"Such sentences can be extended as long as an inmate is considered too dangerous to be released, and legal experts say Breivik will almost certainly spend the rest of his life in prison."

A bullet in the head would be much, much cheaper.

...and killing 77 cows or pigs?

I can hardly see a difference. Humans are too overrated compared to other animals.

If the guy killed them for purposes of eating them I'd be happier than for political reasons.

sentencing people to death sends the message that killing people is right under certain conditions. it is not though.
any civilized society should condemn the killing of people.

21 years behind bars is more severe than instant death in my humble opinion.

And it being cheaper means it's the thing to do?

Morals and ethics aside, a death penalty trial is much more expensive. Between the increased trial costs and the time spent on death row, lifetime in prison actually costs less than the death penalty does.

death penalty sentencing is only so expensive bc we make it expensive. In any case I'm all tapped out paying for half the nation to be on food stamps, wellfare, and unemployment. I don't have the money to pay all of a mass murderers living expenses for the rest of his life. Imo either make him and his family pick up the cost, or just put a slug in his head.

lol yeah I'm sure the tax burden is really holding you down.