Kapoy siguro basahon ning tanan para sa uban. The summary is:
Allow the person sentenced to death two chances to repent. Each chance is 10 years long. Should the person not change, the death penalty is finally executed.
This is someone's suggestion regarding the death penalty that looks interesting. I am not able to find that article again, so the link (and original text) is not included.
This system is like a compromise between death penalty and life imprisonment (reclusion perpetua). For the heck of it, I'm writing it like a law (I am neither a lawyer nor a law student, so it probably has inaccuracies).
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AN ACT DEFINING THE SYSTEM OF IMPOSING THE DEATH PENALTY WHENEVER IT IS ADOPTED BY THE STATE
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Section 2. Any person sentenced to death, will be asked if he or she chooses death or repentance.
Section 3. If the person falling under Section 2 chooses death, then the place, date, and time of execution will be set immediately, to be carried out faithfully.
Section 4. If the person falling under Section 2 chooses repentance, then he or she will be given an extension of 10 years, during which time he or she is to prove himself or herself on such promise.
Section 5. It shall be the same court who sentenced the person to death who shall determine if a person has made good on his or her promise of repentance or not.
Section 6. If the person falling under Section 4, proves to have made good on his or her promise, then the sentence of death shall be commuted to reclusion perpetua, for which 10 years extension shall be counted as having been served.
Section 7. If the person falling under Section 4, proves to have failed on his or her promise, then he or she shall be reminded of having been sentenced to death. After which, he or she is given another and final choice between death and repentance.
Section 8. If the person falling under Section 7 chooses death, then the place, date, and time of execution will be set immediately, to be carried out faithfully.
Section 9. If the person falling under Section 7 chooses repentance, then he or she will be given another and final extension of 10 years, during which time he or she is to prove himself or herself again, and for the final time, on such promise.
Section 10. If the person falling under Section 9, proves to have made good on his or her promise, then the sentence of death shall be commuted to reclusion perpetua, for which 20 years extension shall be counted as having been served.
Section 11. If the person falling under Section 9, proves to have failed on his or her promise, then his or her death sentence shall be final and executory, with no possibility of extension, and the place, date, and time of execution shall be set immediately, to be carried out faithfully.
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Some things this method will allow:
1. Time is given for the wrongfully accused to discover what really happened, and perhaps, be proven innocent in a retrial.
2. Time is given for the wrongfully accused, who is not able to absolve himself or herself, to accept what is to happen, and to put things in order, for those who will be left.
3. Time is given for the guilty to contemplate on what he or she has done. This way, he or she is given the chance to change through personal initiative (which is one of the motivations for the penal system).
That the first plea of repentance is less than completely sincere should not be surprising. However, it is to be made clear that this leniency is not a habit. Two chances are given, since sometimes, persons just don't get it the first time.
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Some might say that since the Supreme Court reviews all capital punishments, then there is enough time given for any accused before the sentence is finally given.
I think, the answer to that is 'Yes' and 'No'. Yes, since our courts are slow. No, since during trial time, the focus of any accused is on winning the case, and not on the contemplating of what one has or has not done. Therefore, trial time is not counted for or against possible repentance.