Anti-capital punishment lawyer Henry Shillingford has come out strongly against the use of hanging in Dominica.
With the debate reignited about whether or not the practice can be considered a deterrent, the outspoken attorney and Rastafarian is advancing reasons why he thinks hanging should not be entertained.
According to Shillingford, the purpose of sentencing an individual in court is based on three main pillars, rehabilitation, punishment, and prevention of other crimes.
He says hanging leaves no room for rehabilitating the convict.
He also rejects arguments that hanging can serve as a deterrent.
“You have to be scientific. It in fact does not deter. Everywhere else where they have had capital punishment or even introduced it or reintroduced it, it has not lessened the rate of murder,” Shillingford told Dominica News Online.
He cited the example of the US state of Texas which has one of the highest rates of capital punishment implementation, a state where murder remains widespread.
“The fact is that capital punishment has not brought murder down, and they continue to hang and they continue to kill”.
Shillingford is describing hanging as a knee-jerk reaction, and says people are supporting it in an emotional context.
He says if he did support capital punishment, his recommendation would be that for it to serve as an effective deterrent, hangings should be carried out in the public square.
“I think it should be done in a public square, in front of the public if you really want to create a deterrent”.
He sees as alternatives to hanging rehabilitative programmes and “work programmes” in prison where convicted killers would have to engage in hard labour.
According to the attorney, a proper deterrent would be “good policing” that involves tough police action, and quick court cases.
“The justice system needs to work even more efficiently in these times. We cannot have a police apparatus that cannot do finger-printing, that has no sort of forensic tools … we have no DNA testing,” Shillingford argued.
He was asked to respond to the situation in which more developed countries are equipped with the appropriate tools and facilities he is recommending for Dominica but still have large numbers of murders.
However the bearded rastarfarian with his sharp legal mind says the current state of the world with wars, bombings, terrorism and other frequent acts of violence brought into Dominican homes via television gives some people the impression today that taking a life is no big thing.
“And that’s why there is greater crime in Trinidad, in Jamaica. People recognize that the rule of law doesn’t really work, because even the guys at the top of the rule of law are not listening, and we find that in the amount of scandalous information that’s going on in the upper level for example in Dominica. And Dominica isn’t alone, that happens in other places,” according to Shillingford.
On the specific question of hanging he says he would support that type of punishment if available statistics prove that it is a deterrent.
“If in fact hanging people made there less murders – hang them! But it doesn’t,” he concluded.
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When someone goes on a killing spree and murder innocent people, what type of rehabilitation can they get or given????
The bible says eye for eye tooth for tooth.
hello folks …just kill anyone you dont like ,henry will get you off.you will not be hanged.
Zor paka copwan you need to take things with an open mind
he was lucky to escape the gunshot.when those macho girls and boys create crimes they should be flogged at the police station like it used to be.
they always lookin @ the government side of things lol, lets look @ the street side for a sec, if hangin is brought back, obviously hustlers are gonna get more arm’d than before, bigger guns, bigger mentallity where gettin caught is no option meanin if police is after them, theres no stoppin which gone = to police gettin killed, man hop a boat go down gwada…hell with gettin hanged, buh then again its the governments choice (y) g.l
rape as well.
All criminals found guilty of killing another should be executed. Drug trafficing should be treated the same as well as corruption and treason.
First, make sure someone is truly guilty of murder and then make them disappear from society by sending them to an isolated island to live out their days with others, like themselves. They may end up eating each other or killing each other for sport – but they won’t be terrorizing Dominica – just each other. Make sure they cannot build boats to come back and drop them off with vegetable and fruit seeds and a couple of chickens and let the chips fall where they may. This is much better than supporting them for the rest of their lives and more humane than hanging them in public to satisfy the sick cravings of people who would enjoy such a show. Send them away and let them use their creativity to survive … or not!
shilingford stupid or what? when those murderers dead the place would be a better place they will not come out jail and re offend.
You’re right brotha, bless! Life is precious, and we cannot kill someone because he kill somebody. Teach the respect for the life, the human, the world at all the youths… it’s important. IRIE & UNITY.
SO DO YOU THINK CRIME WILL INCREASE AT IT`S RATE NOW IF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS IMPLEMENTED??
We don’t hang anybody anyway. We don’t even send them to prison. What’s the point of arguing ?
Hanging will reduce the number of murders on this planet. It is better to have less criminals than more. Come on people be real. Would you want to have more rodents Infestion in your house than less?
It seems that we are more intelligent than the one who created us. We need to be more informed of our Guide book to life (bible). God is going to destroy the wick ones and to put an end to the wrong doings that the judicial system cannot solve. We have lost it all Cuz we have move away from God`s words and have embarked on man`s idealogies.It is really ashame to see that crime is increasing at an alarming rate and there is no solution by those who say that they are so qualified. It`s a laughing stock.
Shillingord is right. Hanging is not a deterrent,have never been. People who want to kill will kill. The problem s what do you do with people who kill for pleasure.
Hi, I agree with Mr Shillingford because if we hang the wrong person. How do you explain that. Sometimes witnesses have many reasons for lying about incidents. I say life in prison and I mean the perpetrators actual life.
yes indeed best comment out of all so that should send the message across, now lets move on people get it rolling.
Mr Shillingford is right. Hanging is an emotional issue. The rate of murders has increased everywhere because of other issues. The situation is more complex than simply hanging or not hanging.
Allu Dominicans have a murderous mentality for wanting the death penalty, you people are backwards…the world have moved on and so should you. One State in the US banned the death penalty today and you want to go back? How ‘animalistic’.
“Thou shall not kill.”
It is time to take back our country from these violent criminals. bring back hanging or get into the lethal injection procedure. Also get back our schools under some good serious discipline
Who is Henry Shillinford and where did he resurec from?
@ Injustice and Unfair
Henry Shillingford was born and raised in Dominica!
His parents are also 100% Dominican from the Nature Isle of Dominica!!
He is Dominican to the bone and he is also a professional lawyer.
Has your question been answered?
WHAT`S REALLY YOUR POINT? WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES RIGHT NOW, DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS, THIS IS DOMINICA! YOU YOURSELF HAS SAID BEFORE, THAT LAWYERS ARE PROFESSIONAL LIARS, THAT MEANS THEY DONT ALWAYS HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS! IS YOUR ANSWER QUESTIONABLE??
You people should realize that when there was hanging, we would hardly hear of a murder, cause the criminal would think twice before he or she committs the crime. No criminal wants to die. All criminals are cowards so they think twice. It is high time we bring back the CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
speak my brotha. the us has capital punishment and it has done nothing to deter crimes… the death penalty might make some feel better but it will do nothing to lower crime.
Well if we should hang the murders, we should rape the rapist, bogga the machos, steal from the thieves, lie to the liars, drug the illegal drug dealers etc…
What about those who were wrongly incriminated and wrongly convicted for murder?
Those who did not commit the crime, but they have been set up and stitched up?
We’ve got to think seriously of supporting capital punishment – hanging is not the way to go. Hanging does not deter murder. The evidence is clear in the State of Texas (USA).
i agree with Shillingford….this is inhumane
Everyone talking about rehabilitating the convicts no one is talking about the (VICTIMS)why? are the killers or rapist more important than the victims?.
so just go on kill!kill!kill!kill!kill!anou chwe mon kon ti ve , avec di mon pac pan se modara la ! tres mon , tres mon , tres chew Dominichen . Chinwa, haitian , Jamaic,tres mon . Gwada , martinique , tres mon Dominik . dominik cest place pous tres mon . modara tous sel nous ni asi .
Mr Shillingford, I am with you.
“According to Shillingford, the purpose of sentencing an individual in court is based on three main pillars, rehabilitation, punishment, and prevention of other crimes.”
In this case we can say the whole purpose behind law is to right the wrong!
You can punish an individual for the offence they committed, however, no one can guarantee the rehabilitation of a hardened criminal, how many times people are sentence to prison for the murder of someone, and as soon as they get out of jail they kill again?
We see that everyday in this country.
I rent an apartment to a lady, she is married to guy who has killed three people, he served time in prison for that, he committed the murders between the age of 16, and 18 years old. He lived in jail until he was released about fifteen years ago.
We should anticipate that the man is rehabilitated, fact is he cannot be, and he proved that in 2010, when his wife, and another tenant got into an argument, in which body contact was made in a fight, the first thing the convicted murderer, was ran into the house and got a gun, ready to shoot the woman who was fighting with his wife.
The police was called, he told them he was defending his wife, eventually he was sent back to jail for eighteen months for violating his parole!
I am taking you closer to home, somewhere in the 1960’s a guy from Wesley, who’s name I will not mentioned, ran someone in the village over with a Bedford truck. It was considered an accident, okay.
Many years past, more than fifty years after the incident, it is common to hear this man say in Wesley, ” I have killed before, and I can kill again!”
Some people are born criminals, that is their destiny in life, if someone is born with some chemical imbalance which urges them to kill, how is prison going to rehabilitate such criminals?
Solider’s goes to war, they kill people, many return messed up from their war experiences, they do not continue killing when the war is over.
Some criminals, enter the army, they kill without reason while in combat, when these people are investigated, sometimes it is found that these people killed prior to becoming soldiers.
Can people like that be rehabilitated?
Absolute not; people who murder people are not normal people, if Shillingford is familiar with the Son Of Sam murders in the united states, and other such crimes such as the Manson murders, he would get a clear idea as to wether rehabilitation of murderers works.
I can tell him it does not!
Therefore, unless the killing was accidental, or self defense, anyone who kill another, should be executed, by hanging
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Here again your readiness to take to your keyboard is not supported by a willingness to engage in rational thinking.
Mr. Shillingford is not asserting that every criminal can be rehabilitated. He is stating what is well known in legal circles, i.e, there is no evidence that hanging or other forms of capital punishment act as deterrents to crime.
If you have evidence (not anecdotes or testimonials) to the contrary, please share.
They should be hung in public site, this will surely deter killings. When there is a person to be hang ,do announce it on the radio so that many people could come to witness it
and your point is????? do u think hanging going to lower crime down here…. in the last days hearts of men will get more violent yeag.
y arent u blaming violence on tv shown by marpin…
in america a young man went in the school n killed bout 7 ppl the other day..do u think he was concerned bout the death penalty…
who gives a man dt right to jus create a law dat says murder the murderer…if the murderer is wrong of killing then tell me what is so right bout the judge n the executer??? oh because he studied words(law) n in power to hang lol…
everyday u all come on tv n show war…america goes in n kill innocent ppl but u all say its for a cause so it is right…remember the UN troops killed alot of innocent ppl in haiti n guess wha no one hanged them…
well i say stop the senseless wars
It is writen in the Bible “a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an aye” what do u understand by that?
i wonder if those in support of that nonsense, how would they feel if one of their family members or themselves end up doing something like that? jus saying cause dominicans don’t think before they talk. they are easily brain washed
IF ANY FAMILY MEMBER OF MINE CAN BE FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER…HANG THEM HIGH IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE, NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what rehabillitation mr talking bout,if someone was in a fight and one dies or accidentally kill someome, I can understand, but you can’t tell me that someone premeditately commit a crime, that they are going to be rehabillitated in prison, sure they will be while incarcerated till they come back out. Texas is about 3 thousand times the size of DA and don’t mention the population defference so obviously the will always be crime,but I believe it would be a deterance.
If u do the crime u do the time , period
But people that looking for statistics don’t have to look far. There have been no hangings in Dominica and murders, (and I must add new and never before seen murders) have been on the rise in Dominica.
So wouldn’t it be justified to hang a few and then guage if it deters murder and crime in Dominica or not? People coming here and attacking a tool that have not be tried recently. Well, unless you want to go back to the days when Dominica was indeed hanging and I bet you that you will find very few murders.
Furthermore, I would not be taking into consideration the opinion of people that stems to profit from the number of crimes perpetrated in the country. For them repeat offenders are a gold mine…
Bring back the hanging!
I watchin’ still!!!
Man I would shake your big toe on that post.
The JUSTICE SYSTEM IN DOMINICA NEEDS WORK. Before you hang someone, you must be absolutely sure they are guilty. with the below average job of our law enforcement and courts, we are not any where positioned to enforce hanging.
Kudna say it betta meself. Nyda kan u tayk de opinyon ov eni person who try to kill mo dan wonce
Mr Shillingford I salute you this time around. Hanging does not serve as a deterent. People please check the number of crimes committed everyday every where. What I see in Dominica is a set of loveless and heartless people who harbours hatred in theeir bosom and heart and who wants to correct sin with the same sin. This is what hanging is about.
I need to ask those persons who are for hanging and who say an eye for an eye. Are you so perfect even perfector than the great I am who has also forgiven so many sinners. Example Moses murdered the Egyptian. David was both a murderer who sent the man at the front of the battle to kill him so he could have his wife. I can go on and on but I will actually have to wite a book. Who are you all to condemn when the Great loving and merciful Father says that vengeance is mine and who are you to judge others. David repented also Moses and they were forgiven by the Great I am.
The persons who are convicted by my life please leave them alone. They may be very repentant. Look at into yourselves and see if you doing The Fathers will and obedient. Lay BAb camaderie pwi defe, woozay saw. Time to love with a passion and time to pray for one another, Isn’t that what God directed us to do. Our Common Enemy is the same for us all ” The Evil ONe”.
According to Shillingford, the purpose of sentencing an individual in court is based on three main pillars, rehabilitation, punishment, and prevention of other crimes.
What are your contribution to society but to only spew hatred against one another. Another point though that the thief on the side of Jesus was saved when he repented right there and then and Jesus said ‘ This day not tomorow or tin the near future you shall be with me in paradise, The persons may well be in better standing with God than you or I. Go look and check yourselves people who hate others and are therefore murdering others.
I don’t care about any thumb downs. Move on people stop dwelling on others – check yourselves and grow in love. Hope it is not your turn next then you will understand.
Grow in love ? Teach your kids to respect the elderlies on the street , their teachers at school and teach them to say I’m sorry when they’re wrong or wronged someone . That was our society before . What reason a poor man who lived his eighty and more years , having to suffer a victim of robbery and being beaten even after he ws robbed ? poor man said hin his life as a D/can he never knew it so . He could roam without fear . Today your children whom you fail to love , and instruct , who you left in care of teachers to teach them , and later you come with cutlasses and stones , knives and guns to kill for correction . Those whom you failed to control from tender age , who you laughed when they cursed someone , kicked their sisters , insult and old man , and work inconcievables in innocense . All you did was laugh . now the same affecting our schools and preventing others from being educated or cause them to be educated in a fearful environment . They’re our menace . They’re the killers and robbers , who go on killing . even our so-called lawyers who fight against the measure of punishment to prevent one man from killing many more as Dodds said , are against it becuz their sons kill and they send them to other countries to kill some more , becuz they have license to kill . Police inspectors too becuz their sons are in it so they don’t want it cuz they have problem watch our children die innocently , and their own live . More bloodshed if fail to render justice in this land . The only defence for a murderer is if he caused no offence to the striker .
and what that burning me is dem same ppl who say they are a christian nation when the chinese put the lion on the bridge lol…
hear them now kill kill kill murder murder murder…they are no different fr the murderer their medz is about killing too….lol
good point yeah
Comparing Dominica’s Capital Punishment program and its potentail for deterring criminals from committing murders with Texas’ Capital Punishment program is like comparing apples and oranges. Hang two of the thugs in Dominica who think that is okay to take someone’s life, and I will bet you every other thug will think twice before Pulling the trigger or stabbing someone. Every criminal in Dominica will know when a criminal is executed which is not the case in Texas so based on that logic alone Mr. Shillingford I believe that Capital Punishment in Dominica will serve a a deterrent. There are a few who get caught with the wrong crowd and will be rehabilitated, but there are those how are so desensitized with no hope for rehabilitaion. There will always be crime but Capital Punishment will help curb the number of murders. These thugs are cowards and know that they will walk the streets again after killing someone, so why not? But level the playing field with Capital Punishment and see what happens…..
The drug dealers are killing each other in Dominica. That does not deter them from the drug trade. Does it?. D u you really think hanging can deter murder? the proof is in your face people.
Like mr shillingford cited, we are just acting on emotions.
Do not think many people have an issue with drug dealers elimiminating one another. Is like rat eating rat.
Yes I, emotions are what differentiates us from animals, so yes there will always be a level of emotions in whatever we do, however losing a loved one through senseless violence is not only emotional but traumatic. The ones committing these murders and drug dealers are selfish, lazy bombs who would rather kill than do something constructive, and they know that although they are caught and sent to prison they are assured a roof over their heads, three meals meals a day and eventually freedom, so why not kill with guns, knives and drugs? But I bet if a few of them are Hung they will think twice before taking another’s life, implementing Capita Punishment will serve as a deterrent, as someone said an executed murderer never kill again, now that’s rehabilitation.
u not on di streets what the hell u know bout thugs eh….u never hear dem say they aint care if they go jail for life or they hang them once u mess with them is problems….
when u are in rage,under drugs or possessed by demons u think them man care bout tomorrow….humans can never stop kill one another sorry to say it like dat.so right now in them times hearts of men are evil n no matter what punishment u give them it jus dont matter once their heart is evil….
“Hanging leaves no rehabilitation for the Convict…” Hmmmmm… Wonder what would have to be said of the victim… Perhpas he doesn’t reaslize “Murdering leaves no Life for the victim”… that means no rehabilitation or anything else for that matter.
We often forget the victims and focus on the criminals rights. Guess the dead should worry about the dead and the living worry about the living.
Or perhaps it’s just a matter that the gunman will defend the need to shoot. The Murderer defends the need to kill, the robber defends the need to steal and so to will the Lawyer defend the need to punish the convict.
Shillingford you just want to talk. When these guys get out of prison they are not rehabilitated. If someone plots to kill another why should he be made to live?
but why aren’t they? you will find that the system is not geared to rehabilitate. Persons go to jail and that’s the end of the story, nothing is done to help them to change course. However I still believe that in some cases killers should face the same fate as their victims.
EVERYWHERE THERE IS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT THEY LET THEM STAY IN PRISON WITH THREE MEALS A DAY AND TELEVISION ETC,…THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE, YES THERE SHOULD BE ROOM FOR REHABILITATION, HOWEVER EACH CASE SHOULD BE REVIEWD BASED ON THE SEVERITY AND THE NUMBER OF OFFENSE.,,I STILL SAY HANGING WILL DETER….HANG THEM CRIMINAL, SUCH AS THE GUYS TO RAPE THAT YOUNG GIRL INFRONT OF THEIR PARENTS..,,KILL THEM FELLARS MAN!!!
I like your view point. Each case should be determined on a case by case basis. But I someone is a repeat offender for heinous crimes ( rape, murder and the likes), capital punishment should be the next option.
*if*
To hell with all the rehabilitating/ statistic crap. ya’ll know that crime is big business for Lawyers right! so we understand Shillinford’s stance when it come to capital punishment hanging. We don’t need some statistics to tell us that hanging will deter. The Law needs to bring back safety to the citizens. Most people in Dominica who witness a crime refuses to talk these days knowing that the criminal will be right out in a few months and guess who becomes #1 Enemy. Shillingford talkin about Rehabilitation. The Word is actually,Vengeance!
And about DNA,forensics. Thats for complicated crime.. yall remember some carnivals ago when this boy stabbed and killed another boy in front of thousands of people and even on Camera, he is out free in the world while the other family has lost their son.
So with this said, i support hanging in d/ca Because Stockfarm isn’t Secure, the prisoners don’t escape just because the don’t want to leave. Take a fieldtrip to flycity,yampice, and look at the living conditions and u’ll see why stockfarm is a resort.
To hell with statistics, this one says….Well, I can only hope and pray you are not a scientist and skipped most of your classes in school, since that is an example of ignorance par excellence. Statistics are a large part of what make this world run, whether you know it or not. You, on the other hand, thankfully are not.
There are lies, damn lies & statistics.
Is his own son that killed the boy in carnival a fews ago
STUPES!!!
I guess this is an issue that will never be resolved to everybody’s satisfaction. What I would like to add to the debate are:
– Retribution. Confinement should not only focus on rehabilitating the convict. All too often we forget the plight of the victim or their dependents in our social programmes and it is entirely proper and natural for either compensation and/or retribution to be applied.
– Recidivism. Despite all laudable efforts to rehabilitate offenders,the record shows that they are far more prone to re-offend than any other sector of the population. To put it brutally, the death penalty certainly prevents this from happening.
Taking someone’s life is very serious and I would not mind seeing the death penalty substituted with a life sentence, without the possibility of parole.
O, HENRY
You see the things so clear -realistic !!
Hanging is barbarian, old US styl !!
Shillingford is correct in saying that hanging would not serve as a deterrent. I think if those in prison are given the opportunity to educate themselves whilst in prison, hopefully this would help them in society when they come out. Also, the job opportunity is very very low. That’s another aspect the government should put on their agenda and to consider for those people when they come out of prison.
If I as a criminal know that after committing a crime I will be afforded an education, then with such minimal consequences I would continue my ways! What’s to stop me??
It certainly is the ultimate deterrent to re-offending!
Check the statistics re places that have capital punishment re places which dont and youll see that it is not a a deterrent. That is a fact.
Fact:
No murderer who was hanged has ever committed another murder. That is a deterent to murder.
Best comment ever!
Hi, But if that person was convicted on the lie of an eyewitness. How can you compensate that person family. I agree the person would not commit another crime but if we found out later that the person did not commit the crime then what you do. I say life in prison and I mean actual life.