Students debate death penalty

Tuesday night's debate on the death penalty included a mascot -- but not a traditional mascot. This one was an audience member dressed up as an executioner and wielding a paper scythe. He chose to remain anonymous and referred to himself only as Judith Rodin. The executioner was one of about 30 students who attended an informal debate on the death penalty and the justification for imposing a moratorium on all executions. Held in Meyerson Hall, the event was sponsored by Penn Forum, Penn chapter of Amnesty International and the Penn chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. "The point was to educate us in a fun manner," said Penn Forum Chair man Ethan Laub, a Wharton sophomore. The sides debated the flaws and benefits of the death penalty. For instance, College freshman Anna Roberts said she believed that execution does not always succeed in promoting justice. "Twenty-three people have been mistakenly executed," she said. Roberts also claimed that the death penalty is racist and that, contrary to what the death penalty's supporters say, it fails to deter crime. But Wharton sophomore Julio Vasconcellos, president of the Parliamentary Debate Team, said he thought that it is unfair to blame the entire system for what he considers to be aberrant mistakes. He also said he thought that better DNA testing would increase the likelihood of convicting the guilty. "Simply because there are errors, we shouldn't throw out the whole principle," he said. Vasconcellos was followed by Douglas Robbins, a second-year Penn Law student, who echoed some of Vasconcellos' sentiments. "Retributive justice is the principle under which this discussion should be had," Robbins said. "People want to punish people because it is the right thing to do." The Rev. Jeff Garis, executive director of the Pennsylvania Abolitionists United Against the Death Penalty, disagreed. "That is not doing anything to improve society. Simply offering [victims] another person's life is really not going to help them." The debate was organized by College sophomore Jeanne Zelnick and College freshman Adam Lubow. "I was very pleased with the opinions and the turnout," Lubow said after the debate. "The strong turnout was encouraging." The audience consisted mostly of College and Wharton undergraduates, and most students there identified themselves as opponents of the death penalty. "The pro-death penalty side was too philosophical and didn't raise good points," said Wharton junior Bryan Bachrad, who opposes the institution. "I thought it was good to hear both sides," said Eileen Bunn, an intern with the American Friends Service Committee and a member of the Pennsylvania Abolitionists United Against the Death Penalty. "The audience was very responsive."