Well, folks, by now you’ve heard, I’m sure, that Jeff Terronez agreed to not seek the death penalty in exchange for Elijah Reid forfeiting all his appeal rights and spending his life in prison. If not, feel free to check out this story.
If you click that link, make sure you check out the comments. A commenter who goes by Stateville1991 says this: “Maybe…Terronez wants to ‘play nice’…since the FBI is still ‘snooping’ around the various county offices. Terronez doesn’t realize that…he has it ‘backwards’ as far as the death penalty goes! More punishment for this crime, not less…despite what the victim’s families want!”
Now, Stateville 1991 raises an interesting point. Mr. Terronez took the death penalty off the table after family members of Jermaine Robinson and Ryan Ferry agreed to it. But Stateville seems to be suggesting that Mr. Terronez should have ignored the wishes of the family and sought the death penalty anyway.
My question is this: Do you agree? Should Mr. Terronez have sought death against Elijah Reid even though the families of the victims said they would be ok with life in prison for him?
Something to consider: At the bottom of the story I wrote, you’ll find a quote from Janea Robinson – Jermaine’s little sister. In it, she says she was very excited about the death penalty at first. But she adds that the important thing is the guilty verdict, regardless of what actually happens to Mr. Reid.
Another question Stateville1991 raises: How much input should victims’ families be allowed to have in decisions like this? Should it be totally at the discretion of the prosecutor? Granted, legally, it IS totally up to Mr. Terronez to make the decision to seek the death penalty or not. But how much weight SHOULD a prosecutor give to the wishes of the victims’ families?
As per usual, post your responses in the comments section. And I’m asking you all this: PLEASE keep it civil. No personal attacks. No insults. Argue vehemently and passionately, but stick to the facts and the issues. Don’t turn it into a lot of name-calling. Thanks.
Prosecutors often say we should support the death penalty because victims’ families need it for the sake of “closure.” It’s ironic that they often push for it even when the families themselves don’t want it. Some families don’t believe in it, and are sure their loved one would have felt the same. Many others are like Jermaine Robinson’s sister. They may strongly support the death penalty at first, but come to realize that it has been oversold. It won’t bring their loved one back — nothing will. What matters is seeing the right person convicted, and seeing them put away for a long time where they can’t hurt others.
From what I can see, the families who DO see the killer sentenced to death are often the worst off. They are forced to relive their pain for years on end as the case winds through appeals. The media returns to their doorstep at each stage, and the convicted person’s name becomes a household word. Sometimes they are dragged out to press conferences and public hearings by overzealous prosecutors who make them feel like this is their duty to their loved one, no matter how wrenching. I am glad the Ferry and Robinson families will not have to go through this, and I wish them all the best.
I guess if you think the death penalty prevents future murders, you could justify seeking it no matter what the family wants. But it doesn’t — and lots of law enforcement people know that even if they don’t say so publicly. A recent national survey of 500 police chiefs found that increasing police resources and tackling drug and alcohol abuse were their highest priorities for combating crime, followed by child abuse/domestic violence prevention and services for the mentally ill. The death penalty ranked dead last. (See the report, “Smart on Crime,” at http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org.)
I think you nailed it, Joann. I guess the big question I have in regards to Stateville’s comment is this: What good would it do to pursue the death penalty if the victims’ families don’t want it?
For the record, it appears, after talking with Janea Robinson and Jeff Terronez (Ryan Ferry’s parents didn’t comment), that both families feel that Elijah Reid’s life sentence with no chance of appeal or parole is justice.