To develop my last point even further, in cases where Double Jeopardy has applied and a person can no longer be punished by the American justice system even if they confess, is there any hope for them?

I say no again. I say no because through the trial, the defendent was asked repeatedly to confess to what they have done. The first few times is heartbreaking for a guilty person to feel that heart tug to open the floodgates and reveal the crime they have committed. The desire to confess one's guilt is given to us by God to open up a path to reconciliation when we have seriously erred. When that mechanism is ignored time and time again, as is the case with someone being tried for murder, the heart becomes hardened and the decision to conceal one's guilt solidified. This is why we are warned repeatedly not to harden our hearts in Scripture. Those of us who do become "locked in" to a path leading straight to damnation; not because of God's unwillingness to forgive, but because of our unwillingness to repent.

Shudder the thought that we should ever take that course!

Liberalism -- Ideas so good, they have to be mandated.