Gya: Hang 'em quick and hang 'em high

With two more convicts recently sentenced to die and no executions carried out since 1997, the number of persons on death row is approaching capacity with no clear idea of when legal challenges to some of the sentences will be resolved.

The death row inmates with cases attempting to set aside their convictions are being spared thanks to High Court bureaucracy. The longer the various appeals take to be heard the better are the chances of the convicted murderers being able to challenge their execution on the grounds that the detention under the conditions at the Camp Street jail could be considered cruel and inhumane.

I'm always fascinated by murderers' relentless efforts to retain a grip on life. They don't have a problem killing people, sometimes as gruesomely as possible; just don't try to kill them in return. They will not go gently into that good night. Fascinating.