As a Christian involved in Judaic studies, am I to understand that Jews do not believe in death sentences? Is the interpretation of death sentence in the Torah “figurative”?
You will find the death penalty in every one of the Five Books of the Torah, so one can hardly say that Jews do not believe in it. When the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple in Yerushalayim), is rebuilt, perhaps soon, Jewish courts will again have the obligation of meting out the death penalty when the process calls for this to happen. However, as noted in this post, the death penalty is rarely carried out.