As someone who has known several people among my family and friends who have been murdered, I don't think the wishes of the victim's family should be the overri

As someone who has known several people among my family and friends who have been murdered, I don't think the wishes of the victim's family should be the overriding concern. Many victims desire righteous retribution, but that doesn't mean we have to fulfill that wish. At some point, you're just outsourcing vendetta violence to the state, to give it a veneer of civility. The point of the justice system should primarily be public safety. Accountability is important, too, but there are many more ways to achieve that than inflicting damage on perpetrators.