I agree with what most people here have said- the death penalty allows the possibility of innocent people being killed by their government, and so should be abolished.

You should check out a new documentary called "At the Death House Door": it's about a Texas prison chaplain who oversaw 95 executions and has since become an anti-death penalty activist. It also covers the story of Carlos de Luna, an executed prisoner advised by this chaplian, who's widely seen as innocent.

It's on tonight at nine on the Independent Film Channel:

http://www.ifc.com/atthedeathhousedoor