er on death row beforehand. Kant maintains there are two reasons for this, "that everyone may realize the desert of his deeds;" and "that blood-guiltiness may not be upon the people" (Stairs 1). With respect to the second justification, Kant maintains others take on a degree of guilt if they do not provide justice by punishing a murderer with an equal punishment (i.e. death). If capital punishment is not carried out, Kant argues citizens "might all be regarded as participators in the murder as a public violation of justice" (Stairs 1). In this sense, those who oppose capital punishment are viewed as somehow partly guilty in sanctioning the murder of the victim.
It is this view of public justice and public vi
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