Just Get It Over With
273 words.
The big story here in Richmond is whether Ricky Gray will receive life in prison or the death penalty for the Harvey family murders. The jury is currently in its second day of deliberating punishment (it took them all of 30 minutes to decide he was guilty).
I wrote a little bit about capital punishment before, and this case has me thinking about it again. To me, this one is a no-brainer: Death penalty, quick execution, case closed. From what I can gather, the only reason they’re even discussing a life sentence is that Gray was abused as a child. I’m sure that’s true, but to me, that only reinforces the idea that he should get the death penalty (it suggests that his “damage” is deeply ingrained in his psyche). That, and the sheer randomness of the Harvey crime, suggests that this person will remain dangerous for the rest of his life. (Not to mention that he’s been in jail before, and it obviously didn’t help.) What are the chances that he’ll have any meaningful future contribution to our society? Has he even shown any remorse? From a jail cell, is he likely to try to actively dissuade others from going down the same road that he did?
I don’t know any definitive answers to any of those questions, but based on media reports about the guy, I’d say it would probably be better for everyone here in Richmond, emotionally and financially, to just execute him (quickly). If it will help, perhaps the authorities could think of him as a bear that might be infected with rabies.
UPDATE: Gray gets the death penalty.
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