New York City, 6.44am. As he walks down the pavement, Brian Thompson, the CEO of the largest health insurance company in America is shot dead by a masked man.

Five days later a suspect, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, is arrested.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Mangione, with Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling the shooting a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination."

In 18th-century Britain, 222 crimes were punishable by death, including minor offences such as cutting down trees and robbing a rabbit warren!

The English philosopher Jeremy Bentham argued that capital punishmentPunishment by death. was cruel and irrational. After all, once a criminal has been killed, they can no longer repay society for their crime.

Around the world, 55 countries still have the death penalty. Those in favour argue that severe penalties for murder deter other criminals and also prevent re-offending.

Since Mangione's arrest he has become a folk hero for those who think health insurance companies are exploitative. The suspect's lawyers argue that the government is "defending the broken, immoral and murderous healthcare industry".

New York prosecutors might make an example of the CEO's assassin. But, if it was wrong to murder Brian Thompson, can it be right to murder his killer?

Is it wrong for a state to kill?

Yes! The death penalty is vengeance rather than justice. If someone is killed after committing a murder, they can never repay society for their crime.

No! Capital punishment is legal in 55 countries around the world and the majority of the US population support the death penalty. If someone takes a life, they deserve to lose their own.

Capital punishment - Punishment by death.