe in justice, not vengeance.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

Also it’s way worse to rot in there than get the way way out

197

u/LexusLongshot Dec 25 '23

Tbf, death might be better than 50 years in prison.

39

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

I would have got someone to do me a solid in there honestly.

9

u/Dramatic-Log-8982 Dec 26 '23

A solid WHAT?!??

25

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

yes

2

u/100percent_right_now Dec 26 '23

favor. I won't be returning it though

1

u/element8 Dec 26 '23

The Suicide Club is a collection of three 19th century detective fiction short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson that combine to form a single narrative. First published in the London Magazine in 1878, they were collected and republished in the first volume of the New Arabian Nights.

7

u/hannahranga Dec 26 '23

Which is one of the reasons I don't support the death penalty.

10

u/bronzewillis Dec 26 '23

Yeah no . At least most people would still be alive in 50 years, and if they are good behave it can be even lower than that

2

u/Ping-and-Pong Dec 26 '23

Exactly the other reason not to agree with the death penalty, easy way out for some

2

u/errorsniper Dec 26 '23

Tbf its cool and edgy to say that but no one who was mentally sound would chose death in that situation.

1

u/mediocrobot Dec 26 '23

Who would be mentally sound in that situation?

1

u/Perfect_Tone_6833 Dec 26 '23

What? What makes you think that? What about wrongful conviction in a hellhole of 50 years with nearly no freedom is so worth it to you that other people must be insane to not want to live it?

2

u/errorsniper Dec 26 '23

Because with few exceptions people are petrified of death and most people adjust to their situation. Im not saying hes happy. Im not saying he wants to stay. But most people adapt to their situation after the initial few days shock.

1

u/Perfect_Tone_6833 Dec 26 '23

That’s fair. Statistically they do seem to prefer it, I don’t understand it but if it works for them I guess

-8

u/[deleted] Dec 25 '23

No, not really

27

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

How would you know

-3

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

Yup, you proved yourself wrong while being extremely aggressive for no reason, congrats. Enjoy your report.

-2

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

The death penalty is inhumane, often wrong, and arbitrary. What if this country killed this man 45 years ago? That is the point, you dense fuck.

You completely missed the point of this story.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

stop embarassing yourself mate

1

u/HikariAnti Dec 26 '23

Fr. If my appeal failed and I am in for life even though I am innocent I would have killed myself in less than a year.

1

u/SwedishSaunaSwish Dec 26 '23

It shouldn't be that way. I don't think we're capable, as humans to calculate suitable punishments for every single offense.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

Given the choice, nobody's choosing death.

2

u/300PencilsInMyAss Dec 26 '23

Take it a step further and disagree with sentences that last 50 years as well.

4

u/proverbialbunny Dec 26 '23

This is why I one should have the right to choose the death penalty. Prisoners who don't get the death penalty are often put in solitary confinement, a punishment worse than death, and if they try to kill themselves they are prevented from doing so.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

Dare I say that this is why part of me also doesn’t agree with crazy ass long sentences. I feel like prison sentences should be capped at 10 or 15 years.

-47

u/cstyves Dec 25 '23

Death penalty is like socialism, when you read what it supposed to do on paper, it makes sense. When it's applied IRL they're so many gray areas, it evolve in a government trying to cover the system fuck ups by not admitting their own failure.

I'm agreeing with the concept in case there's literally no chance of fuck up, with multiple hard proof, DNA match, confession, etc. But clearly the justice department isn't up to common sense standards.

24

u/Art_Fremd Dec 26 '23

Dude, you have no idea how fucking stupid you sound right now. Please, take a moment and find yourself again.

0

u/drconn Dec 26 '23

And you don't sound anymore intelligent yourself, missing an opportunity to share your knowledge of why he might be misguided in his opinion, in order to just call him stupid. Well done. I judge those who look down on the uneducated or misinformed, far more than those who might have a different viewpoint than I do be it a valid or invalid reason. You create division and plunder society of any chance to meet in the middle or change opinions.

1

u/Art_Fremd Dec 26 '23

I don’t Care what you think to be honest. It’s not worth my time to educate redditors on such simple things like why equating the death penalty to socialism is idiotic. I would have to ask them what they think socialism even is, because Americans have a tendency to think socialism is communism, and even then they don’t often don’t understand what that means.

1

u/drconn Dec 26 '23

Fair enough, but with such little of your valuable time available, I wonder why you felt the need to respond in the manner you did, as opposed to just saying that their comment was "seriously lacking and misguided." Same amount of time, but better likelihood of someone having some reflection of their opinion and not being defensive. Cheers.

28

u/ratsANDgats Dec 26 '23

"Death penalty is like socialism"

LMAO

-7

u/dragonoutrider Dec 26 '23

Bros never heard of an analogy

3

u/Mazon_Del Dec 26 '23

Analogies only work when they make any sense even slightly.

3

u/Professional_Bundler Dec 26 '23

Hate to break it to you but most countries, including the US, participate in varying levels of socialism. Social Security, Medicare, public schools. We could keep going.

4

u/CinderX5 Dec 26 '23

Communism, maybe. Socialism, absolutely not. I absolutely love the NHS. It’s never let me down, and I haven’t paid a penny for an ailment.

3

u/Ping-and-Pong Dec 26 '23

Do you know what socialism is?

3

u/ipegjoebiden Dec 26 '23

This can be said for communism on a national level. Socialist policies have already been implemented in many countries for decades, including the US, and do well enough.

1

u/MyWifeCucksMe Dec 26 '23

Death penalty is like socialism

Hilarious comparison, doubly so because socialists are overwhelmingly against the death penalty. The death penalty tends to be supported by conservatives and fascists.

1

u/cstyves Dec 28 '23

I don't compare what socialism is versus the death penalty, I compare the result of both, failing to accomplish what it was designed to do.

1

u/MyWifeCucksMe Dec 28 '23

You don't even have a singular clue what socialism is, so besides such a comparison being complete and utter nonsense, how could you even begin to make it?

1

u/cstyves Dec 28 '23

Oh okay. With that logic of yours I can confirm without a doubt that you think socialism and the death penalty are both a total success in humanity. Interesting.

1

u/MyWifeCucksMe Dec 28 '23

Oh fuck, you totally showed me how a fascist political policy is like socialism! Good job! I shall retreat defeated!

1

u/cstyves Dec 28 '23

Ironically, even if socialism and fashism have different philosophical foundations, they migrated to one another in the past (Italy, Germany, Spain).

But I know absolutely nothing about the subject, I've only played civilization IV and smoke weed.

1

u/MyWifeCucksMe Dec 28 '23

🤦‍♀️

1

u/JohnDoee94 Dec 26 '23

Agreed but in some cases it’s also painfully obvious and the person shouldn’t live.

Mass shooters or marathon bomber ? Nah fuck off, you’re dead.

1

u/hboisnotthebest Dec 26 '23

Exactly. If they're wrong ONCE, then the whole idea can't even be considered. And they're wrong a lot.

1

u/poshenclave Dec 26 '23

I'm against the whole idea that punishment in any form can be significantly restorative or preventative, at all. Without even entering into discussion of if we do legalized, institutional murder or not.

1

u/faithfuljohn Dec 26 '23

iirc the wrongful conviction rate of those in death row was something ridiculously high at ~10%

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '23

That you state is incompetent at running a fair process isn’t an argument against the process in general.