The Death Penalty, is it Good or Bad?

I am and have always been anti-death penalty. I do not agree that the death penalty should be an act of revenge or retribution. I believe that in certain instances it might act as a deterrent to crime. I realize that some people have no respect for life, not even their own, and would commit violent acts no matter what the penalty. I also realize that some people get caught up in the heat of passion and do not think about the consequences of their actions.

There are people, however, that do care about themselves even if they don't care about others and the only thing that stops them from committing certain crimes is the idea that they might, if caught, be executed. They may not have a conscience, they may not care about the harm they do others, they may not believe in or care about an afterlife.

Many of these people don't care if they go to prison. Many of them while in prison would murder other prisoners or guards but don't because they do not want to turn their life sentence into a death sentence.

I don't know everything but I know that many innocent people have been executed by mistake. And I believe that there are many innocent people now on death row. The wrongful execution of an innocent person is an injustice that can never be rectified.

When we put a murderer to death for his crime of murder, there is no end to the cycle of violence. The death penalty will not heal the wounds nor will it end the pain of the victim's family.

Is there a God (I believe so). What did the Ten Commandments mean? What did God mean by "thou shall not commit murder?" It is not "thou shall not kill" it is "thou shall not commit murder." Is it murder to execute a murderer or is it carrying out God's will by protecting other people?