[Conservative til I die]

I agree that there are fair arguments on both sides, and with your conclusion that the right thing was done in this case. I wonder what the argument is in the case of a just war. Clearly, when killed the enemy would be deprived of later repentance. How is it different?

Different moral context. Now that's not to say it's situational morality or relativism at work. In a "Just War" there is a justified reason to kill the enemy. Largely it has to do with defending one's own nation under attack or imminent and real threat of attack. It isn't much different than killing someone in self-defense. No one would argue that you should let a mugger kill you because it would be wrong to kill him and keep him from repenting.

However, in the case of one who is incarcerated, there is not this same imminent threat of danger. You don't necessarily "have" to kill a convicted criminal.

However, all this is really just an argument of opinion. The Church's reason for opposing or not opposing the death penalty (and the Catholic Church at least does not outright oppose the death penalty, same as it does not oppose all war outright) does not hinge on whether the convict has time to repent.

[Forest Keeper]

Different moral context. ... In a "Just War" there is a justified reason to kill the enemy. ... It isn't much different than killing someone in self-defense. ... However, in the case of one who is incarcerated, there is not this same imminent threat of danger. You don't necessarily "have" to kill a convicted criminal.

That's an excellent point, good post.

The Church's reason for opposing or not opposing the death penalty (and the Catholic Church at least does not outright oppose the death penalty, same as it does not oppose all war outright) does not hinge on whether the convict has time to repent.

Now this raises an eyebrow. Is it true that the Catholic Church would support the death penalty in certain cases? I can understand how the Church would support defending against an overt attacker in war, and why the Vatican opposes the Iraq war, but I did not know that a state sponsored execution could possibly meet with Church approval.