How are we as a society better off by executing this guy? If we're seeking to punish him, what kind of punishment is killing him? He'll be dead for Christ's sake. His punishment will be over. Who are we punishing, his family? His friends? Do they deserve punishment?

Are we deterring future murders? By gang bangers or otherwise? Doubtful. There's little evidence supporting the notion that the death penalty is a deterrent. Are we rehabilitating him? Obviously not, and based upon the news accounts a reasonable argument could be made that he was somewhat rehabilitated, or at least was trying to do so to a degree.

So that leaves us with retribution. Are we killing him to make the families of the victims feel better? Is this a valid basis for punishment? If so, why not just let the families of the victims sit on the jury or decide the punishment themselves. Besides, criminal punishment is considered on a society-wide basis. We don't punish people to make 10 people happy, we do it because doing so is in society's interest. And while this board demonstrates that there are a number of people in this country with the questionable attitude that retribution is a valid basis for taking someone's life, I would venture to say that there are an equal number, if not a greater number, of people who would disagree.

So how is our interest served by this execution? When this is a person who can go, and has gone, to schools and preach about the evils of gangs?

edited to remove unnecessary introductory comment