David Goldstein’s letter to the editor in the Feb. 13 Recorder (“Death penalty makes liberals sad”) is well taken but doesn’t go far enough. There are three good reasons to have a death penalty for first degree murderers: justice for the family and friends of the victim, the deterring threat of death for anyone contemplating murder (presently you can kill 100 innocent people in Massachusetts and not have to face the death penalty) and, last but not least, a death penalty could save the taxpayers the tremendous expense of housing, guarding, feeding and caring for a murderer not fit to live free in society for maybe 50 or 60 years!

Fred Schindler

Orange