Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has been abolished by 13 of the 50 states in the United States (and by over 2/3 of countries in the world). Debate will continue forever between opposing sides as to whether capital punishment is cruel and wrong or is deserved and fits the crime. For this reason, the most brutal, violent and socially immoral acts will receive varying sentences depending on the state in which the act was committed. The Cochran Firm Criminal Defense is experienced with and understands the laws in each state because they are a national law firm. The debate of capital punishment is one that is very familiar to our legal teams.
The History of Capital Punishment
Capital punishment is rooted in animal behavior where deviant members of a herd are brutally killed by other members, or exposed to death by the elements through expulsion. Early human societies likely also practiced capital punishment in a brutal and merciless fashion. In most early examples of legal codes--such as The Code of Ur-Nammu and Hammurabi's Code--there are distinctions made between which crimes are punishable by death and which are punishable by imprisonment, fine, or lesser corporal punishments. In Mosaic Law, the book Deuteronomy describes the establishment of three "Cities of Refuge" (NIV) to which a person who killed a neighbor unintentionally could flee for safety.
Since these earliest examples, the overall trend in human society has been toward limiting the use of the death penalty. In continuing to practice the death penalty, the United States finds itself in uncomfortable company with totalitarian states like China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Viet Nam.
Special Circumstances
Under special circumstances, capital punishment may still be considered the most appropriate penalty for offenders who have committed capital crimes including murder, some federal crimes and serious war crimes.
The killing of a police officer continues to remain under heavy debate for the penalty of capital punishment. Police officers risk their lives every day to protect and serve. It is considered especially heinous to kill a police officer.
The capital crime of torturing another human being is also considered by many to be worthy of receiving capital punishment. Whether as a private act or part of a war crime, each situation is individually debated. A determining factor remains to be whether or not the alleged victim survived the torture.
The dismemberment of another human being is almost unheard of, except in cases of extreme torture, murder and deviant behavior. It is also another circumstance that brings debate each time a related case comes to the forefront of the media.
The Cochran Firm Criminal Defense lawyers base their defense of clients on the proof of innocence versus guilt. We work aggressively and effectively to prove the innocence of our clients against all charges brought against them. If the state they are accused in is one where capital punishment is lawful, we will fight for their life and aggressively challenge all charges against them in order to prove their innocence.
If you have been charged with a crime that may be penalized by capital punishment in the state you live in, you must obtain legal counsel immediately. Your life depends on the legal counsel that represents you. Please schedule a capital punishment defense consultation today to start fighting for your rights and for your life.
