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"Making matters yet more difficult, the argument to abolish capital punishment is an argument to categorically extend clemency to all those whose crimes are of the sort that would be requitable by death.

I ask: Is there warrant for such categorical extension of clemency? Let us focus mainly on the crime of murder, the deliberate taking of innocent human life. The reason for this focus is that the question of mercy arises only on the assumption that some crime does deserve death. It would seem that at least death deserves death, that nothing less is sufficient to answer the gravity of the deed. As Scripture says: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9: 5-6). Someone may object that the murderer, too, is made in God’s image, and so he is. But this does not lighten the horror of his deed. On the contrary, it heightens it, because it makes him a morally accountable being. Moreover, if even simple murder warrants death, how much more does multiple and compounded murder warrant it. Some criminals seem to deserve death many times over. If we are considering not taking their lives at all, the motive cannot be justice. It must be mercy.

The questions we must address are therefore three: Is it ever permissible for public authority to give the wrongdoer less than he deserves? If it is permissible, then when is it permissible? Is it permissible to grant such mercy categorically?

Society is justly ordered when each person receives what is due to him." J. Budziszewski , First Things, August/Septemer 2004

I would say that it's much easier to give mercy than to carry out Justice. A judge or jury, with no emotional ties to a crime, would surely have some people who find the Death Penalty something they wouldn't want to impose, even if they want someone else to do so.

I hope I am never called to do it. But we often only remember God's mercy, and not His Holiness, and Just Being.

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9: 5-6).

It is incorrect to say that with Jesus, a new covenant of Mercy came about, and Justice was forgotten.

It is for the "wronged" people to forgive, but it is not for Government to forget Justice. Actually, I would say that while a person may forgive another, they still should not interfere with the dispensation of Justice.

From the pro-life side, Proverbs 20 says

22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

I am all for justice. But I don't necessarily think it is just to kill someone because they killed someone else.

I respect that there are many opinions on this issue, though.

Alexis

Maybe not for one person. But for an unrepentant mass murderer who has the charismatic ability to influence others, yes.

Dr. Eric,

I do actually agree with you on that one. If it were able to be ascertained that say, a murderer, even if kept alive in a maximum security prison, had the ability to influence others to do violence by the simple fact of his being alive, then I wouldn't be opposed to capital punishment in that case. And that's fully consonant with Catholic teaching.

Alexis

I remember seeing a program about a guy who was able to do just that. Plus, remember Charles Manson also still possesses that ability.