Feb. 26
USA:
Trump wants drug dealers to face death penalty
The leader of the world's largest economy believes all drug dealers should face
the death penalty, news website Axios reported late on Sunday.
President Donald Trump considers drug traffickers to be as bad as serial
killers and would "love to have a law" that executes dealers in the U.S.,
unnamed sources told Axios.
While he admits that such a law would be impossible to pass, the head of state
may support legislation that requires a 5-year minimum sentence for dealers
selling as little as 2 grams of fentanyl, Axios stated.
Use of the synthetic opiod, more potent than heroin, has been steadily climbing
in North America, producing an increasing number of fatal overdoses.
The government must make drug dealers fear for their lives, Trump has told
associates, pointing to Singapore and the Philippines - where offenders can
face death - as examples.
Trump's comments mirror those of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The
controversial leader gave police the authority to execute drug peddlers -
Duterte has even admitted to personally killing criminal suspects - but the
matter has morphed into a human rights situation amid widespread reports of
extrajudicial killings.
Trump "often jokes about killing drug dealers," a senior administrative
official told Axios. "He'll say, 'You know the Chinese and Filipinos don't have
a drug problem. They just kill them,'" the official said.
According to Axios, Trump's team is reportedly discussing the prospect of
adopting elements of Singapore's zero tolerance policy, such as more anti-drug
education in schools.
(source: CNBC News)
_______________________________________________
A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu
DeathPenalty mailing list
DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu
http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty
Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
