THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310013
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 24 lines
On July 17, the state of Virginia killed Joe Savino. His death did not make Virginia a safer place to live. Joe was safely secured in a prison, surrounded by guards and shackled whenever he needed to be transported from place to place.
While in prison, the only person Joe tried to harm was himself. Two years ago, Joe attempted suicide. He was found unconscious in his cell and his life was saved so the state could go about its orderly execution ritual.
After his execution, the state ignored Joe's father's wishes and performed an autopsy on Joe's body. Why? The doctor who mixed the poison and filled the syringe knew exactly what killed Joe.
There was no good reason to kill Joe in the first place. But if the state felt compelled to go through its ritual, I cannot understand the rationale of the state to defy the father's wishes except to continue the dehumanization of a prisoner that a handful of judges decided should be killed.
JEANETTE NAVIA
Williamsburg, July 21, 1996 by CNB