General Discussion

… incapable of being administered without error. Better to incarcerate all than mistakenly execute one. It is irreversible.

That being said, that’s my practical answer. I have to honestly say it’s not because of a pro-life/sanctity of life position. There certainly are some people that are simply not fit to exist. I don’t feel good about that, but it’s honestly how I feel. McVeigh is one example. Leonard Lake (who killed himself when he was arrested) and his partner Charles Ng are another. Bundy - who twice escaped and took more lives - would be a third. BTK? Gacy? These were people that carried out unimaginably heinous crimes with appreciation for their acts. They were not troubled. They were evil.

And perhaps retribution has some place in the Justice system. We often claim that another killing doesn’t make up for the crime or bring back the deceased. But if it were a member of my family tortured and killed by one of these guys, perhaps I’d welcome that feeling of vengeance being served. Hope I never experience what that might be like.