I think the point of "this so-called 'civilised' nation" was that, aside from the USA, the death penalty tends to only happen in places like China and Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In some way the USA has a tendency to hold on to old ways, for all the talk about modernity. There are a lot of good aspects to that in civic life - but the death penalty is a less happy example (as was slavery in its day).

But the up side is, when the USA does get rid of it, it will be because ordinary people will have decided against it, unlike in the UK, where the polls still tend to come up with a majority for the death penalty - quite how our politicians had the guts to abolish it I've never understood.

One country where they had a referendum which outlawed the a rejection the death penalty as against the constitution was in Ireland a few years ago. Catholics there don't seem to have the same hang-ups on that as Joe's come up against.