Current Event on Gun Control: Law Denying Guns to the Mentally Ill

Link to the Original Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/nyregion/cuomo-defends-law-denying-guns-to-mentally-ill-people.html?_r=0

Who: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, the people of New York
What: Governor Cuomo made a speech in the Bronx supporting the Safe Act, a New York State law that makes it easier to take guns away from people deemed mentally unstable, when he was interrupted by a group of protesters. The protesters were upset about several issues, including Cuomo's half-hearted support of the Dream Act, a law giving state tuition aid to students who are undocumented immigrants. Of about 140,000 people hospitalized for mental illness in a year, 34,500 were prohibited from owning firearms for five years. Protesters and supporters of the mentally ill thought this number was rather high, while Cuomo thought it was rather small compared to the amount that could still get a gun.
When: October 19, 2014
Where: New York
Why Does It Matter? Issues such as this matter because laws such as the Safe Act could limit the number of people that could get their hands on a gun. The less people out there that could potentially have a gun, the less potential shootings that could happen. I agree with Governor Cuomo's opinion that the Safe Act should be kept and more strictly enforced. On the other hand, Cuomo's Republican opponent Rob Astorino believes the act should be repealed, and that by working with educators, law enforcement officers, and others, we could find early signs of mental illness. However, even if they do find early signs of mental illness, that doesn't mean they won't be able to get a gun, or harm others.

Current Event on 8th Amendment: Botched Lethal Injection

Link to Original Article:
http://www.ibtimes.com/arizona-botched-lethal-injection-secrecy-compounding-pharmacies-eighth-amendment-1639770

Who: Joseph R. Wood III

What: Wood was a death-row inmate, and was executed through lethal injection in Arizona. However, the execution lasted 2 hours, and Wood was "gasping and struggling" in pain throughout the 2 hours before he finally died. His lawyer filed an emergency stay, but Wood died before a decision was made. Now people are saying this violated Wood's Constitutional protection from cruel and unusual punishment. Wood was supposed to be entitled to information regarding where the drugs used would come from, and qualifications of the suppliers. The State, however, decided to withhold this information.

When: July 26, 2014

Where: Arizona

Why Does it Matter? This matters because it was not the first but the third execution through lethal injection this year where the execution took longer than it was supposed to and the prisoner showed signs of suffering. This definitely breaks the Constitution's 8th Amendment claiming the protection against cruel and unusual punishment, but it can't be proved without information on the drugs used in the executions and who the suppliers of these drugs are. However, the State decides to withhold this information from us by enacting laws to conceal their supplier's identities. Some people think it fair that the criminal goes through pain and suffering in their execution if they caused pain and suffering to others.