Huntncoug,

The benefit of capital punishment is that it's the only sure cure to recidivism. It serves as society's symbolic gesture of self cleansing as well. The downsides are the occasional execution of innocents and cost, with the former being my only real concern. There's no way to live that down. In the present case, the odds of error appear exceedingly remote; now if it occurred in Texas, Indiana, or Illinois, that could be cause for concern.

Sg