an eye for an eye - or not

What is the value of a human life?

The excerpt from a novel that's quoted in the above link is a bit odd - I think I find it a little difficult to understand because it's taken out of context. But anyways, the discussion that ensues beneath is about one of the Ten Commandments - specifically the one that commands we should not take another's life - and its translation.

I'm not sure where I stand with the death penalty. Sometimes I hear about a crime that somebody has committed, and it's absolutely disgusting and/or devastating for other people who were helplessly involved as victims or bystanders, etc.. and it seems logical that the criminal doesn't deserve to live. But at the same time, it would be greater torment for them to have to live for the rest of their life with the burden of their shame and guilt, if they feel any - otherwise I suppose the police or other official would try their best to instill a sense of intense regret in them.

And then I hear about people who have been sentenced to death for lesser crimes - the example that comes to mind is the young Asian-Australian who was caught in Singapore with drugs in his luggage (I think.. can't remember the exact details) and was subsequently killed for his crime. By the end of it all (and thanks to the media coverage/presentation of the whole event), I felt really sorry for his family as well as him. Even though he had technically broken the law, he hadn't physically taken anybody's life (from my knowledge), so I didn't think that warranted a death penalty.

I feel like I've strayed from the original question a bit. Let's just say, I wouldn't want to be the judge laying down the law in a criminal court.. that would just be too much for me. I don't want to be responsible for taking somebody else's life, even if it was indirect, i.e. by way of a court ruling, and not by a physical weapon.