on a general basis, it puts innocents at risk, likely doesn't disincentivize crime, it doesn't take away murder victims' utter grief and devastation, and i'm really not one for totalitarian regimes
while being condemned to death is an overall warning, it can go both ways at this point. it has its cons and pros. it can, in some instances, save lives. decrease specific crime and make those think twice, perhaps. it can cost less in contrast to prison, etc
though, i've caught myself frequently asking: does it really bring a feeling of relief for the victims? does it actually help the healing process along? those are questions that can't be answered with a "yes" or "no", because it all varies, really. depending on where the criminal is contained, prison can be the ultimate torment tactic compared to being put down.
and where it concerns those who have psychopathic tendencies, we don't quite understand the neuroscience behind it and what different pathways of the brain actually light up when faced with moral repercussions. when we grasp this, we can finally decide what to do with those particular groups when arguing that they get a taste of their own medicine. those like bundy may've feared it, but why? (was it manipulating the public, or was there something deeper lying underneath it all?)
the system is screwed so far backwards there's really no accurate way to go about it with limited cons and backlash, i'm afraid
there's a terrifying amount of gray areas that tend to be overlooked, both debates have strong points on a moral and philosophical standpoint, but i remain a bit mixed on this matter either way