The way the death penalty has turned into such a "wedge issue," I feel that it will eventually be abolished in all but the most conservative of states. The rest just won't be able to do it (put someone to death)...look at Arizona and the JA trial, even they have a problem with it. The jurors are gonna get it into their heads that they don't wanna be responsible for taking someone's life...and eventually there will only be 1 or 2 death convictions, and eventually go away in the States where the population can't stomach it.
I feel like it should be kept. It is called JUSTICE after all. It's not only a "deterrent," which a lot of people point to to abolish it, but it's supposed to be about JUSTICE. The correct justice for the worst and the extremely cruel, heinous, or barbaric crimes is for the perpetrator to be put to death. It's not only about detterance.
Of course no one wants an innocent person to die for a crime they didn't commit. So I think that even though the appeals process is long and costly, there should be some appeals in place, in case of a true mistake. And there is such a Looooonnngggg process already in place, so I don't get the people saying "well we shouldn't be a country who puts their own to death." It's just like Bill Montgomery said...they HAVE appeals they're entitled to, on top of a trial that's supposed to be conducted fairly so they can defend themselves. I think the problem isn't with the process, the problem is with some people within the process, where of course, being human beings, there is chance for error. So that could be the lawyers. That could be the judge. That could be the jurors. That could be LE and the people who collect the evidence. So that is what appeals are for, and there are appeals in place for everyone on death row.
In the end, it's up to the States. As long as citizens of a State want it, it'll be kept. I feel like in the end, only the deep South states will still have it in place.