kat - I am certain that you, and many others research issues deeper then Tom Brockaw's surface level facts. I don't mean to lump everybody into the 'sound bite' category.

My point about most of us not being in a position to 'know better' is that we have developed a careful, goal oriented process in our country that we call a system of justice. That system is our society's best attempt to secure the truth in such matters as the crimes for which Mr Graham was accused, and to prescribe punishment (or in some cases remedial action). The formal processes of our judicial system, the attorneys, judges and jurys, all of whom I can only assume acted in good faith - have determined that the facts of the case warranted Mr Graham's conviction. The case has been tried, retried and revisited many, many times, and always with the same conclusion. I can think of nothing that I've heard that would make me think those people, using those formal processes aren't in a better position then me to decide Mr Graham's fate.

Additionally, the state of Texas has determined that the death penalty may be applied in cases such as Mr Graham's and in fact, the courts did apply that punishment in this case. Again, even though I may or may not have come to the same conclusion, this is the law of the land, and still a majority position among Texans (and indeed Americans).

In short, 1) the best processes we have developed over many years, has been applied by concienscious people, and their conclusion was that Mr Graham was guilty of the crimes for which he was tried. I am in no position to say otherwise. 2) the state whose laws govern(ed) Mr Graham and me, has stated that its majority of citizens value the use of the death penalty - and applied that penalty in Mr Graham's case. You and I may be tasked with making life and death decsions in our life time (abortion, pulling the plug on a loved one, self defense, etc) and God willing, we are quite capable of making those decisions - but this life and death decision is one that the state makes. Our opinions in the matter come down to the way we vote.