It takes years and years and years for anyone to be put to death. For instance, the man in this article committed these crimes in 1989. That was 25 years ago. Think of all the money wasted on trials to put him on death row, not to mention the execution itself. Take a quick look on google to see how much more the death penalty costs us over housing an inmate for a life sentence.
That needs to be changed, it's ridiculous. IF there is NO doubt the murderer committed the crime, put him down in a week's time; otherwise, put a time limit, maybe ten years, in place for appeals.
The problem I have with life sentences is they aren't alway 'life' sentences, and it's tough on the victim's family. About twenty years ago, a young friend's grandmother was beaten to death by two teens in an attempted robbery at the store she and her husband owned. Her husband had hired those two a couple of months prior to work part-time at the store. They decided they wanted more and she had the bad luck to be at the store alone. The teens went to prison, and every other year, they come up for parole. Her family has to travel to the parole hearings and relive the horror so those two don't get paroled. How is that fair to the family? My friend would love to put it behind her, but she's terrified those two will be paroled one day and her father will hunt them down, then HE'LL be in prison.
How about John Lennon? HIS killer is OUT, despite Yoko showing up to testify every time he came up for parole. Was justice done there?
I don't agree with torture but I will not shed a tear if the execution doesn't go 'smoothly'.