Why I Am Against the Death Penalty

On April 24, 2007 James Filiaggi is scheduled to die. He murdered his ex-wife in January of 1994 and was sentenced to death in August of 1995.

What purpose will his death serve? When he dies, his ex-wife will not be resurrected. Instead, when he dies his children will become orphans. Is this in some way going to help the secondary victims of the first crime?

Jim and Lisa had a stormy marriage and even stormier divorce. They were each cruel to the other. This was not good for them or for their children. Some of what I know about Jim and Lisa I learned from gossip and from friends of Lisa and friends of Jim. Some of what I know I learned from the papers.

Jim killed Lisa. Her misbehavior was not a cause for the death penalty. Jim's institution of same is not, in my opinion, cause for the death penalty, either.

My mother was Jim's sixth grade teacher. A favorite teacher, he claimed. He began writing to Mom after his arrest and she wrote back. He continued to write prison censored letters to her until she died. He sent a make shift condolence card telling us how much she meant to him.

I spent two years at a private school as the computer coordinator. Jim's daughters went to school there. Jim's mother worked there. The cousins were there, as well.

Jim did a very bad thing. Jim should be punished. Jim should have his freedoms revoked. Jim should not be permitted to live in the society that protects his children, parents, siblings, and extended family.

How will Jim's death help his children? How will it benefit the society which is demanding it? What possible good will be done when they pull the switch? All that will happen is that his children will be orphans, never able to see or speak with any parent ever again.

It is a crime.