It's a complicated question. In THEORY, I don't have a problem with the death penalty in and of itself in that I believe that some people have committed heinous crimes worthy of such punishment. In PRACTICE, however, with the potential of botching executions, the wildly inconsistent application of the death penalty, and the potential for executing innocents, there are simply too many issues with it for the death penalty to remain a practice.
To me the law should be impartial, equitable, and uniform in such matters.
If you jay walk and are ticketed and convicted of that crime, the penalty for that is THIS.
If you drive drunk and are arrested and convicted of that crime, the penalty for that is THIS for the first offense, THIS for the second. . . etc.
If you physically assault somebody and are convicted, the penalty for that is THIS. . . .
If you are convicted of breaking and entering, burglary, theft, robbery etc., the penalty for that is THIS
If you are convicted of murder, the penalty for that is THIS. . . .and if great pain and suffering is inflicted upon the victim, additional penalties. . . .
But without the death penalty, at some point the maximum penalty is life in prison with no hope for parole. And nothing the criminal then does will increase that penalty which pretty much removes any fear of consequences for doing anything.
And I think there has to be an even more final solution to those who commit such horrendous, heartless, cruel, viscious, and unspeakable crimes that cause unimaginable pain and suffering for their victims. There has to be some incentive to deter a bad person from inflicting such pain and suffering in the first place, or to ensure that nobody ever has to worry about that person escaping or being released on a technicality or otherwise being able to do it again.
Imposing penalties for breaking the law is not vengeance. It is imposing a consequence for breaking the law--a consequence every man, woman, and child knows they are subject to if they choose to break the law. And that includes the death penalty.