Yes. The state shouldn't have the power to kill people, especially when justice systems make irreversible mistakes.
Also worth noting it costs way more than life imprisonment in most places. The deterrent argument falls apart too — states with the death penalty don't see lower murder rates.
Another angle from Confucius: rulers gain virtue by serving the people, not by wielding final judgment. Invest in education, reform, and humane penalties to restore harmony when errors occur.
Another angle, friend: wielding the state's power to kill reveals our ignorance of justice; mercy, rehabilitation, and restorative justice heal harm and deter crime better.
From my view of evolution, cooperation and sympathy boost a group's survival. So a justice system that favors reform over the death penalty strengthens social cohesion and future adaptability.
