JUDICIAL TRAVESTY

I could be accused of picking on women, especially Mary Winkler for her heinous act of cold blooded premeditated murder. The feminists would say that I am a male chauvinist and seek to disregard all contrary evidence regarding men. This accusation is incorrect because it matters little to me whether it is a male or female that commits murder. They both equally deserve the death penalty. It is the judicial travesty that I oppose that is given to particular individuals.

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines travesty as, "to translate into such language as to render ridiculous or ludicrous." Our judicial system is no longer oriented toward justice and victim’s rights, but all the rights are given to the criminal. This is because of the notion that criminals are to be rehabilitated, not punished. The concept of restitution is wholly missing from our judicial system. If anything, the taxpayer has to make restitution for the criminal. We have a reversal of ethical cause and effect.

A recent judicial travesty was in the sentencing of Eric McLean. McLean was convicted of reckless homicide in the death of his ex-wife’s lover Sean Powell. McLean claimed that he did not intend to harm Powell when he confronted him with a gun outside his home. What was McLean thinking when he took a gun and confronted Powell, someone who was causing him emotional distress? If he did not intend to harm Powell, why did he pull the trigger? Of course, he intended to murder Powell. Even if he did not intend harm, what was the result?

While Powell was committing sin, it was not McLean’s position to do what he did. McLean should have divorced his wife rather than murdering her lover. He had other options, but he chose to take matters into his own hands. He operated outside the law and deserved the consequences of his actions which for a murderer is forfeiture of his own life. McLean is evil. It matters little that he had no previous criminal record. He now is a murderer.

His sentence given by the judge is ludicrous. The penalty is not commensurate with the heinousness of the crime. One of Powell’s relatives said that McLean is a "master manipulator." His act was an act of premeditation and he fully intended to harm Powell. McLean was given a sentence of 90 days in jail and 12 years of probation. This sentence is even worse than Mary Winkler’s. It is the most ridiculous sentence I have ever heard of for someone who has murdered someone in cold blood.

This is when you know that life is cheap when criminals, such as McLean, receive such a light sentence for such a heinous act. This is truly a travesty. Powell did not deserve to be murdered by McLean and McLean no longer deserves to live. The judge in this case has reversed ethical cause and effect. McLean forfeited his right to continuity of life and yet he is going to be released in 47 days because he has already served 43 days. This is why people have no confidence in the judicial system. The judicial system is an absurdity.