Mayor’s Row…....by Ned Mitchell

            A recent newspaper story in the Metro east reported that a group of amateur film makers was hosting a rally in support of a convicted murderer.  The story caught by eye because of the brutality of the murders that four young men committed in 1991.  I well remember the murders being reported and followed the trials of the defendants closely in St. Louis newspapers.

            One night in 1991 two young sisters were handing out with friends on the old Chain of Rocks bridge on the Missouri side and began talking to a group of guys.  The bridge was a popular hangout for young people at the time.  Before the evening was over the two young sisters were sexually assaulted by the four men and then thrown off the bridge to their deaths.  I believe I am correct in saying that one of the sisters was never found.  A trial was held and all four defendants were found guilty of first degree murder and other charges.  Now we have a group who has decided they need to point out as they call it “injustices” for one of the defendants.

            Another brutal crime with ties to Sesser happened just last week when a young mother and Centralia school teacher was brutally murdered after being sexually assaulted.  The person charged with this heinous crime was caught within 24 hours and has admitted guilt.  When asked by police what should happen to him now that he has been caught he merely replied something like I should be in jail the rest of my life.

            Some years ago during my stint in the State Senate I became involved in the case of an 8 year old boy who had been murdered by his mother’s boyfriend.  For a period of time the young boy was abused, even beaten with an extension cord before he was murdered and his body stuffed into a suitcase.  Of course the Illinois Department in charge, DCFS, was well aware of the extension cord beating and they still decided to keep the defenseless child in that home despite the fact that the violator had done similar things to children in another state.  Of course it would be asking too much to do a criminal background search in Illinois once the first report of abuse came to the attention of DCFS.

            Another tragedy involving a child happened a few weeks ago in another state where a man and his girlfriend were having problems.  The problems escalated with the man choking the girlfriend and leaving her for dead.  He then took the woman’s five year old daughter to a place called Alligator Alley and left her alone.  Needless to say the alligators attacked and killed the young girl.

            My solution for these crimes?  Take the man who helped push the girls off the bridge and throw him off.  If the first time does not kill him, do it again until he dies the same way his victims did.  The school teacher murderer should have both his legs broken, kicked in the head dozens of times and then stabbed until he is a goner.  The man who beat the child with an extension cord should likewise be beaten, killed and then stuffed into a suitcase.  As for the alligator killer, put him in Alligator Alley and let the gators make a meal of him.

            Now I realize that some folks might think I am a heartless person but actually I am not.  I merely think that those among us who commit these types of crimes should meet the same fate as their victims.  I can see no useful purpose to allowing these individuals any mercy that they did not extend to their victims.  If anything we here in Illinois are prolonging punishment by a so called moratorium on the death penalty.   Criminals know they can commit all kinds of crime in Illinois even killing and then be allowed to live.

            We have a double standard being set not only in Illinois but all over America.  Take the case of the pregnant wife in another state who was murdered by her husband.  The husband was convicted of two murders, that of his wife and that of his unborn child.  Never mind the fact that if the mother had chosen to have an abortion, that would have been legal.  The end result of the unborn child would be the same death.  In one instance the father and husband was convicted of murdering his child, but if the mother had chosen to end the pregnancy, that would have been all right.

            Now here comes the punch line.  Just who do you think is responsible for keeping all of the above creeps alive and fed for the rest of their lives?  Who do you think would say a father is wrong for murdering his unborn child but in thousands of other instances think it is okay for the mother to have an abortion and also kill that unborn child?  Most of you know where I am coming from. As a democrat I am sad to say that it is my fellow democrats all over this country who oppose the death penalty in criminal cases and turn and look the other way when a woman chooses to have an abortion to snuff out the life of an unborn child.

            Are all democrats in this mold?  Fortunately not, we do have some who still adhere to the old standards of our fore fathers who would have never tolerated such behavior and punishment for violent crimes was swift and sure.  Its just that now, especially in Illinois, the whole state is controlled by a bunch of left wing, liberal wacko, tree hugging legislators who think criminals have more rights than victims.  While we are at it lets throw federal convict George Ryan on the heap too since he is the republican who found salvation by letting all of the death row inmates in Illinois off the hook by commuting their death sentences.

            Elections are just around the corner and I do believe that all of our local legislators stand with us on the death penalty.  We should ask each and every one of them to sponsor legislation to life the moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois.  We should get back to the business of making sure that when you murder someone, you are going to suffer the same fate.  Cruel and unusual you say?  Neither I say, what is cruel and unusual is to allow these creeps to keep breathing the oxygen in the air.  It is one sure way to keep down the repeat offenders!

            Mable Page is in the skilled care at Franklin Hospital.  Edna “Nonnie” Harle is home after a couple of days in the hospital.  Dwight Dame is still in a Mt. Vernon facility.  All of these folks would appreciate a card, phone call or visit.

            The Christopher Lions Club hosted their 84^th annual Halloween Parade Saturday night.  The event was a huge success with Mayor Bartolotti being rightly honored as parade marshal.  Christopher folks are to be commended for this fine event every year at this time.

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