[Lunatic Fringe]

I'm a conservative who opposes the death penalty... So I dont really think this is a conservative-liberal issue.

I oppose the death penalty because it cannot be corrected if a mistake is made, it is state-sanctioned murder, and it is costly.

I prefer life without parole... let a 16 year old kid think about being in prison for 70 or 80 years....

[Age of Reason]

I oppose the death penalty because it cannot be corrected if a mistake is made

Fortunately, with genetic testing mistakes are now nearly impossible.

it is state-sanctioned murder

It's state sanctioned execution. There's a difference.

and it is costly.

How costly is it to put a plastic bag over their heads?

[pierrem15]

Then perhaps you (and Justice Kennedy) should allow the rest of us the opportunity to consent to a chnage in the laws through the process of regular elections.

The state affected should simply tell the SCOTUS to go f--- itself, and point out that no one in that state ever expressed their consent (openly or implicitly) to this nonsense through the law or a constitutional amendment.

Then let's see if Bush orders the armed forces to enforce the decision.

[donmeaker]

I think that I as a citizen, with my limited resources, may have to use extreme force to protect me or my family. If I do that, due to the imprecision associated of that condition, the individual may die, though I didn't want to kill him, I wanted only to stop him.

The state, after they have a felon or murderer in jail, does not need to take extreme measures to keep the perp in jail. Weld the bars shut, and feed him "meat-food-loaf" until he dies, then fill the cell with concrete. He isn't getting out.

Having said that, overturning US law based on anything international except a treaty ratified by the Senate is WRONG.