-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- From: http://asp.washtimes.com/printarticle.asp?action=print&ArticleID=houseed3-20000209 The Washington Times February 9, 2000 The Starbucks Murders House Editorial The death penalty was once declared unconstitutional because it was held to be "cruel and unusual." That description is certainly debatable � indeed, it was subsequently rejected by the Supreme Court when capital punishment was reinstated more than 20 years ago. But the decision by Attorney General Janet Reno to seek the death penalty in the case of Carl Derek Cooper � the gunman charged with a triple killing at a Georgetown Starbucks coffee shop on July 6, 1997 � could certainly be described as "arbitrary and capricious." Though murders are committed in the District almost every day, many of them equally brutal, the last person executed for capital murder was Robert E. Carter � in 1957. While the Starbucks murders certainly merit the ultimate sanction against the perpetrator of those crimes, surely it's unequal justice that other killers, guilty of similar or worse offenses, face at most life in prison � often with the possibility of parole after 20 years. Those who believe in the death penalty � and there are strong arguments in favor of it � ought to be concerned about this uneven application of justice. It results from the fact that District has had no capital punishment statute on the books for years � while at the same time numerous federal crimes are in fact punishable by death. Cooper was charged with one such crime: "murder in the course of using a firearm during a crime of violence." But the legalistic hair-splitting and jurisdictional musical chairs don't alter the fact that a great many of the killings that occur in the District are "murder in the course of using a firearm during a crime of violence." There's no material or moral difference. But unless charged with a specific federal offense, the killers don't get their just reward � death. Instead, they get an all-expenses paid extended vacation, courtesy of the taxpayers. The disconnect between sanctions for essentially the same crime, all dependent upon whether one is charged under federal or state law, is dangerous because to any fair-minded person it does indeed seem arbitrary, capricious � even cruel and unusual, for that matter. Cold-blooded murder is cold-blooded murder � no matter how the legal system might parse it. Until and unless a single standard applies across the board, the death penalty will continue to be vulnerable to attacks by opponents � who will use the unease of proponents with its uneven application and capricious nature against them. If proved guilty, Carl Derek Cooper deserves to die. But so do others who are found guilty of similar crimes. That is the lesson � and the warning � to be gleaned from this horrible episode. Copyright � 2000 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day. ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
