THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 24, 1995 TAG: 9508230004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Who cares about Dennis Stockton? Your positioning of your series as ``not a plea for clemency, but a tale of morality'' disgusts me. Who will publish the account of his victim's final hours, the count down to his death or his morality? Will you? Of course not! In your opinion it will not be as compelling or whining enough for you.
The decent, hard-working and moral citizens of Virginia and America are fed up supporting endless appeals of convicted murderers. Here's your story: After all these years, the criminal-justice systems works - finally justice for the victim, family and friends. We spend too much in the debate of capital punishment as a deterrent. If it deters one person's actions, fine. More important, capital punishment is what it is: punishment.
In 1995, Mr. Stockton should be nothing more than a bad dream and a reminder to members of our society: You break the law, you are punished swiftly and accordingly. This story should have been written in 1984, after Mr. Stockton's swift execution.
After another 60-hour week of working to support my three children, wife and all of the Dennis Stocktons of the world, I want to thank you for ruining my only day off. Mr. Stockton enjoys the last days of his life in accommodations that are compliments of me and others like me. Meanwhile, I'll apply for a loan, which I will pay back, for my children to attend college. But with the taxpayers' money and your help, Mr. Stockton's story has been told.
JERRY E. BROWN
Virginia Beach, Aug. 6, 1995 by CNB