You are looking at a record holder, that man to the left. His name is Darshan Singh and he is something of a celebrity. You might not have heard of him. He's a professional executioner. He is a hangman. His is the last face Nguyen Tuong Van, an Australian of Vietnamese lineage convicted of drug smuggling, will ever see.
Pretty motherfucker, ain't he?
More on Van later. Back to Darshan Singh. According to an Australian news report Singh has executed 850 people in a 46-year career.
And he's not even from Texas!
This same article reports he single-handedly hanged 18 men in one day and also hanged seven men within 90 minutes on another.
And you thought you had a tough day at the office.
Colleagues brought champagne to Singh's house four years ago to commemorate the 500th execution of his career.
I'll bet that was one hell of a party!
Van has admitted smuggling the drugs (he was found with them strapped to his body in 2002). The 25-year old said he was doing it in order to pay off his twin brother's debts. He has no prior criminal record.
I'd say the twin brother just got a whole lot deeper in debt.
Members of the Australian government, human rights advocates, and Van's family have all appealed to the government of Singapore for clemency. According to another report, the Archbishop of Sydney has appealed to Pope Benedict XVI to make an appeal to save Van.
Thus far those appeals have been denied. According to the Daily Telegraph story, this execution will happen on a Friday sometime in the next four to six weeks. Singapore's government maintains a policy of not announcing executions in advance.
I used to be firm in my support for capital punishment. I had all manner of reasons for my support. I believed in having a criminal justice system that was tough on crime and included some amount of retribution and restitution. I believed there was a time and place for "an eye for an eye." I believed capital punishment, if utilized correctly, could indeed be a crime deterrent.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
That picture! Nice find, and post - capital punishment opinions (pro/con aside)
2 - DJRadiohead
Thanks, Aaman. The propaganda value of that picture is immeasurable, isn't it? To me, that's Pulitzer Prize worthy.
3 - Protocol
Nicely written mate...
4 - DJRadiohead
Protocol, I really appreciate that. Thanks!
5 - alienboy
what a great, if awful, story. thanks for telling it dj.
6 - DJRadiohead
Thanks, Alienboy. I have been following it for a little while now, trying to decide if it was something about which I wanted to write. I am glad I did and I appreciate your sentiments. It is a sad and gruesome story; I fear it is not going to have a happy ending.
7 - DJRadiohead
A UN Official is criticizing Australian government officials for their handling of the clemency petition. This terrible sentence is looking more and more likely.
8 - Nancy
What perhaps we are losing sight of is how many people would suffer & die from the effects of those drugs Nguyen was carrying. A lot of these drugs are used to addict & control women & children used in the sex slave trades rampant throughout Asia. A lot more make their way to the US where they play hell with American lives. He knew very well what he was doing. What's more, he knew he was doing it in Singapore, one of the strictest countries on the planet as far as crime & punishment is concerned. Your pity is, I think, wildly misplaced & undeserved.
There should be no sympathy, no pity, - & I hope, no mercy - for this jerk. He played the game, & he lost the toss. Now he pays in full, & we can count on the fact he'll never be a drug mule again.
9 - Maurice
Never thought I would agree with Nancy!
10 - DJRadiohead
Nancy, I don't know why I had a feeling I would hear from you on this if you found this thread. =) Welcome.
I am not going to make any sort of sad attmept to presuade you to coming over to my side of things. You're entrenched and passionate in your beliefs. I respect that. A lot. As I think I said in the piece I was honestly that strong (or something near it) in my support of the death penalty at one point in my life as well.
This piece started about these two men. Towards the end I talked a little about myself. Part of being against the death penalty means some bad people or some people who have done bad things will benefit with a small amount of mercy. The young man in this situation has admitted his guilt. He should be punished. I have not forgotten about the horrible effects of the drugs he was smuggling or the drug trade itself. The guy should be punished.
Singapore is hanging people like it's going out of style and people still take the risk. The fear of hanging didn't stop the young smuggler nor did it dissuade the syndicate behind the young man from trying to pour drugs into Singapore. Executions are not providing the deterrent. I am betting Singapore's prisons are not fun places to be. I reject the notion that you have to kill some people to be "tough on crime" or serious about the drug war.
As to my pity... from my side of the street... the day I can look upon the taking of a life (regardless of the life) and not feel some twinge of pity is the day I have become someone I don't want to be. I realize that last statement might look inflamatory. It is not intended to be. Nancy and others are comfortable with their support of capital punishment and I don't make any judgments against them as people for it. We choose to disagree.
11 - Gazza
Save Nguyen Tuong Van!
12 - Grizlock
So why is Nguyen so special? 400 or more people had been executed in Singapore for the past 10 years, of which most are related to drug offenses. Is it because Nguyen is young that u feel sorry for him? Or is it because he is an Australian? Or that he doesn't deserve to die? So the 400 people who were hanged in Singapore, died for nothing? Is it because they didnt do what Nguyen's family did? or even any Nguyen's supporters did. Pleaing/petitioning/protesting/etc...?
Quoting from what DJRadiohead said: " The fear of hanging didn't stop the young smuggler nor did it dissuade the syndicate behind the young man from trying to pour drugs into Singapore. Executions are not providing the deterrent." Think of it this way, even with executions, there are still so many trying to pour drugs into Singapore, imagine if there isnt, wont it be worse?
I understand that Nguyen deserves the pity, but he doesnt deserve the attention brought to him. He did something wrong, he knows the punishment in Singapore, he will and must accept it.
Its like a game of black jack, in this case, u gamble with your life. Like for instance, if u lost a game, and decides not to pay, maybe plea to only pay half your losses, u think its right?
All other players lose equally, what makes u so special? If you dont want to pay, DONT PLAY!!
Or even those mountaineers, they know the danger, took the precautions, but if they are CAUGHT out of bad gear or bad luck, they will fall to their deaths. They know the risk, they take it, so they deserve it if they fall dont they? If u dont wanna fall, dont CLIMB!!!
Raising debts for twin brothers? I think he just increases the debts for his twin brothers. There are many ways to pay debts, and I dont see how this is one, not as if he is held at gunpoint to smuggle drugs, since gunpoint means death and smuggle drugs also means death. Why are his twin brothers involved in drug debts? Maybe it just runs in the family, losing something they cannot afford to lose, his brothers, money, him? life!
And I totally support Singapore's drug law, why should I feel pity for those who chose to gamble his life? I despise them. So if Singapore spared his life this time, will it discourage or encourage more drugs trafficking?
Anyway, why waste paper/ink and news time on TV for this matter. Hang him. Go Nancy!
13 - DJRadiohead
Grizlock... I do appreciate you checking in with your thoughts.
I used Nguyen Tuong Van's story as the backdrop to discuss my opposition to capital punishment. I think it is wrong for Singapore to have killed those other people (drug related or not).
The reason I don't believe or accept that drug traffic in Singapore would be worse if drug smugglers were not hanged is because I believe it is very possible to be forceful in punishing crime without actually having to kill someone. Give Van and other smugglers a life sentence if you want to take them out of the drug trade. I think this would be equally effective (either way, Van isn't smuggling drugs anymore) and there was no hanging. I believe it is possible to be serious and tough on crime without killing people.
Yes, Van is guilty. He may or may not have been aware of the severity of the punishment for getting caught but he certainly knew it was wrong. Paying off a brother's debt is not an excuse to break the law. The man should be punished. He did wrong. I don't consider him a saint. Two wrongs don't make a right.
The goals of ending the drug trade and being tough on crime can be accomplished without capital punishment.
14 - Rabid Wombat
Hey dude, nice picture. Where'd you get it from? Is that taken in his house?
Anyhows, many South East Asian countries carry the death penalty for drugs. And there have been many headlines on people being hanged for drug smuggling. With all these headlines, you'd think that people would learn that drug smuggling into South East Asia is playing with death.
For Mr. Singh's part, he is doing his job. Is it wrong to make a living? He aint doing anything illegal, correct? And if it is bad, then it is between him and God. Who are we, anyone, newpapers, to condemn him or say anything about his job? We dont know him personally and what if a part of him dies everytime he has to pull the lever? We dont know all this.
For Mr. Van's part, he did something stupid and that will cost him his life. Too bad, I'm sorry, but he comes from Australia, a country that can be considered in the South East Asian region, and should know that Singapore carries the death penalty for drug smuggling.
Now, my question is - What is the twin brother in debt for? No one has written about that. Dont you wonder as well?
15 - DJRadiohead
It is not for me to decide Mr. Singh's final destination in the great hereafter. I don't believe one has to be without flaw to call attention to or speak out on issues of morality and right and wrong. I still live on this planet and still care about the world in which I live. I think I should be bold and speak out when I see something wrong. I am not a perfect person and if someone wants to disregard my protest on that count I can live with it. I still think I should speak. I think what Mr. Singh does for a living is immoral and wrong.
Mr. Van did a bad thing. I am not defending Mr. Van's right to deal or smuggle drugs. I don't have a problem with seeing him punished. I have a problem with killing him.
16 - Grizlock
DJRadioHead, you would think that life sentence would be a better option, but I disagree. Why? I believe that life sentence is considered a much lighter sentence than death penalty, encouraging more drug lords to find more scapgoats for their drugs transportation, as more scapgoats will risk it more willingly. For instance, if all else fails, they got caught, they will be jailed for life, but their families might be given a sum of money by drug lords or any promises they made to the scapgoats to improve the quality of life for their love ones etc... I believe there are many such cases which explains why many are even willing to take the risk on death penalty. Maybe for Nguyen's case, his twin brother's debts are cleared somehow I don't know.
Its a difference between risking life or risking life sentence, which I think the latter will definitely encourage more drug related offenses. "I won't have to die, I can risk this, I might be able to get release when I get old (slim chance) etc etc..." Its DIFFERENT. Death sentence is still more effective.
On another perspective, Death sentence isnt too bad just because it ends your life. Yes, on a public side like yourself, DJRadioHead, u might find hanging tough, taking a man's life. But have you ever thought of cases like Corby when she was sentenced to life imprisonment? Sometimes, death is easier for them than to spend forever in jail. So in other words, sometimes, not all times, death sentence is better than life imprisonment. Not to any human rights activists though ( as they are not the ones suffering under the mentality of "I will spend my entire life in this dump forever? I think its worse than death alone, I would rather die, but I cannot kill myself in here...etc.. etc.." ), they just have the motto similar to "Everyone should have a chance to life".
Those being said, I rest my case.
17 - DJRadiohead
Grizlock, unfortunately research I have read and studies that have been conducted suggest differently.
I understand you personally might feel that way but research and studies do not indicate the death penalty has the deterrent effect you indicate. Drug lords can compensate families for an executed drug runner just as easily they can compensate the families of a jailed drug runner.
There have been many studies conducted. The US has the death penalty and the murder rate here is much higher than in European countries without the death penalty, just to cite one example. There is a ton of research on this matter and the preponderance of it is on 'my' side, if you will. I can go get links and cite it if you wish.
The death penalty is harsher. There is a lack of credible evidence to suggest it is more effective.
I respect your right to disagree with me on this point. I think there are two reasons to support the death penalty. Retribution and deterrence. I think most research indicated deterrence doesn't happen and I don't support retribution. I support stopping crime. That is supposed to be the goal. Killing people doesn't seem to be doing the trick. So let's not do it.
18 - Rabid Wombat
I highly doubt the lords will compensate them for it.
I agree with you on putting a stop to crime, DJ. But I guess that if you just put everyone in jail, as what Grizlock says is true...more people will turn to crime. So, you got to put your foot down somewhere. Jail for most crimes and death for certain crimes.
I guess S.E.Asia countries look at drugs as the mother of all evil. Drugs lead to addiction, HIV/AIDS, kidnapping and many other evils, whether you are doing it while you were high or doing it for the money (to buy/sell), it involves drugs. I guess thats why the stiff penalty.
I agree with the death penalty on drugs. Drugs are bad and I see drugs as a catalyst for a chain of events. When people get hooked onto it, they'd do anything to get more.
19 - Grizlock
DJRadioHead, quoting from u, "unfortunately research I have read and studies that have been conducted suggest differently." --> Negative, infact it does not disprove my theory.
For instance, quoting ur example,
"The US has the death penalty and the murder rate here is much higher than in European countries without the death penalty, just to cite one example. There is a ton of research on this matter and the preponderance of it is on 'my' side, if you will. I can go get links and cite it if you wish." --> For this example, if u eliminate death penalty in US, u mean murder rate will decrease? or will it have a higher chance of increasing? Different countries = different societies = different crime rate, so I think the research can only prove so little. Its the same thing with stock market, those experts researched and expected certain shares to rise at least 10%, but it might drop instead. Therefore, researches and studies like that are only credible to a certain extend. Which ultimately DOES NOT disprove my arguement at all. You can show me links etc, but none will be as credible as things like US actually eliminating death sentence and have a real statistical comparison.
Anyway, to add to my point, I think you should not even be using his case as an example to try abolish death sentence. What you ought to do is to try to educate future generations, maybe none will ever do drugs again and thereby no more death sentence for drug traffickers. For example, if a Foolish man purposely jumps into a pit with lions and got eaten, would u try to save him by taming(appealing) all the suppositely untamable lions (Singapore), so that in future, if a foolish man(Drug Traffickers) jumps in, he will not be eaten? Or to teach all future foolish men to understand that you cannot jump into the lion pit, and make them understand the consequences(Death Sentence)?
I think we should all work on the latter example.
Anyway, no insult or harm meant, just my point of view. I still insist he should be hanged.
20 - DJRadiohead
I believe what the research indicates (and I won't waste your time with citing it. You're firm in your convictions and I really am OK with that) that crime rates and murder rates won't be effected either way. The death penalty has no impact on crime is what the research suggests. I don't think the death penalty causes more crime. I don't believe for one second it is reducing crime.
We do have something of a statistical comparison. The death penalty was at one time illegal in the U.S. I think we have seen more murders on a per capita basis since it was re-instituted. I don't blame the death penalty for that. There are a lot of statistical models and none of them will be perfect.
Harsher penalties do little, in my view, to address the underlying reasons people commit crimes. The death penalty has been apart of countless societies throughout history and crimes are still committed. It doesn't stop crime.
21 - Bennett
Interesting post DJR, and the comments have been right in line with the two schools of thought. At one point in my life I held onto the belief that this one life was not all there was, in which case the death penalty is really nothing more than removing a player from the game for a little while.
Now, I'm sure of nothing, other than the two classically unavoidable issues.
I'm not sure where i read it, maybe Twain, taking issue with the concept that "life is precious". The gist of it was that "life is cheap, plentiful, and replaceable". That there are fewer things in this world as cheap as human life.
I do realize that it's a sad position, but to rail against the execution of this young (guilty) man, while NOT railing with equal energy against the daily deaths of thousands of "innocent" children around the world, makes no sense.
The thought of the thousands of premature, unfair and unnecessary deaths of innocent humans in our world is really too big for one person to deal with. Thus the desire for an escape into TV, sports, hobbies, alcohol, and (surprise) drugs.
Of course the execution will have zero impact on the drug trade in Singapore. But I don't think that that's the intent of the law. I think the law ultimately recognizes that life is cheap, and that the death penalty is an efficient way to deal with those caught smuggling drugs. Poof, gone!
All I can do now is hope that there is something more than this one life. For me, you, and for this young man caught in Singapore's web of death for smuggling.
22 - Anthony Grande
"Minister of Death"
An abortion doctor???
23 - Bennett
Juvinile, and off topic, as usual.
24 - DJRadiohead
Bennett, in the end you are right. The two camps have staked out their turf and reached the impasse.
I do appreciate your thoughts and experiences on the subject. It's an interesting perspective and it asks some questions I had not really considered.
Thanks for checking in.
25 - Rabid Wombat
Hey guys,
I was thinking (for discussion sake)...
If Mr. Singh is really the Singapore's Chief Executioner, do you think he should sue the journalist for exposing him? (Some articles did say his identity is a closely guarded secret.)
If it is true, he could get into trouble (hell, even if it wasnt true, he could get into trouble), you know what I mean? Trouble in a sense that unsatisfied people will try to target him, true?