Megan Smith, Asheville • August 21, 2010 (from a family member of murder victims)
There is a lot of current hype about the death penalty and the Racial Justice Act. I lost my father and stepmother to murder, and one of the killers is on death row now. As I have learned more and more about capital punishment over the years, it has become clear that the system is biased and broken in many ways. It seems like a system so extreme ought to at least be fair — racially and otherwise — but isn't. I'm glad that the Racial Justice Act forces us to confront that issue. Even if some are stretching the statistics, overall the numbers speak loudly that something must change.
As a family member of murder victims, I can tell you that I feel no healing, justice or closure that someone else might die. It doesn't set things straight again, prevent other teenagers from going down the wrong track, nor does it bring back my loved ones. Maybe instead of just analyzing racial statistics, perhaps we can take another look at the purpose of the death penalty and if it is really accomplishing what we hope it is.
Asheville Citizen-Times here
SEE and ADD COMMENTS online at Asheville Citizen-Times here and below at The Journey of Hope blog here...
Megan,
ReplyDeleteYou came and spoke at my Unviersity (twice now) and I just wanted to say that I admire you for your strength and compassion toward Landon. I have no offiliation with your case in any way but I will say that hearing you speak has changed my views on the death penalty and also the victims family's role in the criminal justice system. I am (hopefully) going to become a member of the criminal justice system and I just want you to know that you are making an impact on the young minds of criminal justice majors! I know that I appriciated you speaking, and I know that a bunch of other students did as well! SO thank you!