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The issue is not if the life is salvageable. The issue is with the just application of the law.
I have explained how I feel about how just the legal system is so I don't believe I will go over it again...:) (my feelings regarding this and I have proof enough for myself of the justice system we are referring)
If a man finds God after committing a crime, that is great. If it was meant to be, it would happen in time. (the following will explain this I hope, but you have to be willing to read...:)
In the Jewish book of the law, a child that rebelled against his parents was to be put to death. I'd guess that if the kid murdered someone . . . I hope you understand after reading the following and realize Jewish law is based on G-d and they take it very seriously. Taking every aspect of every situation into account. They do not have a system like ours that just says a murderer is a murderer and then proceed to throw them all into the same boiling pot, issuing justice without taking each individual person as an EQUAL. Remember they look at the individual. THIS is Jewish law. I am not sure if you have looked into it. But when I worked for the NCADP this is an argument people used all the time to insure death for death. When in fact Jewish Law has no bearing on a secular justice system. One prohibition against murder is found in this verse of scripture, "If one spills the blood of a man, one's [own] blood will be spilled." Then we will look at the phrases directly following in the passage, "The blood of your lives will I require; from the hand of every beast will I require it, and from the hand of man, from the hand of a person's brother, will I require the life of man," this provides a rule related to the first. "From every beast will I require it" promises punishment to those who incapacitate someone, such as by tying him up, thereby leaving him defenseless to the fatal attack of a wild animal. "From the hand of man" assures punishment to those who hire someone to commit murder for them. "The blood of your lives will I require" assigns punishment to those who commit suicide. These pronouncements, which refer to heavenly imposed punishment, apply not only to direct acts of murder or suicide, but also to acts which indirectly cause the loss of life. Similarly, a variety of verses are cited as sources for the obligation to preserve one's own life and to rescue others. Jewish law holds the accords of this as great in significance because it places an extreme value to the life of each individual being. [O]nly a single human being was created in the world [at first] to teach that if any person has caused a single soul to perish. Scripture regards him as if he had caused an entire world to perish; and if any human being saves a single soul, Scripture regards him as if he had saved an entire world." Taken from a professor of Jewish law interpretation Jewish jurisprudence differentiates between biblical commandments, which are those deemed to have been directly transmitted by the Creator to Moses, and non-biblical rules. Interestingly, Jewish law does not recognize the literal meaning of a verse in the bible, the Torah, as an authoritative statement of law. In fact one may not kill another even to save ones on life It does not matter whether the other person is comatose, mentally deranged, physically handicapped or terminally ill. Similarly, to save one's own life or that of another, virtually all Jewish laws are suspended. For instance, despite the religious centrality of the Sabbath, if necessary to save his life, a person must actively do that which would other wise violate the Sabbath laws. Rabbenu Nissim (the Ran), a fourteenth century authority, states that one who, out of a misguided sense of righteousness, fails to desecrate the Sabbath to save his life, "is a murderer and is culpable for [losing] his life."Rabbi David ben Shlomo ibn Avi Zimra (the Radbaz), a sixteenth century leader, comments: "There is no righteousness in his refusal, for it constitutes suicide . . . and HaShem [God] will hold him accountable for his [loss of] life." Moreover, these rules apply even if a person's life can be only momentarily extended, for each instant of life is of infinite value. Jewish law approach…..” that matters of life and death are to be determined by God.” Unlike nonreligious legal systems, Jewish law assumes the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent Creator whose purposes cannot always be fathomed. Jewish law also assumes a network of relationships between and among the Creator and all human beings. As a result of these assumptions, there is purpose and responsibility in every instant of life, for the individual and for the community, even though the purpose is not always readily apparent. Jewish law imposes specific responsibilities on individuals to safeguard their own lives and to help others. The extent of these obligations, however, are not unlimited. "A little child ask, mommy why do we kill people to teach people killing people is wrong." Then mom answered, "Do as we say, not as we do."