Hell has a special place...

The state of Ohio executed William L. Garner yesterday. Garner, 37 years old, was convicted for the1992 murders of five children, ages eight through twelve. The five children perished in a fire that Garner had deliberately set in order to cover up a burglary, where he had stolen some household electronics. A sixth child, a thirteen year old boy, managed to escape the fire by jumping from a window.

Garner knew the children were inside the home when he lit the fire and had actually spoken to one of them as he was burglarizing the residence. Garner admitted to starting the fire, but said that he thought the children would make it out. Garner started the fire by tossing a match onto a couch.

I am pretty ambivalent about the death penalty. As much as I like the idea of revenge, the process has degraded to the point where I feel that it's usefulness has passed. Likely by design, the amount of time that a prisoner is kept on death row and the cost of  the appeals process far outweighs the cost of keeping a prisoner incarcerated for life. Except in extreme cases, just lock them up and don't let them out. Ever.

In my most humble of opinions, this was an extreme case. To kill five kids by arson is heinous beyond belief. I am not buying his argument that he thought they would make it out either. He committed this act to cover up a crime. At least one of the kids spoke to him, what good is burning the up the house while letting an eyewitness survive?

Death penalty opponents have pointed to Mr. Garners limited mental capacity, poor education and abusive upbringing as reasons not to carry out his penalty. Without delving into these points myself, I can't opine on that. I can say however, that an overwhelming number of abused, uneducated, slow kids do not light houses on fire with six kids sleeping inside.

Accounts of Mr. Garners last day state that Mr. Garner seemed truly repentant and sorry for his actions. His behavior both inside prison and on the outside indicate a very damaged, hostile person.

Whether society or his victims forgive him his not important. He has been held accountable to us. That is for our satisfaction, not his redemption. What happens next is between him and God. I believe that God has the capacity to forgive anyone, no matter how severe the offense. Should God determine that Mr. Garner was not sincere in his repentance and that his spirituality was a charade, then Mr. Gardner's fate is sealed.

If so, I hope he's in a special place, one reserved for the worst.

Thanks for reading,
Schmoe