Robert James Bidinotto

In the following viewpoint, Robert James Bidinotto describes the actions, trial, and execution of Pedro Medina, a person who was convicted of a brutal killing. He argues that the principle of proportionality—the idea that criminals should be punished to the extent of the harm they have caused—justifies capital punishment on moral grounds in this and similar cases of premeditated murder. People should support the death penalty not because of utilitarian reasons (such as crime deterrence), but because justice demands it. Bidinotto is a journalist and author of Freed to Kill. He edited Criminal Justice? The Legal System vs. Individual Responsibility, a critical examination of America’s criminal justice system.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What unstated moral premises form the basis for arguments against the...