Category Archives: Death Penalty

Sacrificing the Small Fry

Neither murderer Gary Haugen nor Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber understand the nature of sacrifice. In Kitzhaber’s case it’s surprising. He used to be an emergency room doctor. Certainly he realizes that some people are worth trying to save, and some are not. His efforts on behalf of Haugen not only cost the state of Oregon […]

Having Fun In Prison

Twenty years from now, how many pen pals will Aurora, Colo., killer James Holmes have? Andrew Metz has several, and he murdered only two people. He told the Oregon State Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision earlier this month he looks forward to a future that he hopes will include starting a family. (Interested? Check […]

Questions for the Living

If you were murdered, would you want your killer executed? Murder can be a terrible way to die. Even if it’s quick – and it often isn’t – murder is a crime that is stuck on rewind. The killer can revisit his victim’s final moments in his mind anytime he wants to. He can relive […]

Haugen’s Media Super Bowl

Hunter S. Thompson wasn’t on Death Row, so he had to take matters into his own hands. No attorneys, no media circus. Just a gun and a suicide note entitled “Football Season Is Over.” Thompson’s last words: “No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is […]

Troy and Tookie Live On

In the split-second eternity when the needle connected with his arm, Troy Davis may have appreciated at last what happened to Mark MacPhail. Perhaps Davis finally realized what death is: He wouldn’t be here to see the news about his own execution. Davis died a humane death with loved ones nearby. But because he was […]

Forgiveness Comes Cheap

When they lay the mother and her four children to rest, perhaps they’ll play John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” or “All You Need is Love.” Never mind that Lennon himself was gunned down. For people who seek simple solutions to tough problems, nothing beats forgiveness. “We want Jordan to know that he’s been forgiven,” […]

Living and Rotting on Death Row

Sometimes a Death Row inmate’s best friend can be a retired prosecutor. That’s what Gary Haugen needs if he really wants to be executed. Since announcing in May that he wants to waive all appeals and die, he has discovered the cruelest truth about the death penalty: It’s all about the care and keeping of […]

Where the Dancing Never Stops

Susan Smith must be sitting in her South Carolina prison cell thinking, “Chloroform and duct tape – damn! Why didn’t I think of that?” The young mother killed her two sons in 1994, then blamed a man who carjacked her and made off with her vehicle and children. Her case is more often recalled because […]

Gary Haugen’s Con Job

The only people guaranteed a humane death in the U.S. are the men and women on Death Row. The rest of us are at the mercy of disease, old age, drunken drivers, war, natural disasters, the list goes on. Some of us will be at the mercy of guys like Gary Haugen. Anyone can suffer […]