I was relieved to hear this weekend of a possible guilty plea in the trial of the January 8th shooter. I am particularly relieved that the plea means that there will not be a death sentence. I had one friend killed and several are still recovering from injuries; another person killed won’t do a damn thing for any of them.
This afternoon, the plea was changed to guilty. The legal process, at least the high profile public part, is largely over. There is still the possibility of charges from Pima County, and I hope that Barbara Lawall resists the urge to insert herself into this.
The news cycle isn’t over yet, so maybe we’ll hear from people who want an execution. I haven’t heard this from people who were victims that day. Far from it. Here is Mavy Stoddard, widow of Dorwan Stoddard, this weekend:
I don’t really want the death penalty. I would love to see him either put in a mental institution or life in prison with no parole. Either one of them. If he can get some help, that’s what he needs. And maybe he will find the Lord.
By the way, I have two friends that are members of Stoddard’s congregation, and they and Mavy are traveling to Aurora, Colorado to work with victims and their families there.
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Barbara won’t do a thing, don’t worry. What she should do and won’t is have a high profile campaign to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally I’ll and people who lie on background checks and get away with it.
OK, I’m going to say this. (takes deep breath.) I think Life in prison for Loughner is barbaric. I know what the law in Arizona says, but just because he knew right from wrong doesn’t mean he was in control of his actions. He has schizophrenia. He must be judged differently than a sane person. For me, this decision highlights what a poor Mental health care system we have in the US. He didn’t get the help he needed years ago because of the shame associated with mental illness. If he broke his leg, no one would expect him to drag the limb around untreated. Now, his medication is working and he’s realizing what he’s done.
Loughner must be the most miserable person in the world right now.