Rape sentence reverberates across India

[Rev. Rye]

Here's the thing that really surprised me:

People here had waited for this day for nine long months, since December 16, when the woman, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, went to see "The Life of Pi" with a male friend.

Of course, I think it's mainly because I'm 23, and (adjusted for time differences between Delhi and Chicago,) I had gone to the theatre to see the same exact film less than 12 hours earlier. Fortunately, since Skokie isn't that violent a place, I survived intact. Still, the coincidence is kind of spooky to me.

As to the questions in the OP:

Has justice been delivered?
Really, what little support remains in me for the death penalty has little to do with justice, and more to do with getting these people off the planet. For instance, Ian Brady is basically the UK's equivalent to Charlie Manson, right down to getting a permanent stay of execution due to their nation's recent abolition of the death penalty. He's been fighting for his right to kill himself for over a decade. Is there really any reason it's better for him to keep on living?

Does India need such harsh punishment?
Just FYI, the four defendants did kill the victim, so, I doubt it's that harsh in comparison with ours.

Will it be enough deterrent for the next guys who think of doing this?
The death penalty is not a good deterrent. That's been demonstrated time and again. It wasn't a deterrent in the old days when people stuck the heads of the condemned on a spike and placed them in the town square. How well do you think it'll deter now?