In a recent article I drew attention to the Media’s anticipation of evidence of a “miscarriage of justice” in Virginia. Reporters were wetting pants with excitement at the prospect of “covering” (read “orchestrating”) a grand attack on the death penalty for murder in the USA.
The supposed opportunity for this Media frenzy was the decision of the Governor of Virginia to have the DNA tests rechecked on one Roger Coleman, who was executed for murder in the early 1990’s.
At the time of my writing the piece I had absolutely no knowledge of the case, but commented that those who are executed are almost always people with criminal histories, who have had thorough and expensive trials and appeals. And subsequent “investigations” by abolitionists almost never reveal compelling evidence of a wrongful decision.
The outcome in Virginia has been a huge disappointment to both Media people and the anti-punishment campaigners who work tirelessly to bypass public sentiment. The DNA results apparently prove that Coleman was the killer, even though he went to his death protesting his innocence.
The abolitionists always set great store on the claims of innocence of those on Death Row. Most normal people expect that criminal types will protest their innocence of a crime and especially one that carries a death sentence, but the anti-punishment campaigners are always willing to believe the criminal. Usually, this trust in the criminal’s word is accompanied by a distrust of everything connected with law officers and the US judicial system. As I said in my previous piece, the underlying motive of most abolitionists is Leftist political ideology. Unfortunately, these Leftists carry along with them a gaggle of gullible fools who feel morally superior when striking a public posture of “forgiveness”. Such “forgiveness” is of course not theirs to give, since they are not the victims, but frivolous hypocrites.
The Associated Press article from which I gathered the news of the DNA test, dripped with disappointment, but it did nevertheless contain some interesting information about Coleman. Despite his years of claiming innocence he had a prior record of indecent exposure and rape. Perhaps he had more than that, but these were his offences supported by convictions. He was executed for the murder of his sister-in-law, but before killing her, he raped her. He stabbed her many times after the rape and nearly beheaded her. Clearly, he never felt a shred of remorse, as he barefacedly protested his innocence up to his last moments of life. There is surely a lesson here for all who feel a twinge of worry when a convicted killer spends years claiming innocence whilst on Death Row.
We learn that opponents of the death sentence for Coleman sent telegrams and letters from all over the world back in 1982 when he was convicted, and this support for him continued until his execution some 10 years later. Do not expect these senders of telegrams, writers of letters and candle-lit vigil holders to now come out of the woodwork and admit “we were duped”. They are too busy campaigning on behalf of other psychopathic killers on Death Row or denouncing the USA justice system abroad.
After my previous piece, my colleague, Mr. Radical, commented on how the Media never suggests that any news story requires the abolitionists or society in general, to question the wisdom and consequences of abandoning capital punishment in some US States and other Nations. He has in mind the many cases where a killer, released or escaping from jail, proceeds to murder again. Surely such events, and there are many, are compelling evidence in support of the Death Penalty. There is instead, Media silence.
He also drew attention to the many documented times in the UK that convicted killers have been able to organize from jail, retribution on witnesses who gave evidence in their trials. The abolition of the death penalty must cause many potential witnesses in murder cases to withhold evidence. Since a Life Sentence never means a sentence for life in the UK, and early release from prison is the norm, what witness cannot expect retribution. Most of those brave enough to give evidence against killers must live in fear for years afterwards. Here is an argument, not only for the death penalty, but for carrying it out swiftly after trial. These are arguments that will never influence abolitionists however, for they rarely have concern for victims of murder or their relatives. Since they see killers as victims, it is logical that they will have little sympathy for those who testify against them. Finally, spare a thought for Virginia’s Democrat Governor, Mark Rendell. He has presidential aspirations and must have thought that here was an opportunity to get rid of Virginia’s death penalty and thus get the Media’s sympathetic attention and much publicity. Also, in the Democrat primaries he would have garnered much Leftist kudos. Now, he looks like one of those gullible fools I referred to above.