(Or wizard?) Not in a medevil fantasy setting and not some unfortunate old woman who happens to be aesthetically challenged but an actual witch (or wizard), here and now. Allow me to go into more detail: imagin that you, through some convoluted set of coincedences, are the judge, jury and executioner of an actual magic user, in this world. The trial has been rushed for reasons that will shortly become apparent and so very little is known of the magic user's capabilities or background.
What is known is that they are capable of causing death through their powers alone, however it is not known on what scale. Mabey they can kill a single person by a look, mabey it takes a complicated setup involving tarrot cards and sacrifices. Or mabey all they have to do is think of a city and -BOOM- gone. You know nothing about this person's mentality. Perhaps they are good and pure, perhaps they are evil. The only thing you know is that they have not killed everyone at the trial to escape, but whether this is due to unwillingess or incapability you do not know.
What do you do? Is the risk too great to leave this person alive? What if they are peaceful but powerful and wreck havok when you try to kill them? Mabey imprisonment would be better... though what if they could open locks with a wave of their hand? It is likely that if you try to commit an 'evil' act against them (even if for the greater good) that people will die. How many and how painfully, again, you do not know. What actions you take, including how you have them killed if you choose that, are up to you entirely.
And finally, no getting to know them better! The trial must be ended now, with a firm decision.
Personally, knowing nothing about their background or personality I could not commit them to death. Niether could I commit them to imprisonment, for they are not known to have broken any laws. If they have not used their powers to destroy the trial and kill everyone there I would doubt that they would cause destruction for fun, and I think the best solution would be to learn from them with their co-operation to try to establish a defence against a magic user who would choose the option of leveling a city just... well, just 'cause.
What is known is that they are capable of causing death through their powers alone, however it is not known on what scale. Mabey they can kill a single person by a look, mabey it takes a complicated setup involving tarrot cards and sacrifices. Or mabey all they have to do is think of a city and -BOOM- gone. You know nothing about this person's mentality. Perhaps they are good and pure, perhaps they are evil. The only thing you know is that they have not killed everyone at the trial to escape, but whether this is due to unwillingess or incapability you do not know.
What do you do? Is the risk too great to leave this person alive? What if they are peaceful but powerful and wreck havok when you try to kill them? Mabey imprisonment would be better... though what if they could open locks with a wave of their hand? It is likely that if you try to commit an 'evil' act against them (even if for the greater good) that people will die. How many and how painfully, again, you do not know. What actions you take, including how you have them killed if you choose that, are up to you entirely.
And finally, no getting to know them better! The trial must be ended now, with a firm decision.
Personally, knowing nothing about their background or personality I could not commit them to death. Niether could I commit them to imprisonment, for they are not known to have broken any laws. If they have not used their powers to destroy the trial and kill everyone there I would doubt that they would cause destruction for fun, and I think the best solution would be to learn from them with their co-operation to try to establish a defence against a magic user who would choose the option of leveling a city just... well, just 'cause.
