State of Mississippi's view of the Death Penalty - Essay Example

The law is meant to bar people from collaborating with the enemies of the state. Secondly, suspects convicted of murder crimes are punished by death. This is the most ancient reason for the introduction of the death penalty. It is assumed that people who kill should also be killed to serve justice to the victims (Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-19 (2011)). The state law also hands death sentences to persons who conspire to hijack an aircraft or intend to use weapons aboard a plane (Miss. Code Ann. § 97-25-55 (2011)) Mississippi carried out its fits execution in 1818.

The execution involved a white male George Harman, who was accused and subsequently found guilty of stealing a black slave. The conviction of Herman marked the beginning of state executions by means of hanging. The state executed approximately 794 persons between 1818 and 2002. Mississippi used to hang as its execution method until 1940. The legislature thought it was a good show to execute individuals in public so that people could learn about the repercussions of their actions. Death as punishment was generally accepted as the most just way of serving justice to victims.

Hangings took place in areas where the convicts had made the crime. It was a show of justice to the people. However, after the repulsion of hanging as method of executing capital punishment, public executions were no more. Increased cases of crimes pressured the state to build a prison in 1843. The prison, located at Parchman, Yellow County, would be used to bar convicts who posed a threat to the community. From that year, capital punishments would be carried out in the facility. Though the residents objected to capital punishment being executed at the facility, the state government was able to silence them.

Despite the political support the punishment had, there were a number of issues associated who the penalty. The issues raised were respect for human life, such that it was argued that it was not