McVeigh Jury Weighs Death Penalty

Jesse Jackson’s thoughtful column (Commentary, June 8) opposes society’s use of the death penalty. I must respectfully disagree. Jackson asserts that the death penalty is not a deterrent, which statistics show may well be true. But that, to me, is irrelevant.

The primary purpose of justice is not to deter crime, but to de-victimize victims. It is to ensure that when the dust of a fair criminal proceeding has settled, when the jury has made its judgment of the facts, that society has elevated the victim at the expense of the criminal. This requires that criminals pay an adequate price for their crimes. It is absurd to suggest that an adequate price for taking the lives of 168 men, women and children is lifetime institutionalization. It would mean that while 168 people have lost everything, while hundreds of their family and friends nurse a hole in their hearts for the rest of their lives, Timothy McVeigh would be free to read Dickens, laugh at Seinfeld, cheer for Notre Dame, feel the exhilaration of driving for a basket. He should not be so entitled.

This is not to say that I advocate the death penalty for every murder. But it is certainly appropriate for the most merciless and calculating ones.

RICHARD MURPHY

Whittier

* Contrary to Jackson’s comments that the death penalty pays tribute to the power of death, it in fact elevates our respect for life. It declares to the world that you cannot trifle with the life of an innocent human being. And what does Jackson think is so non-vengeful about locking someone up for life?

KEN BEMIS

Placentia

* For Charles Lindner (Opinion, June 8) and for most of society, death is not enough punishment for the horrific act of Timothy McVeigh. His recalling the story of Prometheus from Greek mythology demonstrates our desire to quell our own violence by eternal punishment of a scapegoat, guilty or otherwise.

The Christian believes, however, that Jesus overcame our violence when he became the innocent scapegoat in the supreme sacrifice: the true God dying for his fallen children. Not that violence has been eradicated from our hearts. But for the Christian, the Old Testament command, “Thou shall not kill,” was radically reinforced by Jesus’ command to love our fellow humans, however inhumane they may act.

The death penalty, inadequate to temporarily abate our own violence, is itself a violent act by humanity that cannot be condoned by the Christian, no more than can war or abortion.

CURT GROVE

San Pedro Catholic Worker

* I am against the death penalty, but as long as it is the law of the land, in the case of McVeigh there is no other reasonable option than to sentence him to death. If he is spared, then capital punishment should be abolished immediately and forever. What could anyone do worse than what he did?

TONY GARBER

Beverly Hills