Shawna Forde gets death penalty

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/22/arizona.double.killing/?hpt=T2

I don't advocate the death penalty but I shed no tears for this woman. Here's the crux of the story: an anti-immigrant militant attacked a Latino family, killing the father and 9-year-old daughter (as she begged for her life), and shooting the mother who only survived because she pretended to die from the gunshot.

The murderers thought the father was a drug dealer and they wanted his money to finance their budding hate group. I guess that would have been a nifty recruiting tool for extremists, their willingness to kill Mexicans to get things done. Nevermind the fact that the victims were American-born citizens, such details are irrelevant when racial bigotry is concerned.

This is the sort of thing that happens when you fan the flames of hatred, dehumanization is the predecessor to atrocity. I'm surprised this didn't get more attention from the mainstream media, I guess they aren't as liberal as so many seem to think.

Comments

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

So the justice system doesn't really serve a function other than the retributive theory of justice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retributive_justice), then. But what purpose does that serve? What net benefit does anyone in society derive from this punishment?

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

I have no problem with the retributive theory of justice.
Well one benefit, for some people, is not having to go to parole hearings of the murderer or one's child.