Student debate ends in win for opposition

A debate on the legality of the death penalty ended with the side opposed to the penalty winning yesterday. The topic comes with an abolishment of the death penalty in a 32-15 vote in Nebraska in May this year. An audience of over 70 people attended the event.

Brittney Palmer, freshman of LaGrange, Wyoming, who stood on the pro side of the debate, polled CSC in her argument on popular sovereignty. According to the poll, 77 percent of CSC students were in favor of the death penalty with 55 percent stating that lethal injection was their preferred method.

CSC students Keziah Johnson, freshman of Dickinson, North Dakota, and Mathew Rader, sophomore of Bridgeport, were the other two members on the pro side of the debate. The group emphasized the death penalty as a deterrent for other criminals, prison overpopulation, and how people who commit these heinous crimes will continue to do so once they are released.

The opposed side of the debate responded by stating popular sovereignty was a poor choice for a point. Rader used the example of the popularity of the Nazi party to support his rebuttal.

CSC students Broc Anderson, senior of Alliance, and Jacob VanGundy, senior of Chadron, were also on the opposing side. Their side focused on the major cost and how 81 percent of top criminologists see this as a failed deterrent. The opposing side also shared the individual case of Clayton Lockett, a man who suffered for 45 minutes after a failed lethal injection.

Judges for the night included Shaunda French, social & communication arts assistant professor; Karen Enos, education associate professor; and David Nesheim, social & communication arts assistant professor.

French commented on how both sides presented their case well, but the negative side had the best argument. The other judges could not be reached for comment.