If we put all moral and ethical aspects of the death penalty aside for a moment, I still land at this: For a one hundred percent permanent punishment to be justified in any way, shape or form, the least we should demand is a one hundred percent error free and fair justice system.

If you’ve been around people, other than imaginary friends, you know no one is one hundred percent perfect.

But that’s what a one hundred percent error free justice system lands in. One hundred percent perfect people one hundred percent of the time.

No witnesses getting things mixed up, no police mixing up evidence material, no lawyers with bad days. Not to mention, no forensic methods (2, 3) with questionable scientific value. Just to mention a few of all the places where justice systems can fail.

One hundred percent perfect people, one hundred percent of the time.

Or the death penalty should be off the table…

Unless, of course, the reasoning is that you have to accept some losses. A few innocent deaths are the price we have to pay…

And… if that’s the argument, why not just save all that money and apply it to the victims in the first place?

What’s the difference between a murder victim and an innocent person that has been executed?