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Case Studies: Think about your answers to the following questions. Discuss your answers with a classmate, or write a short journal entry describing your feelings. 

  1. A man's daughter was recently murdered. He and his family have always been against Capital Punishment, because they feel that it is "cruel and unusual punishment." They also feel that "two wrongs don't make a right," and killing is wrong by anyone. Now, the man's family does not know what to think. Their daughter is dead, and they are very angry at the killer. The lawyer who is prosecuting the case wants them to ask the judge for the Death Penalty. What should the man and his family do?
  2. One day, a prisoner on Death Row (scheduled to be executed) calls on a church minister for counseling. The prisoner has been convicted of several brutal crimes, including murder. The minister decides that he should agree to help the prisoner, since he believes that everyone deserves a chance. His congregation (his church members) supports the death penalty and do not want him to help the prisoner. What should the minister do?
  3. A few years ago, the Federal building in Oklahoma was bombed. Many people, including women and children, died in the explosion. Timothy McVeigh was recently convicted for the bombing. In the radio program that you will listen to, the speakers discuss whether Timothy McVeigh should be sentenced to the Death Penalty. The radio interviewer says that this may be a special case, where the Death Penalty is necessary. Do you think Timothy McVeigh should be executed for bombing the Oklahoma Federal building?

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