Deciding killer's fate took much thought

"There are murder cases where life without parole is appropriate,” Mashburn said.

"But this was not the case. And if I thought that was justice, I would have pleaded it over a year ago.”

So for more than a year, he prepared, until the only thing left was convincing 12 others that taking the life of a human being — even one with obvious mental disorders — is sometimes the right thing to do.

Mashburn said he was pleased with the jury's decision and appreciated the tremendous burden involved in deciding someone's fate.

But ultimately, he said, they made the right choice.

At first blush, even those who support the death penalty might wonder if the state would be best served by Underwood's death.

Couldn't psychologists study his mind ?

Mashburn said the defense called three mental health experts to interview Underwood, 28, and none of them could ever really get inside the man's mind to find out why he chose to act out his fantasies.

As sick as some people's thoughts are, Mashburn explained, having sick thoughts is not a crime.

"They studied him backwards and forwards,” Mashburn said. "And they got all the info they could get out of him. There's nothing else to study.”