The notion that says, "We can't execute him, he wants to die, he'll just be a martyr" is close kin to the notion that says, "We can't fight with the terrorists, they want to die, we'll just inflame the Palestinian street."
Well, the street is already in flames. They want to kill us anyway. "Death to every house, death to every Jew, etc." is a daily refrain. The media tend not to notice this, however, until somebody like Mullah Saruman bites it. And leaving that aside, do you think that Mumia, by living and writing for the past 20 or so years, is NOT considered a martyr by Mike Farrell and a host of other celebrity Lefties? Is there not a "noble movement" [retch] to free him and other cop killers?
Instead, let the state introduce a few dozen of these revolting cretins to Ol' Sparky. It won't be making things any worse, and it stands a solid chance of making things better; at the least, it means that weepy, self-indulgent hippies will have to mourn their idols, instead of freeing them to prey on more innocents.