To the death

Touchy subject.. .ouch...
Death penalty, the guy in the referenced article likely committed the crime he is accused of, and most would say he deserves to die. Maybe he does.

But consider this: Since 1973, 124 people have been released from death row because they were found to be innocent. These people came close to dieing.. for no reason. In the 2000's, this went up from about 3 per year to 5 per year, due to genetic evidence. Before DNA evidence... those people just died.
And even now, due to overzealous prosecutors, innocent people will die. In some cases, DNA evidence isn't being allowed, things are being hidden, and false confessions are being forced. Remember prosecutors keep their jobs by winning cases, NOT by seeking justice. They will win no matter what in some cases. Remember, confession does not mean the crime happened.

So let me ask you: How many innocent people is an acceptable loss as long as some guilty people die?
After you answer, imagine giving that answer to the family of one of those innocent people. Even better, imagine the person that pulled the switch or gave the lethal dose trying to explain to them.

Second point: Consider the company the US puts itself in when they allow the death penalty. Such illustrious nations as Cuba, Iran, China, and North Korea. In contrast, most nations we consider 'civil' do not allow it. Is this the team we want to be a part of?

Thirdly: People do not just 'crack' and do bad things. This is a sickness that starts small and progresses due to many things in their life and chemical imbalances. Scientists have already learned that their brain is different in many ways. The fact is... there may be a way to treat this... or even identify it before they commit the crime!
Imagine if this was considered a health issue. Of course they would still be separated from society in prisons, but they could be examined and patterns could be found, even cures! People do not want to see that happen because that would deprive them of their revenge.
So is your revenge going to bring your loved one back?
Is your vengeance enough to bring back the innocents executed? They died because of someone's thirst for revenge. Now the real killers will escape, since legally you cannot bring a case back to court if someone has been executed for it...
Also, think about if it were considered a medical condition, people who had not yet committed crimes might seek treatment. How many months or years do they feel guilt before they smash through it and actually commit the act? These people need our help BEFORE they commit the crimes, and people who express such things should not be insulted, but people should try to get them help!