I have thought a lot about the death penalty. Thirteen years ago, my cousin was murdered. She had just gotten in a car with two of her grandchildren. A man approached her snatched her purse and shot her in the head.

I have come to believe that there is evil in this world. I believe this man was evil. He needlessly murdered my cousin. He never explained why. He was an addict who needed ten dollars for his next pill. That explains robbery, it does not explain murder. Thanks to some witnesses who pursued this man he was arrested, tried, and convicted. He was sentenced to death.

This murderer never admitted to this murder although the evidence was overwhelming.

I believe in the death penalty as punishment. I believe in the death penalty as a way to prevent evil from continuing. I believe in the death penalty as a deterrent. In my State, some jurisdictions the States Attorney almost never pursues the death penalty. In others, the States Attorney pursues the death penalty if he or she believes the crime fits the criteria. The areas where there is effectively no death penalty are the same areas with the highest murder rate.

Roger in Baltimore