As an aside I sometimes find cases like this troubling. Yes for the obvious reasons, but more-so for the sense of mass moral outrage that certain types of media coverage can generate in 'civilised christian nations' which in fact indulge in much similar practices.

As I mentioned elsewhere, concurrent with publicity over this case in Iran, an American woman Theresa Lewis - who was assessed as having borderline mental retardation and who committed no murders - was executed for 'plotting' to kill her husband.

The men who actually murdered him, received life sentences.

Theresa Lewis is now dead by the electric chair, a form of state sanctioned killing that I personally find no less grisly and barbaric than stoning.

My apologies for taking this thread off-topic somewhat, but I feel it's useful sometimes to consider atrocities committed 'elsewhere' by 'others' those committed closer to home.