Friday, February 03, 2006

And now for a REALLY touchy subject...

So anyway, as those from this area are no doubt aware, a temporary stay of execution has been granted for Michael Taylor, one of the men convicted of raping and murdering Ann Harrison in 1989. For those not familiar with the case (it made national news, but it was 17 years ago after all) Ann was a 15 year-old girl kidnapped from her bus stop by Taylor and friend Roderick Nunley. They then proceeded to take her to a house and basically torture her for 90 or so minutes finally stabbing her to death (unofficial accounts say she was stabbed over 40 times). Her body was left in the trunk of the stolen car they abducted her in and found three days later. This hits particularly close to home for me because Ann went to my high school. Her house at the time was about a mile from mine. Hell, one of my groomsmen dated her little sister for three years. I can still see the memorial garden in the courtyard of our high school in my mind. My mom, like half of those in the school district, wouldn’t let me ride the bus in the mornings for weeks.

Taylor’s parents (understandably, I suppose) have been making a pretty big push to get him out of his sentence. They’re primary argument is that he and Nunley were strung out on crack at the time and, as a result of that and other circumstances, didn’t realize what they were doing. On top of all that, they’re playing the race card as well saying that Taylor being black and Ann being white factored highly in his sentencing. Bullshit. Honestly, I don’t care. I have to say, and I know that this isn’t a “popular” opinion right now, that I think they deserve to die, horribly at that (there’s a famous Samuel L. Jackson line coming to mind right now…you guess!). There’s a big debate nationwide lately as to whether or not lethal injections are inhumane. Fuck that…these two guys deserve to have their balls stuffed down their throats until they suffocate. They both confessed to the crime (indicating the other as the ‘killer’ naturally). They both plead guilty in court. Sitting in a 5’X 8’ prison cell for the remainder of their days just isn’t good enough. Ann Harrison, by Taylor’s own confession, begged for them to stop raping her. She begged for them to stop beating her, and mutilating her. She begged for her life, and they did what they did anyway. DIE…that’s it. That’s all there is to it. You, Michael Taylor, deserve to die, as does your pal Nunley. You are a waste of skin and space. I know killing you won’t bring her back. It won’t undo what was done, it probably won’t truly give Ann’s parents a piece of mind…but what else is there to do.

The death penalty is one colossal can of worms. Here’s my viewpoint on the subject. Personally, I’m completely for it, with stipulations. Chiefly among those that there be absolutely no uncertainty whatsoever that the person being put to death is guilty of the crime for which they are being punished. I think in the end, the decision should involve the family of the victim. If the parents of a murdered child would prefer that their child’s killer spend the rest of his/her days in a concrete box, that should be their prerogative. I think the method of execution should match the crime. I think that capital punishment should be extended to include sexual predators and all crimes against children. Giving a child rapist and murderer a shot like some old dog is a ridiculous concept to the most spectacular degree. If the government is going to keep a criminal like this on death row for an extended period awaiting their fate, then that period should include a life of pain rivaled only by the darkest circles of hell. Their death should be as terrible and terror inducing as can be thought of. What can I say…I’m a sadist!

There are a million arguments about what justice is or isn’t. I’m not here to debate any of that today. I’m just getting a little anger off my chest really. I know that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and that every death row inmate is someone else’s son, or daughter, or father, or mother, etc. But in a case like this I can’t help but be completely incensed that someone out there thinks that these animals deserve better. I’m a father now. I know I’d never stop loving my son, even if (God forbid) he committed an atrocity like this. But in the end, I think I’d probably accept his fate and never stop cursing myself for whatever horrible wrong I did him that put him into that position. I’d have to live the rest of my days believing that I in fact was the one who did something wrong. And I honestly don't know if I could deny a victim's family their peace of mind.

Given my latest postings, one might be led to believe that I’m a very angry person. I’m not…really!!! I just keep running into stories like this that put me in the bad place. So please, somebody, give me some good news to get excited about…for the love of God, PLEASE!!!

4 comments:

Reed said...

i am sorry to report that there really isn't much good news.

however, we are both alive and breathing, and relatively well off.

Herr Vogler said...

Normally I'm against the death penalty. But every once in awhile there's a crime that's so awful and heinous that the punishment should be doled out that truly fits.

It's like what Hannibal Lecter says in Red Dragon. "A more advanced society would either find a use for me or put me to death" (paraphrasing). We have a long way to go in either case.

Mikey the Pikey said...

You know, I could accept abolishing the death penalty if, and only if, the government could make certain that those that have justly received it spend the rest of their lives as uncomfortably as possible ("Mr. About-to-spend-the-rest-of-his-short-life-in-agonizing-pain Rapist over here!" - Marcellus Wallace), and at no expense to the taxpayer.

Otherwise, fuck'em (again, only those that have truly earned it - I'd want to be damned sure they were guilty as hell)! Kill'em, what the hell, make a team sport out of it or something!

Herr Vogler said...

Sell it on pay-per-view and reduce the national debt that our fearless government is so rapidly incurring!