Friday, January 7, 2011

In Partial Defense of Billy Alverson

Reader Kim Bump has left a comment on my post regarding Billy Alverson. Alverson was executed by the people of Oklahoma yesterday.

I notice that the first of Kim Bump's two comments has been replaced with "This post has been removed by the author." For clarification, I did not remove the comment. I have yet to remove any comment from any of my posts.

To insure that Kim Bump's voice is heard, I paste the entire surviving comment below.
It is a tragedy what Mr. Yost had to go through in his final moments on earth. Nobody should have to leave life that way. However, taking Billy's life does not accomplish much. Unfortunately, Mrs. Yost is too painfully aware that the death of Billy does not bring her the closure she most certainly wants and deserves.

Was Billy perfect? Of course not. But he was a living human being that was put to death by the government. If murder is so awful, the state needs to stop doing it as well. Lead by example!

Also, if you read the case file and the lead detective's testimony you will find that Billy never struck Mr. Yost. Should he have been trying to rob the place? NO. Should he have stopped the defendant who went and got the bat and actually hit and continued to hit Mr. Yost? YES.

To place the same amount of blame AND give a person the ultimate penalty of death, just doesn't sit well with me. Shouldn't they have actively taken a life?

BTW... I also went to school with Billy. And even though his role in this horrific crime was wrong, wrong, wrong, I still mourn for his family and his 4 children as well as Mr. Yost's family and children.

You can still care about a person and the people they left behind while acknowledging the heinousness of their actions.

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