Timothy McVeigh

[Joe Johnson]

When I was younger, I was sure that the death penalty was right and just.

Now I am not so sure...

Part of me worries about taking an innocent life, but that does not cover the many other cases where guilt is not in doubt and even in these cases I have found myself arguing against a death sentence. Beyond this even, I wonder about the consistency of a thought process that is concerned about killing someone while I sleep undisturbed by the fact that it is just as possible (and in fact more probable) that innocent folks are living a life of hell behind iron bars.

While I am convinced that their are some crimes that do in a sense "deserve" death, that does not obligate us to carry out that sentence.

We need not match their voilence with voilence of our own.

Let them live.

My faith tells me that there is another judge reviewing the case. I will let that judge have the final say.

Joe J.