Looking Out My Back Door

Words Fail (Part II)

This entry was going to be a recap of my wonderful weekend in New Orleans, but I'm putting that off for now because I am so disturbed over a recent home invasion that took place in Cheshire, Connecticut.

To sum up: the home of a Dr. Petit, his wife and two daughters was invaded by two paroled criminals. They savagely beat Dr. Petit, tied him up and threw him in the basement. Then the two of them apparently took turns raping the mother and children. Children. Tied to beds. Scared beyond reason. Absolute, sheer horror.

In the morning, one of the miscreants took the mother to the bank and forced her to withdraw $15,000. Somehow she communicated to a bank worker what was happening to her family. The thug brought her back to the house, but by the time police arrived, the house was blazing, the father had managed somehow to escape, but his wife and children were dead. The perps were caught fleeing the scene and are now under arrest.

Dr. Petit is in the hospital recovering from his serious physical wounds. I don't know if he knows the fate of his family at this point. Whether or not he may ever recover from that is anyone's guess. He is a respected endocrinologist and therefore a highly intelligent man, but this is one of the most horrific stories I've ever heard, and I cannot imagine how I would feel if I knew the victims, let alone were related to them.

I believe in the death penalty only when it is crystal clear that the offense(s) were, in fact, committed by the accused. It mystifies me why we spend our tax dollars supporting hardened criminals who have done such horrible things to others. Again, I don't believe in enacting this ultimate penalty if there is a shred of doubt, because you cannot raise the dead if DNA or other evidence proves them innocent after the fact. In this case, though, I'll be happy to press the button, depress the plunger, or give the order to permanently remove these scumbags from society.

My thoughts are with the Petit family. Prayers, too.

posted by Hopster @ 11:49 AM