Australian to Be Executed in Singapore
 

I hope this has not come up already but I was reading the article and all I can say is wow. I know this may stir some different opinions but I wanted to see what you guys/gals thought. Do you think this is overkill (no pun intended) or a fair sentence for the crime? And, what kind of effect do you think a punishment of this nature would have if instituted in the US?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051201/ap_on_re_as/singapore_australian

By comparison, they have executed 100 for drug crimes since 1999 and we (the US) are approaching 1,000 in almost 30 years.

I lived in Singapore for several years (SINGpilot). They have got it together there. Wish we had their crime rate.

Re: Australian to Be Executed in Singapore
 

I was not aware the US had executed anyone for drug trafficing. There is no way the US public would put up with what would need to happen for the US to be anywhere near what Singapore is like

I respect Singapore all even more now. I was overjoyed when they cained that stupid American kid for vandalizing cars and was outraged that Clinton asked for clemency. It's not like anyone with 14 oz. of heroin en route to Singapore doesn't know what they're risking. Have a nice dirt nap.

BTW, I bet there's no chance of recidivism in this guy's case.

i was just in singapore. i talked to some local guys, and they told me that drugs were available. just in some neighborhoods and it is definately kept on the down low. one guy was a cabby, and he offered me a chance to drive thru and see. i declined. on the airplane flight in, they handed out multilinqual pamphlets, and played a video on the drugs=death sentence. message loud and clear.

on a side note, some really hot women in Singapore. it is hot as hell, and the ladies look all fresh and clean. no makeup runs or anything. i was a sweaty mess.

I dunno, I dunno.

On a moral level, I don't believe in the death sentence.

Then I think of my wonderful, intelligent 33 year old cousin who is addicted to heroin. Her husband, who was also an addict, hung himself last year. No one in the family thinks she's going to last a whole lot longer. While I'm not sure I agree with this guy's execution, it won't keep me awake at night.

Travelling through Singapore a few years ago, I also got the "drugs are really bad..MMMMmmkay!" pamphlet. The rules are clearly spelled out for everyone.

If you choose to not follow the rules, you had best be prepared to face the concequences.

Keep on swinging Nguyen!.

AFJ

Re: Re: Australian to Be Executed in Singapore
 

Let me clarify. The US is approaching 1,000 executions in total in almost thirty (30) years and in six (6) years they have executed 100 people just for drug crimes so the point I was making is their rate of execution is much higher and their crime rate is probably much lower.

BTW, the only reason we haven't executed the 1000th one yet is because that execution was to be here in VA, where our outgoing governor wants to run for president, so he commuted the sentence. Perp is guilty as sin.

I have never seen anything that made a meaningful connection between crime rates and capital punishment. Singapore has some pretty draconinan punishments in general, none of which would fly in the US

I bet he thought he wouldn't get caught.

I grew up in Singapore, moved to Seattle when i was 15. If we treated drug crimes in the US like we do there we will be rid of our drug problems in no time. I think they have the best drug policy in the world.

Addicts get thrown into involuntary cold turkey rehab, dealers get the rope.

alf

Cant say I disagree.

This poor fellow had 14oz. I wonder where the line is drawn??

Interesting side note - he's got no record, priors or any involvement in the drug trade in this country. Claims he took it over to get his brother out of substantial debt (which is no excuse in my books). In any case I believe he took a big risk and is going to pay the ultimate price but as everyone knows, taking drugs into singapore is a huge no no. Even if he was well intentioned I feel little sympathy for him. I feel the death penalty should be saved for other offences but it's their country & their laws - so be it.

As usual our govt has been weak as pss in making representations to the singapore govt - same situation as our folks in guantanamo. The pm & other key persons in govt (governal general) are for capital punishment in a quiet kind of way so they're not too concerned to see someone swinging. Anyone who's interested on the Australian perspective can check out the whole story on www.smh.com.au . It's certainly created a bit of a stir over here.

The reason our death penalty has no effect on crime rates is because it's a joke here. Even if you turned yourself in and confessed to a capital murder in the US, you'd live comfortably and for free for a good 10 yrs. before you got a little prick in the arm and went to sleep. Being in gen. pop. prison would scare me a lot more than being on death row in the US.

NYC PD power players are petitioning for the death sentence big time. NYC is slowly getting out of control again since Mayor Giuliani left and a politically correct PD was instituted. A few days ago a PO was wacked as he pulled up next to a car to question the driver.

Ron, Ron, Ron.

The perp (from jail) says that he wuz framed.

The fact that he was wanted for shooting a Police Officer previously, and had 17 bags of marijuana in his car at the time of this shooting should not figure in this case.

He wuz framed. Has no memory of how he tested positive for gunshot residue, or came to be in possession of a stolen handgun that happens to be tested as the murder weapon.

He wuz framed.

In Singapore, he would swing for any one of those offences. In 2 weeks time. They publish his picture in the paper on Tuesday. You have until Thursday noon to come say buhbye. He swings Friday morning. Pushing up daisies Friday night.

The entire time I was there, it was NEVER a Singaporean that was swinging. Always foreigners. Usually Malay, or Indonesian. The Singaporeans KNEW that justice was SWIFT and CERTAIN.

Different from our system.

The jails are uncomfortable, and not crowded. Everyone works on a road gang. Usually cleaning water filled ditches that harbor poisonous snakes. No one in their right mind risks that.


BTW Ron, I do know what you meant. I am in the city thru Sunday, perhaps it's time for another beer meet.

I saw an official execution in Saudi Arabia. A beheading. I was wearing Saudi garb and hiding in the crowd. Very disturbing, and not a Saudi national either.

I personally saw 3 Indonesians sentenced to death by hanging in Singapore court. They were dead in 3 days day. The local paper had a small 100 word write up on the sentence and hanging. 500lbs of marajuana in a small boat intercepted on the coast.

Not sure what the line is for dealer vs user. I think it is like an oz or something really small. Why make it easy to skirt the law?

alf

a quick search on google....

"The death penalty is mandatory for those convicted of trafficking, manufacturing, importing or exporting more than 15g of heroin, 30g of morphine, 30g of cocaine, 500g of cannabis, 200g of cannabis resin and 1.2kg of opium. Possessing these quantities is deemed as prima facie evidence of trafficking. In other words, if you possess these quantities (and possession means you had control of them), you are deemed to be a trafficker and therefore subject to the death penalty."