[RIghtwardHo]

Good. The State should not be in the business of executing even for those that “deserve” it. That’s not the argument. it is twofold:

1. The State should never have this much power over it’s citizens. period.

2. We know with 100% surety that the innocent have been executed and that many innocents were put on death row and later cleared. The possibility of executing 1 innocent only justifies the execution of another in Islam. We are NOT Islam.

[IronJack]

Hogwash. Our judicial system isn't perfect; none is. But if we fear to dispense justice because we may err in prosecuting the innocent, then why do we pretend to justice of ANY kind? Is it any less criminal to sentence an innocent man to life imprisonment than death? And is it any less a breach of civil duty to release a guilty man out of fear than it is to convict an innocent one out of error?

We do NOT know that any innocents have been executed. Numerous convictions have been overturned, many for purely technical reasons. But I don't know of a single case where an innocent man was PROVEN innocent after he was executed.

The State wields far vaster power than that of capital punishment. At least in that case, an intricate due process is invoked -- usually repeatedly.

The option of capital punishment -- the death penalty -- is essential if true justice is to be served.