The Case for Capital Punishment

Brian Dugan (Top), L-R, Jeanine Nicarico, Donna Schnorr, Melissa Ackerman

What does the Bible say concerning the death penalty? It says this: "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man." (Genesis 9:6)

It says this: "He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death." (Exodus 21:17) And it says this: "He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death." (Exodus 21:16)

And it also says this: "Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their blood-guiltiness is upon them." (Leviticus 20:27)

Certainly, the biblical laws concerning capital punishment were applied to the ancient nation of Israel through the Mosaic Covenant. God so hated evil that he wanted it completely purged from the Jews who were chosen by the Lord to be His priesthood to the world.

Can you imagine if the biblical laws concerning capital punishment were applied to our modern world? There would be a lot of death. And conversely, we wouldn't be witnessing the prophetic explosion of evil that's sweeping across the world today like a flood of sewage. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Is the death penalty a good thing? Of course it isn't. However, it's necessary. Why? Because the human race is tainted with evil, and there are those who are so desperately wicked that they can only be restrained by the threat of capital punishment. 

Of course, many folks will argue that capital punishment doesn't work. It's cruel and barbaric. And when we execute someone for committing a heinous crime, we are no better than than perpetrators who committed murder. We're told that the death penalty is nothing but revenge.

But that's a fallacious argument. It's not about revenge. It's about punishing those who take innocent lives; especially the lives of those who can't defend themselves. And it's about instilling the fear of God in those who reject good and embrace evil. The Bible says this: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Proverbs 1:7)

One such fool was a man named Brian Dugan who murdered three people many years ago before he was finally caught. Those three people were a 27 year-old nurse named Donna Schnorr (1984) and two young girls; seven-year old Melissa Ackerman (1985) and 10-year old Jeanine Nicarico (1983).

Dugan abducted and raped all three of his victims before he murdered them. He was finally caught when one of his potential victims--a young girl named Opal Horton--managed to escape Dugan's car and give the police a detailed description of the vehicle.

When Dugan committed his crimes, capital punishment was legal in the state of Illinois. However, former Gov. George Ryan placed a moratorium on the death penalty in 2003 while Dugan was on death row, and Gov. Pat Quinn abolished capital punishment in 2011. And so, Dugan is now serving life terms for the three murders.

Dugan's been labeled a psychopath. Psychopaths, we're told, are people who have no empathy for anyone but themselves. Psychopaths, we're told, ignore their consciences and live for self-gratification. Psychopaths, we're told, have no respect for human life. If those are the definitions of a psychopath, then we have a huge population of them.

Concerning his attitude toward others and authority, Dugan said this:

I've changed to a point, but I'm still dangerous. He (violence) still lives in me. ... Nothing's changed except what I've tried to do for myself. I'm a threat to other people to a certain extent, I realize that. I know I'm a psychopath.

Is Dugan a psychopath? Rather, he's a sinner who rebelled against God and His established authority. If he was truly a psychopath, then he wouldn't recognize that he's done terrible things to other people. And he wouldn't care either.

Dugan deserves the death penalty. He should've been executed for his crimes. And he would've been had the police and DuPage County, Illinois prosecutors not botched the Nicarico case by charging the wrong men with murder.

Two of those three men--Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez--were wrongly convicted of the murder and received the death penalty. They came within days of being executed before their sentences were finally overturned.

I realize that Christians are supposed to be about life and not death. We rail against abortion, and rightly so. Abortion is murder. Shouldn't we also be against the death penalty? Isn't it always wrong to take someone else's life?

Not if it's merited. Certainly, Dugan needs to get right with God by confessing his sins and accepting Jesus Christ into his life as his Lord and Savior. And maybe he has. That would spare him the ultimate death penalty of eternal damnation in hell. That's the destiny of all sinners who reject God's ultimate grace and pardon for their sins. You don't have to be a murderer to receive that death penalty.

But God's grace doesn't mean that people should be allowed to walk away from their vile deeds. David, who was perhaps the greatest human king who ever lived, and highly favored by God, was severely punished by the Lord for committing adultery with another man's wife, and then having the man killed to keep him from finding out. (2 Samuel 11-12)

In a perfect world, there would be no need for a death penalty because there wouldn't be any evil. However, we don't live in a perfect world. And as long as there are those such as Brian Dugan who reject good and choose evil, then we must have capital punishment.