Justice is funny-peculiar

The kid who ground n pounded a Tex. officer to death tinyuRL.com/mbzormk:

"Because of his age, Gonzalez is not eligible for the death penalty. If convicted, he faces an automatic lifetime prison sentence."

Is that automatic without parole? We warehouse a killer for his entire adult lifetime? No rehabilitation (Clockwork Orange!). No purpose. Just caged & fed & kept til dead of old age, shiv'ing or other natural causes. Oh, and with the constant threat of his escape and doing it again.

Not news to me. Just riffing off that article. This serves what purpose, other than paying the prison builders and operators unions?

I'm not big on just up and frying a 17yo. murdering thug, but it seems more merciful to all involved than life in prison. But then, I'm claustrophobic.

Mortal "justice" if funny.