SNIP
>I don't know the specifics of this case but it would be pretty hard to generate much sympathy, or hope, for a man who raped an 8 year old. I don't know that it fundamentally alters the death penalty debate, though. You either believe putting a person to death is immoral or you don't.

I agree. Personally I'm not so sure I could ever vote for the death penalty unless I knew (not beyond reasonable doubt, but beyond a shadow of a doubt) that someone intentionally murdered someone else and then it was a cruel and vicious murder. Even then, being the party responsible for putting someone else to death - I just don't know. As a soldier you shoot at a uniform, not a person. That person in the uniform is just following orders of their state - same as you. If my daughter were the victim, I wouldn't worry about the court and the death penalty. I would rather they stay locked up in prison so they experience the life in there for the rest of their life or at least a large portion of it. Then, I agree with Charles - let the person out and then let them be hunted for sport and then I would be the point person (for all you military people out there).

A conundrum I know, but that's it.