rape and death penalty

I was always against the demand for death penalty for rapists. My reasons were:
1. I believe that society is a lot to blame when they sometimes assume that the victim did something wrong.
2. Death Penalty is taken quite seriously by law. Hence it means almost infinite appeals, re-opening the case at the smallest pretext and getting involved in a lengthy and costly legal battle. If someone believes in delayed justice being equivalent to justice denied, then this change in law will only increase the victim’s agony.
3. Usual crap against the very idea of death penalty esp. does state or anybody have a right to take someone else’s life.
However this Wall Street Journal & Mint’s article presents an economist’s view against harsh punishment. If you get time do read it because I like their treatment to the subject.