Why do we kill people who kill people to show people that killing is bad?

    On Tuesday, Saddam Hussein's former top aide, Tariq Aziz was sentenced to death by an Iraqi court for committing crimes against members of Shiite political parties (Saddam's rival party). I believe that no matter how bad of a crime the person commits, he/she should not be punished with Capital Punishment which is commonly referred to as the "death penalty". This form of punishment is wrong because the pre-meditated taking of one's life is too harsh of a punishment. Not only is killing wrong, but if the government kills people to show everyone that crime is bad, wouldn't that make the government criminals? Like Amnesty International said, "The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state in the name of justice. It violates the right to life..." Taking one's life changes nothing besides creating more criminals. Studies also show that most families of murder victims don't feel any better once the assailant is killed by capital punishment. Ronald Carlson's sister was murdered by a man and said he “would have killed those responsible with my own hands if given the opportunity.” When he watched the execution of his sister's assailant he later stated, "Watching the execution left me with horror and emptiness, confirming what I had already come to realize: Capital punishment only continues the violence that has a powerful, corrosive effect on society.” California alone has been spending approximately $90 million per year just on capital punishment meaning not only is it very wrong, but it's also extremely costly. The death penalty is very immoral and proves nothing besides the fact that the government needs some adjustments.