The Meaning of Pity and Mercy...what is the RIGHT thing to do?

[Naaramare]

are you saying that in moments of ultimate emotional turmoil, such as intense fear, humans are not to be held accountable for their actions?

In some such situations, I would say absolutely, and the self-defense clauses in most nations laws agree with me. Biologically, if your life and safety is sufficiently threatened, your conscious mind switches off. Your body wants to survive, and if it has to make you stop thinking to do so, it will.

In regards to the original question, it's an extremely slippery slope. My answer is, if I could be sure the person I was showing mercy to could only hurt me as result of my letting them free/whatever, then yes, I would.

In the case of murderers and other such beings, however, my allowing them to walk free, to walk away, to continue to have access to things they could use to hurt people . . .that choice on my part is not only affecting me, but others. In essence, by allowing that person to walk free, I could be flat out dooming another person to pain and death.