SRS, thanks for the link. I can find no adequate words to describe how that terrible story effected me.

I agree with Mickey, that if a life sentence meant life we wouldn't even need to have this discussion. That actually pisses me off more than some of the rest of this: the fact that people seem to never be held for the length of their sentencing. I also don't understand mixing people of non-violent criminal acts in prison with those of violent acts. Makes no sense to me.