Talk show host and Catholic Deacon Jeff Lloyd, believes it would be wrong to impose the death penalty.
Mr Lloyd lashed out at those calling for capital punishment to be carried out, claiming that there is no payment for executing murderers. “If that [capital punishment] satisfies your vengeance then fine,” Mr Lloyd said. “But does that bring back your husband or son. Does it ease your pain? There is no payment for executing murderers. I think it is almost animalistic to want the death penalty.” Mr Lloyd added that in a culture that seems to “promote and glorify” violence, implementing the death penalty would only keep the criminal mentality alive. He added that the death penalty only feeds into the frenzy.
The vibrant talk show host also said that many Christian Bahamians who have stepped out and rallied for the death penalty to be imposed, have blatantly embarrassed the country and the church. “All they are doing is playing church,” he said. “We cannot call ourselves Christians if we do not hold the hope that human kind can be redeemed. I am embarrassed that we have people who call themselves men of God and are calling for these kinds of things, they’re an embarrassment.”
Mr Lloyd said that while he agrees that there are “cold-blooded and heartless killers” and those who are convicted of murder, who should be punished, he said he couldn’t support a sentence that is so final, especially where there are holes in the judicial system. He told the story of a man who spent 20 years in her Majesty’s Prison for a murder he did not commit. After 19 years of him being locked up in an 8×10 prison cell, the real murderer stepped forward and admitted to the crime. He added that while there are many merciless murderers in jail, an even greater number of the inmates are there for acting out in anger.
“I would rather 99 guilty men go free, than for one innocent man to be wrongly executed,” he said. “Ninety-nine per cent of those at Fox Hill are up there because somebody wronged them and in the heat of the moment of passion and anger, they killed somebody. We admit that those who commit crimes should be punished, but if we bring about capital punishment, we would be crossing a very dangerous line.”
Rather than trying to rid the country of those convicted murderers, Mr Lloyd said more light should be shed on those white-collar criminals who, according to Mr Lloyd, are creating these killers.
“If we should be hanging somebody, let us hang these fathers and mothers who neglect and abuse their children year after year,” he said. “Look at what they are doing to life, they are the ones creating the monsters and creating the criminals who prey on us. Hang those people who work in the banks and deliberately and dishonestly, overtime, steal our money to the tune of thousands of dollars. Hang those who are selling the work permits to the immigrants and are giving away the country for a bowl of porridge.” Mr Lloyd said that even if there were to be a massive execution, where all those convicted murderers were hanged, there would be no change.
The Nassau Guardian
