[Flint]

There's no perfect system. How many people did your hospital kill last year? Did the hospital close because they might kill someone?

Hospitals serve a purpose in society, but carry risks as well. I'm convinced that by default we should have hospitals despite the risks. I'm not convinced that by default, we should execute criminals. I think the default is not killing people, unless a reasonable justification can be supplied. I'm still waiting to hear that justification.

Nothing to do with being punitive.

The specific reason I said that your questions appear punitive in nature is that you were asking about the criminals preference, IE which would they prefer: death or jail. That is not a question about what serves society, it's a question about what punishes the criminal more harshly. Do you understand how I might get that impression?

Not at all, just a more practical way than locking them up with the related hassles for the next 40/50/60 years.

I ask again: is "convenience" a reason for state-sanctioned executions, even knowing that innocents might die with your consent?

So, I asked about situation where making a mistake is not an issue.

I disagree. You asked this (a "GOTCHA" hypothetical):

What about the ones that say, "Yeah, I did it and would rather die then be locked up. Would you honor their wishes?

Your scenario, applied to reality, necessitates a system where the state has the power to issue state-assisted suicides. We aren't debating assisted suicide, we're debating capital punishment.

The criminals wish to be executed (or not) does not factor into capital punishment.

And, to be specific, a "confession/request-to-die" does not create a situation where all doubt is removed.

This hypothetical creates a scenario that is exponentially more complex, when you apply it to reality.

If you still don't want to execute, even though he requested it, then your argument is not the accidental frying an innocent. It's personal belief, moral position, whatever, it's how you feel.

Wrong. My position is based in IRON-CLAD LOGIC. I repeat:

With a .000~01 percent chance that an innocent person is wrongly executed, we are condoning the execution of innocent persons .000~01 percent of the time.

I know that the system isn't infallible, and I don't support the state-sanctioned execution of innocent persons; therefore, by a series of connected, logical points, I cannot support the death penalty.

Either you disagree that the system is imperfect, or you think that innocent deaths are acceptable. Those are the only options.