Friday, August 15, 2008

BP Tragedy

The BP killing, and the actions of the citizen who stole cigarettes while he lay dead or dying on the floor have raised issues of crime, punishment, and many others. I frequent this store, shop there at night and in the early mornings and drive by twice a day heading to and from work. This killing, more than any others, is likely to change my behavior.

On the issue of capital punishment.

Capital punishment does have a deterrent effect.

1) Specific individual deterrence - that criminal will never victimize anyone else, either on the street or while in prison (a common occurrence given that the most heinous criminals often hit the street again, and they all victimize in prison).

2) Because the potential offenders who are deterred by the threat of capital punishment DON'T BECOME A STATISTIC the effect is hard if not impossible to measure, but it does exist.

3) For those fond of comparing evil America to our more enlightened neighbors in the world (an apples to starfish comparison I disagree with), the countries with the harshest punishments for crimes have the least amount of crime, death penalty or not.

The callousness of the cigarette stealer is a sadder testimony of the state of our city and society then the killing. However both deserve the maximum. If there is any chance the victim was alive when the cigarette thug ignored him - he should be charged with felony murder.

I join in congratulating the officers who knew their beat, knew their jobs, and helped nab these dirt bags. There is no substitute for cops on the street, who know their area, and are proactive in traffic enforcement as a method to uncover other crimes.

TAHL

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

A Jury Sees Through the Rhetoric

A Lima Jury has found Ofc. Chavalia not guilty of charges related to his shooting of Tarika Wilson during the service of a warrant at her home earlier this year. All ready the clamor of racism (the jury was white!), corruption, facism and fear has begun. Many of the comments in the blogosphere and print media mix two separate issues.

The planning and execution of this warrant should have been done better. A no-knock entry, for this suspect (given the time frame of the investigation and results), at a time when it was more likely children would be present was a mistake. Command and staff officers of the Lima PD, must address this problem and make appropriate changes.

That being said, as the facts apparently showed the jury - Officer Chavalia's split second decision to shoot/not shoot, was reasonable given the facts known at the time, the suspects actions, and the situation. Rhetoric and politics aside, Tarika Wilson's decisions and actions impacted her fate. Ofc. Chavalia must live with the fact that in the performance of his duties he took a life. That does not make him criminal, negligent, or incompetent.

The dynamics of such a situation cannot be understood by those who have not experienced it, period. Of this I know what I speak.

TAHL