Just a point about stopping short of capital punishment in order to deter the killing of rape victims:
Keep in mind that some states don’t have capital punishment, even for murder. (NY) In these instances, just the opposite is true.
If you commit a non-capital crime that’s already going to earn you life in prison, there’s no reason not to shoot witnesses or a cop in an attempt to escape or conceal the crime. It’s not going to make your sentence any worse from a practical perspective.
Yeah you are correct about the non capital crime states, and there are quite a few of them now too. Interestingly, where there is a potential death sentence for a federal crime, if the crime happened in a non death state, it cannot be imposed either. IMO, all the more reason to take them out yourself if you get the chance and are pretty sure you won’t get caught.