The death penalty will in no way undo the crime. Nor has it been proven that it will deter another person from committing a similar crime. In fact, there is evidence to show that it does not. States with the death penalty actually have a higher murder rate than states without the death penalty. Capital punishment, rather than deterring violence, actually adds to the violence of the original crime.
Executions cheapen life.
If we are ever to still the violence, we must take a lesson from our religious traditions and cherish life. The families and friends of the victims of heinous crimes will, undoubtedly, need time for mourning and some may want to seek vengeance. However, the responsibility of the state is not to seek vengeance but to seek justice. Our rabbis teach that the repetition of the word tzedek , justice, means our pursuit of justice must be carried out in a just manner. Capital punishment may fill a need for vengeance, but it does not fulfill our mandate to pursue justice.