Icb Case

South African activist, Desmond Tutu, once stated, "To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice. " The death penalty has been a major controversy throughout the course of history. Our judicial system is set up in a way where certain citizens are killed for their punishment. In Truman Capote's, In Cold Blood, he portrays the struggles of two men facing the harsh realities of the judicial system and death penalty in 1960's Kansas. Throughout the novel, Capote takes us through the murder and trial of Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, leaving the reader with the question; should Perry and Dick be condemned to death or not? Based upon my readings, I firmly believe Perry and Dick were punished the wrong way do to an unfair trial, mental health issues, and the fact that they were not treated fairly whatsoever.

Accordingly, Capote reconstructs the entire process of the capture, trial, and execution of the two men, revealing that the court handled the situation unfairly. Early in the story, he argues that the death penalty was being used inappropriately to dampen the fears of the citizens. For example, the town became tense and worried, " Almost every window in almost every house, in the brightly lit rooms, fully clothed people, even entire families, who had sat the whole night wide awake, watchful, listening" (88). It is clear, that Judge Tate's verdict was greatly based on the notion of decreasing controversy and fear. He did not want the people of Holcomb to continue their worries and anxiety, creating even more chaos throughout Kansas. Ultimately, that is not just and fair way to determine the lives of Perry and Dick. Also, there were instances in which the lawyers given to the two men were not willing to be assigned to the trial. For instance, attorney Harrison Smith stated, " I do not desire to serve. But if the court sees fit to appoint me, then of course I have no choice ... though I doubt that'll make me too popular around here" (257). Now how can a trial be fair when the attorney has no 'desire' to help Perry and Dick whatsoever? Like judge Tate, it seemed as if he was more worried about what the people would think of him, rather than doing his job the right way and creating a fair judicial system. Moreover, the injustice continued when the judge showed the death pictures of the Clutters. He went against the objection from the attorneys and showed the jury the shocking photos, " Judge Tate overruled the objection and allowed the photographs into evidence, which meant they must be shown to the jury" (281). Tate used these pictures as prejudice in distracting the minds of the jurors from the bigger picture. It is easier to condemn someone to death if they see the gruesome details, rather then concentrating on the trial with a clear mind. Ultimately, Perry and Dick were doomed from the beginning. There was no chance the Judge was letting them go with anything less than death. Therefore, they underwent a completely unjust and unfair trial and suffered the consequence of it greatly.

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