The Torah portrays murder as a capital crime and describes a number of details in the moral understanding and legal implementation of consequences.[9][10] The Priestly Code allowed the victim's next of kin (avenger of blood) to exact retribution on the suspect; but the accused could seek sanctuary in a city of refuge. The right of the avenger of blood to such revenge ceased, upon the death of the person who was the Jewish High Priest at the time of the crime[3]