I consider capital punishment to be more of a form of societal self-defense than a deterrent. Once the criminal is executed, we know he or she won’t kill anyone else.
I sometimes look at it as some folks (convicted of certain crimes) just need to be put out of our misery.
... so to speak.
When Capital Punishment was a Public Viewed soon after sentencing event it was a deterient. Now that it takes up to 30+ yrs of state and Fed appeals, with retrials, vacated sentences. Protest to endure.
The piece of animal Crap that Raped/Beat/Strangled/Drowned my friend’s 8 yr old daughter had 2 trials, both ending in the DP. That took 4+ yrs, Piece of Crap has been on TN Death Row since. Crime took place spring 1990. 25+ yrs of State appeals just finished, Fed ones to go 1st 1 has not been set yet. He’ll die on Death Row before that happens, or my friend won’t live to see Justice.