[metmom]

The hardest penalty the Inquisition had was excommunication, and that was applied rarely.

But torturing them and burning them at the stake, well, it was all in a day's work.

I guess they just figured they were starting the person's stay in purgatory a little early, eh? Just helping them along.

[annalex]

Torture was considered a valid interrogation technique, but the state did the executions, not the Church.