Well, it's done; he's gone. (For those who belief in spirit, where does it go post release??) Buddy Tabor, in one of his songs, wrote:

Like the wind- where does it come from?
And like the soul of man- where does it go?

I agree with those above who tend to think that killing-by-state is unjustifiable- you gotta admit that in some cases, killing is simply too good for them. Incarceration without possibility of parole seems a greater punishment. (And Clinton, they've done studies that show that prison is much cheaper than execution, given capital punishment's appeals.)

Has anyone else heard Sister Helen Prejean speak? She tends to make a believer out of one.

McGrath, I agree that it seems like some people cannot be salvaged- but where does one draw the line? I've seen and heard of youngsters one would be willing to bet will come to a very sad end, and taking others with them. Should we erase them, before they do their stuff? Or do we wait, giving them more chances, until they are, say, 35 years old when they've reached an age where they're not likely to change? What about those who, against all odds, do?

I agree that there don't seem to be any definitive answers. A moratorium on state-sanctioned killing seems a good start.