Monday, July 30, 2012

Swift Justice is Needed


I remember stories of the wild west in the nineteenth century, when the code of the west lived in the hearts of many.   Justice was quick.  Killers were hung after declared guilty during a trial.  If the killing had been witnessed by credible citizens, the execution was quick. 

Remember McVeigh?  His trial was quick and his execution quickly followed.  The lawyers did not milk the case for years and years while the murderer was coddled with psychiatrists and consultants and the lawyers ran up the bills.  Hell, these days a mass murderer is good for lawyer income for decades.

Look at Loughner, the mass murderer and maimer.  This guy is obviously guilty of the crimes.  There is no question that he did it.  He cannot be rehabilitated and released.  He does not deserve to live.  Why must the taxpayers pay for plane trips, psychiatrists, tests, lawyers and all the expensive trappings that will never change the fact that Loughner is a criminal?  Our society does not have money to waste on this kind of expensive exploitation of a tragedy. 

Now this latest creep in Colorado who ambushes innocent people is being set up for years and years of lawyers, tests, psychiatrists and all the tax money he can possibly spend defending himself against the indefensible.  People saw him do the killings.  I don't care if some expensive psychiatrist intones that this killer is insane.  Killers like this need swift justice.  The lawyers and all those who make their livings in the court system should not be allowed to exploit these tragedies for personal gain. 

Whatever happened to common sense?  The delay of justice dishonors the families of the victims and the victims themselves.   These killers should have a speedy trial and swift justice meted out.  If an appeal is made, then it will be done quickly and if denied, justice will prevail quickly.  The massive slowness and complexity of these trial 'preparations' and the lengthy appeal process actually encourages crime, in that justice will not be swift. 

As long as murderers get away with it by cruising through the system paying lawyers with tax money, the murders will continue.  If potential murderers knew a convicted murderer was rapidly executed, possibly that would be a deterrent.  I think going to prison is worth it to these killers.  Let's give them a surprise.