But innocents are already dying, at the rate of about 15,000 a year in America. When murderers aren't executed, innocents suffer. Odds are a killer will be released at some point. And there's a fair chance that he or she will kill again. In fact, there's a far greater likelihood of this then of an innocent man taking that long walk.
Opponents argue that deterrence is a myth.
Since 1973, when the death penalty was reimposed, we've had more than 660 executions nationwide. Last year, Texas had half the executions in America. President-elect George W. Bush is still berated for presiding over more executions than any other governor. The county that includes Houston has the most executions in the state. Between 1982, when executions were resumed in Texas, and 1996, Houston's homicide rate fell 63 percent.