As Willie Nelson sang, “I woke up still not dead today”.
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In yesterday’s blog, I purposely omitted any comment about the jury’s verdict to give the Stoneman Douglas killer life without parole instead of putting him to death. Please keep in mind that I do not practice nor have I ever practiced any criminal law.
My understanding is that whereas the law used to be that the trial judge could overturn the jury’s verdict, that is no long true. That means the nothing can change the verdict.
Theoretically, I was always against capital punishment of any kind but especially if there were any chance subsequent evidence could establish innocence. Here there is no question of guilt.
We know very well some of the people who lost a loved one. I have concluded, albeit late in life, that it is presumptuous for me to substitute my “academic” opinion for the feelings of another human being. Our friend wanted the death penalty so I wanted the death penalty.
Also I cannot be sure how I would really feel if I were the killer, but, again, theoretically, I would rather die than spend the rest of my life in prison with no hope of ever being free. I think it is similar to the kind of decision one is faced with if they can never recover from a painful illness and will continue to deteriorate. In other words, what kind of life is that? Time to go to that great courtroom in the sky.
Bottom line: he should have been put to death.
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Missed the Georgia Senatorial Debate. Had to attend Temple in honor of a granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah.
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Will watch the Michigan v Penn State game and then go to Bat Mitzvah. Think I will watch game with Bobby Baer, who actually was on the Michigan football team in 1957 when we first met. Our Fathers also went to Michigan and knew each other.
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Once again Barbara did a great job on very short notice, hosting about 40 people at our house after services.
We have done a huge amount of entertaining and I hope now that my beloved Wife can take it a little easier. Her nickname “the energizer bunny” fits her to a tee, but I am hoping that at least after the election, she will take it a little easier. I have a great friend, and have had many great experiences. I hope to have many more. However, to be honest, my life is my Wife and without her it is really over for me. I adore my kids and grandkids but they have their own lives. .———————-
It was great see our friends Mike and Jalayne Wheatley as well as Joyce Wishnick and her oldest daughter Sandra. We have two black lamps in our living room that were gifted to us by Sandra’s paternal grandparents, Harry and Minnie Wishnick. Last weekend when we were in Ann Arbor for my fraternity reunion, someone mentioned that in 1957 we had one of the few television sets in all of the fraternity houses. I may have been the only one who remembered that the television was a gift from Harry and Minnie.
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Stone crab season is back. Looking forward to first visit to Joe’s.
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Everyone who tried that new Chardonnay recommended by the manager of Total Wines loved it. Expensive baby received 10% discount for buying full case and then another 15% so my cost became somewhat reasonable.
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One of David’s grandsons graduated from Ranger School yesterday. Congratulations to everyone in the Boies family.
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Go Ukraine and vote as if your life depended upon it.