Dylann Roof sentenced to death for Charleston church massacre

From my understanding the threat of an execution has never been found by social scientists to be a deterrent to murder. People who murder just don't really think about it that way. They are generally in a fit of rage or feel compelled by mental illness or some other pathology.

Since it's generally cheaper to keep someone in prison than execute them, and there is the chance of a wrongful conviction (not in this case), I'm generally against the death penalty. But I do see why people could feel otherwise.