Quora Answer: Should a Convicted Murderer from an Extremely Dysfunctional Family Receive a Lesser Sentence?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Should a convicted murderer from an extremely dysfunctional family receive a lesser sentence for the crime?”

No.  There are a lot of people who come from disadvantaged, dysfunctional backgrounds.  They do not become murderers.  We are all, ultimately, responsible for the choices we make, and the intent of our actions.  I do not support this idea that people acted out of emotion to the extent that they committed murder.  If that be the case, hanging them cleans up the gene pool, and removes these defective people from society.

Nuance in the law comes in when there are extremely extenuating circumstances, such as self-defence, or when there is extreme provocation such that the person loses control of his faculties.  These may downgrade the charge from murder to manslaughter, or rash act, or even justifiable homicide.  Mental conditions such as depression, schizophrenia and mania are also mitigating factors.  Merely citing a dysfunctional background is insufficient as a defence.