Is the Death Penalty a Legitimate Form of Punishment?

With this essay, I aim to refute the most popular arguments in favour of the death penalty. Obviously, the word-limit precludes my discussing the cases for and against in great depth; therefore, I will restrict myself to an examination of the state-sanctioned use of capital punishment for capital crime (murder).

In his Speech in Favour of Capital Punishment , J.S. Mill puts forward a forceful case for retaining the death penalty to punish convicted murderers. His main argument might be stated as follows:

(i) any state-sanctioned punishment against criminals should be the least cruel possible and should act as the strongest social deterrence against future crime;

(ii) the death penalty is the strongest deterrence against murder;

(iii) capital punishment is less cruel than the alternative of lifelong imprisonment;

(iv) executions are quick and death is not so much to be feared;

(v) the murderer has already shown his contempt for life by killing – by killing him in turn, the state shows how much respect it has for the life of the ordinary civilian; therefore,

(vi) it is right that the death penalty be legally-sanctioned.

I wish to demonstrate that, even if one accepts

. . .
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Approximate Word count = 1700
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)