When I was in college at Furman University, a lawyer came and gave a speech on the death penalty. Her aim was to convince us of why it is necessary. She shared some horrific cases to show how some inmates are a danger and threat to the lives of prison workers even though they are "locked up." She was extremely convincing. I knew how my own Great Grandfather had been murdered by someone in jail. I didn't know what to think, but I mostly believed it was not my right to judge or choose. But after the lawyer's description of mass-murderers who wreak havoc on society even within jail walls, I was ok with turning my eyes in the other direction. Sometimes it's easier to not think about it too much. Sometimes it's easier to let other people decide without any strong opinions of your own.
But I was made to think about the death penalty recently, because one of my relatives had to say goodbye to her Uncle Andrew who was executed this January 13th in Georgia. He had been pulled over for speeding over 15 years ago and began arguing with the cop. Things escalated quickly, and they entered into gunfire. The uncle killed the officer and fled the scene. It was wrong. What took place between Andrew and the cop was just 4 mintues, and in those few minutes these men's lives changed forever.
Andrew was a decorated Vietnam veteran who suffered from post traumatic war syndrome along with bi-polar disorder. And while there is no excuse for his actions, his mental condition and war history strike a cord with me because they are the same as my father's. I felt compassion for this broken man and for his family. During his time in jail he was repentant and drew near to God before he was put to death. In regards to the execution, the father of the murdered officer expressed a sense of satisfaction that there was "finally some justice." I feel compassion for this family as well. They experienced a great loss and have held on to bitterness all these years.
And so many thoughts and feelings and questions have floated through my brain the last number of weeks. Do we have the right to decide to end one of these lives and declare it no longer sacred? To quote Pax Christi USA, "Innocence is not a pre-condition for receiving the redemptive love of God." I can't help but think of Paul, a murderer, who was used to spread the gospel of Christ and of love.
There are some practical/secular things to consider as well in regards to the death penalty and its flaws. For example, the amount of money wasted on ending a person's life with the death penalty is outrageous (1-3 million), and costs much more than life in prison. Also, of all the criminals who are eligible for the death penalty, there is little to no consistency about which will receive the death sentence and which won't, and the decision is often influenced by things like quality of legal defense, political aspirations of officials involved, which state you are in, and makeup of the jury. Can this lottery of who will live and who will die be called justice?
About a week after Andrew's execution I saw in the paper that intellectually disabled (aka mentally retarded) Warren Hill was executed January 27th in Georgia. He had murdered a fellow inmate in 1990. Here the death penalty was staring me in the face again, and I felt compelled to bring up the subject so that we will take a moment to think about it, though it's not easy...just to think about it and not ignore the lives effected by it. And if you feel so led, take a moment to say a prayer for the victims, their families, the death row prisoners, and their families.
Good food for thought and a reminder to pray for society's "forgotten" in prison, their families, and the victims.
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