[Deathpenalty]death penalty news --- CONN.

[Joerg Sommer]

death penalty news

April 4, 2005


CONNECTICUT:

Don't Exempt Teens From Death Penalty

I wish I could understand justice and the American way. It seems the U.S. 
Supreme Court opened up a can of worms concerning the execution of teenagers.

The court seems to think its OK for teenagers to commit violent crimes that 
result in death, but not be old enough to pay for their actions. Listen, if 
they're old enough to do the crime, then they are old enough to receive the 
just punishment.

Do they honestly believe that Christopher Simmons, who at the age of 17 
abducted a woman from her home and bound and gaggled her, then threw her in 
a river, deserves not to be punished to the full extent of the law?

Or that Kevin Hughes, who raped and killed a 9-year-old girl when he was 
16, does not deserve to meet his maker sooner than expected?

Or that Lee Malvo, who at the age of 17 was convicted of killing at least 
two people in the sniper slayings, does not deserve to be put out of his 
misery?

Then justice must be blind. Christopher Simmons even bragged about his 
crime. We must send the right message to all criminals, regardless of age. 
If you do the crime, you will be punished accordingly.

Craig L. Terry
Gales Ferry

(source: Letter to the Editor, The Day)