I am not going to go into some kind of peace and love, hippie, Jesus, poppycock about the death penalty, but I will say it troubles me when government thinks they have the right to kill people (in situations other then a war zone). No person has that right.

Tomorrow SD will execute a prisoner, and prove once again how poorly this state handles crime and punishment.

Reasons why I oppose the death penalty;

• The decision to take another person’s life should not be decided by another person unless it is in self-defense.

• Capital punishment is taxpayer assisted suicide.

• Those who kill must be punished for the crime, that means living the rest of their natural lives behind four closed walls thinking about what they have done.

• Life sentences are less expensive for taxpayers then a death sentence because of the cost of appeals. Sentencing someone to death only lines the pockets of attorneys who profit from a murderer.

• Innocent people are executed frequently. Justice for these wrongly accused can never be served once they are put to death.