Jodi Arias reacts during the sentencing phase of her trial at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. (AP / The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher, Pool)
Local news reports
Steven Alexander stood before the jury, looked up at a family picture and grimaced and cried as he ticked off the list of problems that have befallen him in the five years since his brother was murdered: ulcers, depression, a separation from his wife, nightmares.I blame Arizona. If only she didn't have such easy access to that gun, her boyfriend would be alive today.
The dreams consist of someone coming at him with a knife then going after his wife and daughter. Other times, he has nightmares about his brother, "curled up in a shower, thrown in there, left to rot for days, all alone." He feels like a child, unable to sleep alone in the dark.
"I don't want these nightmares anymore. I don't want to see my brother's murderer anymore," he said.
The gut-wrenching comments came as jurors began considering whether Jodi Arias should get a life sentence or be executed for the 2008 stabbing death of Travis Alexander. Jurors became visibly shaken as Steven Alexander and his sister spoke on deeply emotional levels in arguing for the death penalty. Arias sobbed throughout the hearing, with tears streaming down her face and landing on her black shirt.
Arias, 32, acknowledged killing Alexander at his suburban Phoenix home after a day of sex on June 4, 2008. She initially denied any involvement and later blamed the attack on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, Arias said she killed Alexander in self-defence.
The victim suffered nearly 30 knife wounds, had his throat slit from ear to ear and was shot in the forehead. Prosecutors say the attack was fueled by jealous rage after Alexander wanted to end his affair with Arias and prepared to take a trip to Mexico with another woman.
Now tell me the truth. How many of you failed to recognize that as a joke? C'mon, I won't make fun of you for being stiff and humorless. How many?
The obvious point of the post is about the death penalty. The blood-thirsty relatives seem to think their nightmares will stop if she's sentenced to death. Often we hear this. They want closure or they want to move on with their lives.
I don't believe killing the guilty person provides those things. Do you?
It's beside the point, anyway. Capital punishment is state-sanctioned pre-meditated murder and as such should have no place in a civilized society.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
