Less than 11 hours to go. Across the state journalists are packing up to leave for Jarratt. I doubt death is an economic boon for Emporia, but I'm sure that when the media rolls into town there's no more visible signal that today's the day.
Emmett refused an interview. I'm sure I wasn't the only one. That leaves everyone wondering if he's feeling remorse or if he's just sitting back milking the system and waiting to see if he gets clemency.
Before Emmett ever killed Langley he killed a motorcyclist while driving drunk. He was said to have laughed when he was arrested for that and joked about the cyclist's death on the way to prison. He testified of Langley's murder that "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time."
I can understand the rage I see in the victims left behind - the families. While Emmett is a human being, I can't say, given his record, that I will be saddened that he'll no longer be a threat to society after 9:09 p.m or so tonight. That's the disturbing thing about executions. You don't want to kill a human being, but you also don't want to have to worry about releasing a career criminal into society or into a prison system where - through clerical or other errors, he might one day be released. Small wonder there's such a debate.
Will watching the execution itself be disturbing? On some level I'm sure it will, but I'm not too worried about that now. I've spoken with too many people who have been there, done that. It won't be pleasant, but - it will, for me I think, help me understand the arguments for and against capital punishment from a position of fact.
2 comments:
hi... nice blog... very informative.
As you watch him take his last breath think of how this death compares to being beaten to death by your friend. His death is justice, for he will never kill again. As for the other blog plugged in the article the killer from Florida residing on Virginias death row I think you should take down his link. This is a killer masquerading as an author. He not only killed he killed a prison guard, so for those who believe life senteces with or without parole prevents the convicted from killing you are DEAD WRONG. I know from first hand experience as a prison guard who was beaten with fists,boots and other blunt instruments then stabbed and slashed more than a dozen times by more than 40 inmates during a riot. There are staff members in every prison that are at risk everyday where inmates possess more lethal weapons than the staff guarding them. Sleep well tonight for one less killer will walk the earth.
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