Victims' Families Divided Over Death Penalty Vote

From Wisctv.com:
MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin families who have lost loved ones to murder are split on next week's vote on whether the state should bring back the death penalty.

One Madison family said the issue boils down to the Ten Commandments and the rule against killing.

If killing is wrong, then the family reasons that state-sponsored killing is also wrong.

Hank and Sharon Starkey's son Mark was murdered in 1990, slain by a drifter who had been in Madison only a few hours.

"I don't believe in killing, and so if the person that killed our son, if he were put to death, would that end my grief for Mark? No," said Sharon Starkey. "In prison for life? Sure. I'm not sure I really want to see him walk the streets again, but I don't want to see him put to death."

"The man who killed Mark, his last words in court were he would do it again. Still, I do not wish him death," said Hank Starkey.

But other families, like the parents of Cora Jones, would like to see at least some murders put to death.

In 1994, their 12-year-old was one of two young girls abducted and killed by pedophile David Spanbauer.

Several years ago, when the death penalty was also being debated, Cora's father, Rick Jones, was featured in political ads.

"Uncivilized criminals can't be treated civilized. They're going to turn right around and kill someone else. It's almost like Wisconsin is attracting these people," said Rick Jones.

The Jones story is one of many horribly tragic cases Senate President Alan Lasee has cited as a rationale for reinstating the death penalty.

"I think if it were to pass by a substantial margin, 60 percent or more, I think legislators who probably would have voted 'no' will take a second look at how their district feels about this topic, and perhaps can come forward and say we support it," said Lasee, who was the catalyst behind next week's advisory vote.

But Dane County Assistant District Attorney Bob Kaiser said before that happens, lawmakers should take a hard look at what he sees as a severe shortage of state prosecutors. He said there are 10 fewer in his office than when he started 20 years ago.

"We have people running for office right now saying they're all in favor of fighting crime. How are you in favor of fighting crime if one of your platforms isn't to put more prosecutors in courtrooms? You can arrest all the people you want. I can't shoot them," Kaiser said. "The only thing I can do is convict them, and that's where we do it in the courtroom in front of jurors, and I and the other prosecutors in the state are the lawyers for the people. And if you don't have enough lawyers for the people, they can't do the people's business."

Prior to his arrival in Dane County, Kaiser worked death penalty cases in Illinois and said he knows the enormous time commitment they take.

"Give us the people, and we'll be able to do what needs to be done. But without the people, I don't know how it possibly can be done," he said.

Reposted from WISCTV.com

posted by Sachin @ 5:19 PM