That paragraph of NicoleC's is worth repeating, many times:

Secondly, I don't believe it's a deterrant. Instead, I think it has the opposite effect. By sanctioning killing as a penalty for killing, it blurs the moral issue, particulary for the very young (and impressionable) or those of defective intelligence -- and many murderers are.

Guest Ed, those four words "Thou shalt not kill" were merely repeated in the bible. They were actually written on a lump of stone by God, no less, oh.... way back. Apparently thought worthless at the time, the stone disappeared from view until eventually turning up at a courtroom in Alabama. The state's chief justice drags them round with him to this day.

Pooby, would Clarence Darrow be the guy who was involved as prosecuting attorney in the disgusting conspiracy that stitched up Richard Hauptmann for the murder of the Lindberg baby?