Really? Come on man, you're quite intelligent and you're aware what your threads/posts usually do on these forums...

My view on this issue: whatever the crime, one shouldn't think in black and white terms. Always try to see the shades of grey (background, etc. That doesn't excuse what people do by all means, but sometimes, it shows people aren't the monsters people think they are. This was meant to be a general statement, not necessarily about this case, since I'm not really familiar with it).

Of course it's pretty clear he killed those people, but killing him would solve...nothing. I'm aware people might feel righteousness in this act (and maybe even I would, if the victims would have been one of my relatives), but that still doesn't make it right. At least that's what I like to believe.

Not here, not this one. Scoff at that if you want, it's still true.

So, any society that focus on rehabilitation rather than revenge is an irrational society?

Makes no sense. Crossing a line doesn't mean one automatically renounces their humanity. And making someone suffer in the worst way possible accomplishes nothing except to satisfy human beings who most likely aren't so different from this Richard Ramirez asshole. And any society that feels they have the right to take away the lives of others, needs to seriously grow up. And here is something for you to think about. Who you are. Everything about you is due to the way you were raised, your environment, your memories. You had no choice. You were shaped. You did not decide to become Licurg. Life made you Licurg. Now what if your environment all your life was hell? Memories only of hell? Hell creates monsters. If your life, was exactly like Richard Ramirez's...then you'd be just like him. It's not his fault, he was a monster. That is why I feel, it is enough to just lock away such people for life. And maybe, force murderers to work in prison and force them to pay the families of the victims because funerals cost money... I'm glad this monster is dead but I'm glad the state didn't stoop down to his level to make this monster dead.

Rehabilitation is not possible in some cases, and a rational society recognizes this and acts accordingly. What's so complicated ?

That is why there is life in prison.

People like this are born this way, not created by their environments. Call it genetics, or a soul, or free will, but it's his fault he did those things, and no one else's .

I'm not scoffing at it, I'm just surprised how you couldn't see the major exclamation mark which usually hovers over such topics :D

Maybe but life is prison takes care of these people and you don't have to stoop to their level. You don't have to take life when it is not necessary. The only time, taking someone's life is acceptable is when you are defending your own life or the life of others. And life in prison would solve the problems in your country too.

So...if this guy wasn't human what was he?

Last I checked I don't really know of any other animal (yes, humans are animals) that rapes and kills humans. Especially not one that looks so close to an actual human.

Perhaps the guy is a reptilian? They can shapeshift to look like humans. That would explain everything!

Fully agreed.

Whoa, hold on there... Everything you've said until this point was pretty reasonable and noble, but leave my agency alone ! I am who I choose to be. My existence is constantly making choices. The environment can GREATLY influence a person but there is always a degree of choice.

What ?

And for those who can't be rehabilitated, torturing them is more rational than treating them humanely, why exactly?

Oh I figured some folks may take issue but not this. Two of the people who originally chimed in to agree with the OP are now at each other's throats. Funny thing is that yesterday I made a really tasteless joke about the recent building collapse in Philadelphia and no one said anything. :P