Before this degenerates into a "EU vs. USA" debate or something similar, I'd like to write down my last words on this issue.

A sidenote story: six or seven years ago I met a person, an U.S. citizen, whose father is nowadays a judge in one of the Federal Circuits; three yrs. ago I had a feedback about death penalty in the U.S. that also specified the (supposed) number of innocent people executed and, generally, showed a system that has as many weak points as are the strong ones.
At any rate, that documentation enforced my opposition to death penalty.

Going back to our discussion: your msg. seemed a deliberate support to death penalty against rehabilitation disguised as a comment about a particular crime.

My point of view is, in a few words, this:
1) everyone is responsible of his own actions;
2) there are always social/environmental/cultural conditions that *must* be considered when judging someone's actions, without being themselves an "excuse" to a crime;
3) maybe also the social/cultural environment should be charged and put under trial.

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These discussions have bored me to death.
I've more interesting things to do and more interesting American friends to discuss with.
At any rate, you have my e-mail.

Regards,
AP.