Cady was a menace to society. He deserved to die. There is no chance at redeeming or rehabilitating him. Life in prison is full of uncertainty. He would just try to go on parole and start to terrorize Bowden and his family again. Bowden should not have let him live.
shareThat's why Bowden is as bad as Cady by the end of the film - he only let him live because he wants him to suffer. All involved would be better off with Cady dead, Cady included.
shareOne thing Bowden doesn't realize is that since Cady killed a cop, no DA is going to seek anything less than the death penalty. That's where that lofty speech designed to make us think life imprisonment is somehow more appropriate than the death penalty falls apart completely.
share