CNN.com - Jurors recommend death for Muhammad - Nov. 24, 2003: "VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (CNN) -- Jurors on Monday recommended John Allen Muhammad be sentenced to death for orchestrating last year's sniper shootings in the Washington area."

This has to be the most predicted sentence in history. After all, feds purposefully chose the trial venue to get this particular outcome. It makes me sad. Don't get me wrong. I feel awful for those who lost their loved ones in these senseless attacks. I feel very little pity for Muhammad, but just find the death penalty meaningless. It makes people feel better but does very little. Will it stop the other insane former military snipers who decide to wreak their vengeance on innocent people? I doubt it. Will it make us safe? More moral? I doubt it.

I have said this before, but I think the death penalty is the wrong approach.