If this person, who is now in the sunset period of their life continues to work to help others to his best capacity, he earns the last years of life to be free.
If he dumps the work he does to help others reenter the community, I would have to concur that he should have remained behind bars.
But if he continues to reflect having learned from having society being more compassionate towards him then I see nothing wrong with him earning his keep as a member of the community at large.
I know you disagree, and I understand my opposition to the death penalty because it is inconsistently applied, and the quality of some lawyers and courts have produced a flawed product is something you do not recognize as a legitimate view to hold.
Therefore you are welcome not to lash out at me. I won't change your opinion, and you won't change mine. And I would also gladly trade the lives of the murdered cops for this person. Further, my opinion is not one of a bleeding heart liberal; as there are many conservatives around the world that have the same sort of opinion on this sort of case that I do.
Simularly, I find it impossible not to have complete peace of mind in speaking my mind on this topic.
In case you are curious as to where I am coming from at the deepest level on my views on capital punishment.