Did Gollum deserve death?

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Lal

The whole point of the Ring is that it is such a powerfully evil thing that it could drive even the best people into extremes such as murder. And what could be more humble than a Hobbit?

Quite the reverse argument can be made, that the most resilient beings to evil are hobbits.

Originally Posted by Letter #109

I think that there is no horror conceivable that such creatures cannot surmount, by grace (here appearing in mythological forms) combined with a refusal of their nature and reason at the last pinch to compromise or submit.

The former is hearsay

Without any evidence to counter this, and with plenty of evidence to support this, then your argument is a fallacy of converse accident; the exception you are arguing is uncalled for.

the latter is only 'intention', it is not 'deed'.

The fact that it couldn't get performed to its end doesn't absolve the immorality of Gollum for wanting to do such a thing. Intention is the first thing that defines the morality of one's actions.