The messages here seem to have become a bit inflamed - forgive me, I'm a newcomer to MN, so I don't know if this is usual, or if it's purely to do with the subject.
I think that most of us would accept that sometimes people are wrongly convicted. I can remember several times in the last 20 or so years when people have been set free on appeal, sometimes many years after the 'crime' for which they were originally convicted.
I remember paticularly the sad case of Stephen Kisko (Donnie reminded us of him) - he was vilified as a child rapist and murderer, but later it was proved by DNA that he was entirely innocent. Nevertheless, he served, I think, about 16 years for a crime he didn't commit. (If I remember correctly, his time in prison included his being repeatedly being beaten up by other prisoners because of his 'crime'.)
Up until (I think) 1964, Stephen Kisko would, of course, have been hanged for this 'crime' that he didn't commit.
Someone earlier said she supports the death penalty, and so she'd be prepared to throw the switch, or whatever, for a murderer/child abuser to be executed.
But surely the real test of supporting the death penalty through thick and thin - I know this sounds harsh - is being prepared to accept that the person wrongly sentenced to die might be your mother or father, spouse, son or daughter, brother or sister.
Would you be prepared to see that happen? Even if the chance is 1 in 100,000, or 1 in a million?
Just remember that mistakes do happen.