Can man decide the fate of another man?

A few years back I heard a debate on whether a death sentence was a fair way to punish a criminal. "If its happening everywhere, and happening since ages, it must be right" I thought to myself and dismissed the thought. It was only 2 days back when the same question creeped into my head again. I am reading a book named Shantaram, a Gregory David Roberts masterpiece. The man was a drug addict who was sentenced for 20 years in Australia for robbing a bank. He escaped from prison and came to India. He lived in the slums of Bombay, joined the Mafia and got onto drugs again. Honestly, I would be one of the several people who'd say "He can never improve now". The fact is that one day life smiled at him and he did improve!! I would have been ruthlessly wrong! He severd his imprisonment, is a free man now and has spread his life out in words to prove me wrong!! I am glad I was wrong.

Who decides that someone does not have any traits to improve? A measly judge? A judge, who is just another human? A human who might have a bias, maybe greedy enough to let the bribe make the final decision, may judge based on color, creed, maybe sentiments? A human who is as susceptible to wrong decisions as the criminal was when he commited the crime? How can a judge or a jury decide whether the criminal will never improve. How can the judge or the jury decide whether to let a man live or die!

The fact remains that we are all humans and we all make mistakes. Nobody is born a criminal. If a murderer is hanged to death, even the system is echoing the same crime but from behind the doors that read "good people"! No human holds the capability to decide whether another human should live or die! Life imprisonment is acceptable but a death sentence is a terribly wrong and ruthlessly unfair punishment!!

In hope that someday the system & the society will see criminals with more pity and sympathy rather than anger! After all the death of a murderer does not in any way bring back the murdered. Maybe someday the need for revenge would subdue!! In hopeful prayer I close this post!!