@dictatordave @c @teknomunk @sickburnbro It can be a bench trial for all I care, or more of a declaration of sentence with a singular chance for the criminal to make a statement. The point is the legitimacy of rule of law and judgement through it rather than having lawlessness abound. It can be rather informal for all I care, but the offered chance to ask for redemption acknowledges that God is the final judge and we're not taking that from Him. For the same reason that it is not ideal to use corporal punishment when angry, it's better to give at least a short window and perhaps allow a third party to handle the execution vs allowing "corporal pedo killer" who caught said individual in the act to take out his own anger and vengeance. Psychic/spiritual reasons.