An eye for an eye?

In an overly-simplified definition, the death penalty is to be utilized along the lines of the old adage, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

But, truth be told, the actual fulfillment of the death penalty and death sentencing is severely flawed in California. Currently, the average time from death sentence to execution in California is between 20-25 years. This is due to the complicated web of appeals for the prisoner's life, trials, media attention that sheds light on certain cases, and, of course, red tape.

This concept of the death penalty delay was first brought to my attention in high school when my AP US History teacher addressed the question, "What is your opinion on the death penalty?" Students were swiftly split into opposing parties - between supporters and protesters, justice-seekers and pacifists. Some saw the death penalty as the simple solution, whereas others believed in preserving the prisoner's life only for the sake that he or she may suffer-- slowly and painfully in the California prison system. And, of course, there were those who believed in giving a person a second chance.

My opinion is that the death penalty should be imposed on those who commit murder. Perhaps it's my belief to follow the "eye for an eye" theory. But the reality is that no case is a simple cause-and-effect play by play. There are always complications. Can you prove the murderer had a motive? Is he or she mentally ill? Can he or she be held fully accountable? Questions such as these are the precise reason why there were 640 men and women sitting on death row in 2005. These were people who had been sentenced to death but, most likely due to appeals and trials, will not be executed in the near future.

But, on the other hand, to call for immediate execution after conviction (after the judge and jury have sentenced a prisoner to death) completely ignores the reality of the California justice system. So, I guess there is no immediate answer, but it is an interesting topic to investigate as it progresses over the years.