Death Row

One of my students has just become the youngest deathrow inmate in the State of Mississippi. At 20 years of age, he is now # 70 waiting in line for a lethal injection. I grieve for a life apparently wasted, his young son who will never see his father again, and a family who are left to wonder "What went wrong?"
The crime for which he was convicted was senseless and part of an increasing trend towards mindless violence that not only grips the inner cities but has migrated into the rural reaches of Mississippi. Fueled by rage and a hip-hop culture countless young men, both black and white are becoming de-sensitized to the consequences of violent actions. As my student wished for just one more chance - another family is left to mourn a 67 year old man who had his life brutally taken from him.
And yet, though for many years I shared a philosophical belief in the deterrent effect and the necessary justice of capital punishment, I now find myself in somewhat of a dilemma. This young man was no mindless monster - he was tender-hearted, friendly, with an easygoing smile and both a desire to learn and to grow. In other words - his was (and is) a life that is redeemable, even if that has to be from behind prison walls.
I am changing my mind about capital punishment - but am I just bowing to the pressure of personal sentiment? What do YOU think?