What is a just punishment for a convicted murderer who kills a prison guard?

Question

Moses defined justice as "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," and in the case of murder, "a life for a life." Some Christian groups reject capital punishment, although there is evidence that Jesus approved it by approving the words of the crucified criminal (Luke 23:41): "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

Suppose a murderer has been given a life sentence without parole for murder, but while serving this sentence, murders a prison guard. Without capital punishment, don't all additional murders go unpunished?

Here is an actual case:
http://www.officer.com/web/online/Officer-Down-News/Texas-Prison-Guard-Killed-During-Inmate-Escape/2$38065

Stp, the biblical references defining justice are Gen 9:6, Ex 21:22-25, Lev 24:17-21, and Deut 19:16-21.

Another case:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Silverstein

Answer 1

A life sentence is only 25 years. Back in the day when prisons were much harsher(not the club med they have become)most prisoners did not live but a few years in a prison. Now a days if a prisoner commits another crime such as murder more time is added. For one to never leave prison for murder they give sentences for each charge where some prisoners are in prison for like 300 years, that means before one can even come up for parole they have to serve at least 150 years. Capital punishment would work if they actually used it instead of letting them sit for 20 or more years having appeal after appeal all paid for by the tax payers. I have only seen one state that actually uses capital punishment and that is Texas. Average time for a prisoner on death row in Texas(Huntsville) is 6 years

Answer 2

Number one, I don't think you would be able to locate where Moses said that and in the second place In the New Testament Jesus said "you might say an eye for an eye but I say..."
In Luke 23 Jesus in not speaking these words but one of the thieves on the cross next to Jesus.
Although it seems to us that justice demands an equal level of punishment for wrong doing, God favors mercy.
Because God is the creator of all things it His right to destroy what He has made. Death by God's hands or, at His direction, and Murder by others are quite a bit different.
If there is no death penelty for the individual in the case you described it seems to me that a fitting punishment should be for him to be placed in permanent isolation for the remainder of his life.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that "Life" in prison does not always mean that.

Answer 3

How many such cases (a murderer serving life without parole who murders a prison guard) have you actually found????

Contrary to the previous answers, life without parole is on the books in 48 states and it means what it says.

Answer 4

most people strayed from the actual question. i'll start off by announcing my opposition to capital punishment despite the fact that my sister was murdered two years ago. so moving on;

asking for punishment would be a futile act to a man in prison for life. really we should be asking for atonement. don't throw him in a solitary cell to make him feel bad--send him to the cell to allow him to contemplate and atone for his behavior. the plus side of this kind of rehabilitation is that (for those of you seeking vengence) he would stay in there until it is known without a shadow of a doubt that he was a changed person. it could never happen (i admit that) and so he may never be freed.

Answer 5

Capital punishment is man's justice and i dont see it as necessarily in conflict with God's justice. Evil needs to be eliminated in order for peace to reign, man cannot stand idly by and assume God will take care of it for them here on Earth.

Sure man can err in giving just punishment. thats how it goes we are infallible creatures but to say capital punishment is wrong because "vengeance is mine saith the Lord" is just too simplistic an approach, doesnt solve the problem and allows evil to simply hide behind bars.

Good men need to stop pampering to evil.

Answer 6

I'm afraid some modern Christians who err in opposing capital punishment think they are better than Jesus and holier than God.

They think of Jesus as a backwater prophet with little to say to sophisticated moderns, with their progressive ethics and higher moral sensibilities. As for the benighted Hebrews, the modern liberal Christian simply writes off the Torah.

However, the Bible is clear on the imperative of capital punishment from the book of Genesis, chapter 9:

5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made man.

While the question cites one evidence that Jesus favored capital punishment let me add two more.

In the Parable of the Tenants (Lk 10), men seize a vineyard and kill the son of the owner. "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others."

Similarly, in Luke 19:27, Jesus approved the death penalty for treason: "But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me."

In John 19, Pilate reminded Jesus he had the power of capital punishment:

"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"

Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above."

In other words, God gives the power of capital punishment to legitimate rulers to bring murderers to justice.

CDF

Answer 7

"Capital punishment feeds
the cycle of violence in
society by pandering to a
lust for revenge. It
brutalizes us, and deadens
our sensitivities to the
precious nature of every
single human life."
-- Most Rev. David B.
Thompson, Bishop of
Charleston, S.C.,
December 3, 1998

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. Romans 12:19