As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s trial blog:
“[The prosecutor, Learned] Barry’s last statement was to ask the jury to give [defendant No. 1] the death penalty. ‘...And for God’s sake, you give him death for killing those two children!’”
This afternoon that panel demanded that [defendant No. 1] be put to death for the murders of the Harvey children, Stella and Ruby. For the other murder charges the jury only called for life sentences. So, the jury did underline the difference that Barry asked of it, for whatever that’s worth. Now, we hope to hear and read much less about defendant No. 1.
The trial for defendant No. 2 next month should make less news. Once done with that, another page will turn. We, as a community, will move on, as best we can. We accept the evil that took the Harveys was not a new thing in the world; it had nothing to do with them. While the verdict and sentence were pure justice, the execution of the murderers won’t mean that it won’t happen again, somewhere.
Not here, we pray.
For background from SLANTblog on this tragic disaster, click here. To go to the RT-D's archive for all stories related to this case and the Harvey family click here.
To find out about how to contribute to the Bryan and Kathryn Harvey Family Memorial Endowment fund click here.
2 comments:
I have never been a person who thought that the Commonwealth should be killing people, but this case has made me reconsider, I think justice was served.
elvez73,
Barry’s strategy to use the children’s suffering as a separate issue seems to have worked. It was a very smart move. It’s hard to object to the justice of the jury’s decision.
The only argument for life in prison, without parole, is that the death penalty is never appropriate.
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