>>>http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/20/news/economy/california_death_penalty/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2
>>>
>>>$4 billion since 1978 on California's capital punishment system + only 13 executions =t $308 million per execution. Wow.
>>
>>Capital punishment is an embarrassment this nation needs to eliminate. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for executing the Dahmer's and Gacy's of this world. Unfortunately in our country, capital punishment has had a severe bias towards minorities, and secondly, we have executed many innocent people. For those reasons I can not support capital punishment even if it means that future Dahmer's and Gacy's live out their days behind bars.
>
>instead of eliminating it totally, reserve the death penalty for the ones where they've confessed or it's absolutely irrefutable evidence. btk serial killer comes to mind. what's wrong with using it under those circumstances??

There have been inmates released from death row that "confessed" because they found out they were actually innocent. I understand in some cases there may be irrefutable evidence - but I think the best thing to do is just join the rest of the civilized world and abolish the practice.