THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 17, 1996 TAG: 9607170014
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 38 lines
Regarding ``Man fights to keep teens off death row'' (news, June 30):
As a former Norfolk police officer, I have witnessed firsthand the carnage wreaked upon victims by predators such as these ``kids'' and the aftermath that families and loved ones are left to deal with tragedy.
``Low-income families,'' ``raised by single mothers with no father for a role model,'' lack of education, etc. - are these good reaons for violence and murder? Hardly. That is an affront to the many thousands of youths who came from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, including broken homes, and rose above this and became law-abiding, productive citizens.
How many close to us must become victims before we as a society get it? Each one of us makes choices and must be held accountable for our actions.
The article mentioned the ``sleepless nights'' attorney Babineau has, ``knowing these kids who are potentially going to have to decide how they want to die . . . and what we can do to keep them out of the electric chair.'' My husband and I have our own sleepless nights - worrying about our children growing up in a world with people such as these ``kids'' on the loose, who can brutally victimize with impunity. After all, they are only kids who have made just ``an awful, awful, mistake,'' right?
There has been a lot of media attention lately to accused and convicted murderers, champions of the causes of death-row inmates, portrayals of their final days and hours, years in the courts battling over the injustice of it all and, of course, the endless appeals that follow. Such a noble cause.
What attention was given the victims during their final hours? Who was their ``counselor, cheerleader and friend''? Who fought for their lives? Who speaks for the victims?
Commit adult crime - receive adult punishment to the fullest extent of the law. This should be the message sent loud and clear to juvenile criminals.
DIANNE EWING
Suffolk, July 2, 1996 by CNB