Would executing rapists encourage rapists to kill their victims?

Very good point. That hadn't actually occurred to me, and I think it's a very valid point.

Would executing rapists encourage rapists not to rape at all?

It's a lot easier to know why you're executing murderers: because they killed somebody.

Tex, what about executing drunk drivers who kill?

Perhaps. The death penalty has lots of murky areas as well, such as the recent controversy around executing mentally-challenged folks. There is no easy path to determining when to take a life, which is why this is a complex issue.

Personally I don't support the logic of using the death penalty to influence behavior, but you brought it up.

Mike, what about this specific case?

this specific case assuming in fact guilty, if left to my own devices I might kill the man myself. but I respect the law, and the law must be judicious and protect both the victim and the accused. So I don't kill that man.

Up until today's ruling by a single justice majority, the law said you could.

I don't have strong feelings one way or another regarding the subject of whether or not the death penalty is appropriate for rape victims. However, I do have strong feelings about the appropriateness of SCOTUS, or any other court, overturning a law enacted through the appropriate venues on such flimsy reasoning. Let the people, through their representatives, make the laws. If they are in clear breach of the constitution, fine, overturn them. But the reasoning I'm seeing here doesn't come close, IMO.