Does the 24th century Federation have the death penalty for war crimes, though? Even in today's world, there is a growing number of countries that have outlawed the death penalty under all possible circumstances (including war crimes).
Scientific Method Question
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Does the 24th century Federation have the death penalty for war crimes, though? Even in today's world, there is a growing number of countries that have outlawed the death penalty under all possible circumstances (including war crimes).
They did in Kirk’s time for contacting Talos IV. I wonder if that’s still in effect in the 24th century?
hmmm… looked that up. Dialogue says:
If we take that at face value, you apparently can't get the death penalty for anything else in Kirk's time.
Good point.
And yet, when Janice Lester possessed Captain Kirk's body, she tried to have most of the senior staff executed for mutiny and none of the security guys seemed to bat an eye.
Also a good point.
^and even at that very moment, it is explicitly stated:
KIRK: Enough to convict you of conspiracy with mutineers. And you're so charged. The sentence, death. Mister Lemli.
CHEKOV: Starfleet expressly forbids the death penalty.
KIRK: All my senior officers turning against me?
SULU: The death penalty is forbidden. There's only one exception.
CHEKOV: General Order Four. It has not been violated by any officer on the Enterprise.
KIRK: I am responsible. The execution will be immediate. Go to your posts. Go to your posts.
Incidentally, the only death-penalty worthy crime apparently shifted from General Order Seven to General Order Four in the time between The Menagerie and Turnabout intruder (again, if we take all these statements at face value, there are of course other interpretations)
Or perhaps this paints a worrying picture of Starfleet. Officially the death penalty isn't justified here ("Kirk" implicitly acknowledges as much in this scene), but in practice it is considered the Captain's prerogative and only a few crewmen/officers will make a fuss about it ...
KIRK: Enough to convict you of conspiracy with mutineers. And you're so charged. The sentence, death. Mister Lemli.
CHEKOV: Starfleet expressly forbids the death penalty.
KIRK: All my senior officers turning against me?
SULU: The death penalty is forbidden. There's only one exception.
CHEKOV: General Order Four. It has not been violated by any officer on the Enterprise.
KIRK: I am responsible. The execution will be immediate. Go to your posts. Go to your posts.
Incidentally, the only death-penalty worthy crime apparently shifted from General Order Seven to General Order Four in the time between The Menagerie and Turnabout intruder (again, if we take all these statements at face value, there are of course other interpretations)
Or perhaps this paints a worrying picture of Starfleet. Officially the death penalty isn't justified here ("Kirk" implicitly acknowledges as much in this scene), but in practice it is considered the Captain's prerogative and only a few crewmen/officers will make a fuss about it ...
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Found another example in Night. Captain Janeway said the bridge crew could be hanged for mutiny. Guess mutiny was a hanging offense in the 24th century.^and even at that very moment, it is explicitly stated:
KIRK: Enough to convict you of conspiracy with mutineers. And you're so charged. The sentence, death. Mister Lemli.
CHEKOV: Starfleet expressly forbids the death penalty.
KIRK: All my senior officers turning against me?
SULU: The death penalty is forbidden. There's only one exception.
CHEKOV: General Order Four. It has not been violated by any officer on the Enterprise.
KIRK: I am responsible. The execution will be immediate. Go to your posts. Go to your posts.
Incidentally, the only death-penalty worthy crime apparently shifted from General Order Seven to General Order Four in the time between The Menagerie and Turnabout intruder (again, if we take all these statements at face value, there are of course other interpretations)
Or perhaps this paints a worrying picture of Starfleet. Officially the death penalty isn't justified here ("Kirk" implicitly acknowledges as much in this scene), but in practice it is considered the Captain's prerogative and only a few crewmen/officers will make a fuss about it ...
I don't think that was meant literally
I don't either. But even though she wasn't serious I wonder if it wasn't still on the books.
They all seem to have some basic understanding of ancient maritime discipline. There was another episode where Tuvok sarcastically replied to one of Captain Janeway's orders, "Shall I flog them as well?"
Perhaps, in the 2 and a half years between "The Menagerie" & "Turnabout Intruder," they came up with 3 more General Orders but the subsequent published edition changed the order of them, shuffling the one about Talos IV back to the end.
Perhaps a similar jumbling of the numbering of Space Corps Directives explains all the problems Rimmer had with them.
Perhaps, in the 2 and a half years between "The Menagerie" & "Turnabout Intruder," they came up with 3 more General Orders but the subsequent published edition changed the order of them, shuffling the one about Talos IV back to the end.
Perhaps a similar jumbling of the numbering of Space Corps Directives explains all the problems Rimmer had with them.
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