Death chamber

[paulanurse2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 81779

Does the presence of the chamber with the Veil inside suggest that 
the wizarding world had the death penalty at some time? This room is 
referred to in OoTP as like the courtroom that Harry was 'tried' in 
with an ampitheatre design which suggests that an execution was 
public. However the stone archway is also 'old and crumbling' which 
could imply that this form of death penalty not used nowadays.

Aurors were (are?) able to use mortal force in the course of their 
work and we know from PoA that dementors are empowered to give 'kiss 
of death' although the subject is renedered soul-less not actually 
dead. Will the defection of the death eaters and the now apparent 
lack of security at Azkaban mean this method of execution is revived?