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I didn't know that he'd seen the pictures of victims. News coverage over here wasn't what I'd have expected. Even so - I doubt from what I do know of him that it would make a difference anyway.
I think all forms of state punishment need to be re-evaluated. Just what is hoped to be achieved - does capital punishment work? does prison work?
Rascism - Looking at the UK a greater proportion of convictees are of minority descent. More of the prison populace (proportionately) are of minority descent.
I would suspect that race is a factor in determining arrest, then charging of crime, then persuance through the judicial system, then conviction, then punishment - even more so for "more serious" crime. This would naturally skew each step by a major amount. The death row in the UK would be almost exclusively black because of this.
I think you have to look at every option objectively - does the action achieve the stated goal with the minimum of cost (in whatever form)?
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