Both the Bible and The Book of Mormon, which are both historical accounts of a more primitive people, seem to support death as an appropriate punishment for people who have intentionally taken another life.
I, however, would much rather see dangerous people be locked safely away for life than killed, for three reasons:
1) No one else has to die, and no “an eye for an eye.”
2) It gives the killer every chance to redeem themselves, repent, or be forgiven, in this life, which is very important
3) The (hopefully tiny) percentage of people who are falsely imprisoned
On the other hand, according to government statistics, recidivism rates for both sex offenders and drunk drivers are enormous compared to murderers, and therefore the length of prison stays for those who otherwise ruin lives should be a bigger focus than it is.
