My initial emotional response is that they should be burned at the stake. However, after a great deal of consideration I do not think that the death penalty should be applied in this case, not because they don't deserve it but because it will only encourage other pedophile kidnappers to kill their prey.
Let's say they are executed like they deserve. The next pedophile piece of filth that snatches a child will have no reason not to kill the child. As long as the child is alive, the chances of getting caught and the chances of getting convicted after getting caught are both several times higher. Why not slit the child's throat and bury her out in the woods somewhere? Less chance of getting caught, less chance of getting convicted, and nothing to lose if he is going to fry either way.
Lock them up for the rest of their lives in solitary confinement but leave some worse punishment available for pedophile child killers.
I understand what you are saying about the others who do kill ... but these people took her life from her too. The manner in which it was done, with the threatened death of the other family members and the assault at the point of a knife ... tells me that they are killers anyway and at some point they will cross that line. Like we are doing with the animal Hussein, prempting him before he gets the chance, I say we do with this ilk also.
If we believe the death penalty will deter the killing, how much more so would it deter the actual kidnapping in the first place?
If we do not believe it will deter the one, then it will also not deter the other IMHO ... except that those people will neither do either again.
Just my two cents. <p. Regards.
Just my two cents.
Regards.