William J. Brennan Jr. Quotes

The death penalty is discriminatory and does not do anything about crime.

I believe that the death penalty is an effective penalty.

I believe life imprisonment is far worse than the death penalty.

I believe that people would be alive today if there were a death penalty.

I support the death penalty. But I also think there has to be no margin for error.

I'm actually really opposed to the death penalty.

I am against the death penalty.

I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.

First of all, it does not deter crime, the death penalty.

Other states are trying to abolish the death penalty... mine's putting in an express lane.

I am a proponent of capital punishment. I am not a proponent of capital torture.

The death penalty does absolutely nothing to deter crime.

If we as a society are willing to take human life, then we should be willing to watch it being taken.

I think in some instances that the death penalty is required.

If, through death penalty, we can create fears, though it's against my will, we have to do it.

The death penalty, I think, is a terrible scar on American justice, especially the concept of equal justice under law, but also of due process. And it goes state by state, and it's different in different states.

The death penalty is becoming a way of life in this country.

We're also the only country that has the Death Penalty. That's something to boast about, isn't it?

I will admit, like Socrates and Aristotle and Plato and some other philosophers, that there are instances where the death penalty would seem appropriate.

I think capital punishment works great. Every killer you kill never kills again.

The act of policing is, in order to punish less often, to punish more severely.

Everybody believes that capital punishment is wrong, but when they look at certain cases, they're quick to say, 'Put them to death,' or scream 'capital punishment.'

I was badly mauled by people in New York State for being against the death penalty for 12 years.

Personally I am very much against the death penalty for several reasons.

The death penalty issue is obviously a divisive one. But whether one is for or against, you can not deny the basic illogic - if we know the system is flawed, if we know there are innocent people on Death Row, then until the system is reformed, should we not abandon the death penalty to protect those who are innocent?