Should there be a death penalty?

If yes, what should it be?

I always debated this very question, and I'm not sure of the answer. I'm also not sure how any individual can justify sentencing someone to death, or carrying out the execution.

so many mixed feelings !!
first of all, a death sentence is not a deterent, people still commit heinous crimes.it will only ensure a particular person does't .in the case of child ,or indeed any , serial rape murders, why should the perpetraitor go free after a prison sentence? more than likely start all over again at the first chance.
on the other hand ,sometimes ,even years after, some people are proven innocent of the crimes they were charged with.
that would be a major reason not to have capital punishment.i have seen a tv show about women on death row, it broke my heart to see why they were there ,usually for killing somebody who was sexually abusing their children,fathers in some cases.when the law was inadequate ,they took matters in their own hands to save the kids further trauma.or the case of a passion crime ,husband finds wife with lover, reacts there and then ,no excuses, but not quite the same thing as a sadistic psychopath who commit unspeakable crimes purely for pleasure.
so maybe i would be inclined to say yes, in some extreme cases.

Tater and Roxanna, you both have brought up valid and good points that some people may choose to overlook or feel aren't reason enough to drop the death penalty. As I see it, some of it comes down to morals and it's hard to make a choice that will take someone's life.
Repeat child molesters, rapists,abusers, killers, etc.. many will ask why they should be allowed to live and have tax payers keep them in the system.
I think any person committed of a crime should be committed on real and hard facts, not just because they might have had a motive or other circumstantial evidence. Beyond a shadow of a doubt should really go further than it was totally possible and more than likely...
Death penalty... I don't think it's THE answer, but am not sure what is either.