ON TARGET

 2/15/19      By Dave Gunn

The Injustice of Capital Murder Law

     Relax. I am not going to argue against the imposition of capital punishment. Rather, it is my purpose to argue for its expansion.

     Recently, in a tragic and senseless act, Officer Sean Tuder was gunned down in West Mobile. Accused of the crime is 19-year-old Marco Perez, who is now in jail and will be charged with “capital murder.” If convicted, he faces the possibility of the death sentence.

     Now I have no problem with Perez receiving the death penalty if he is indeed guilty of the murder of Officer Tuder. My problem is with a justice system that values the lives of some murder victims over the lives of others.

     In the state of Alabama, simple first degree murder is not punishable by death. Capital murder is punishable by death. A first degree murder becomes a capital murder when the victim is under the age of 14, or there is more than one victim, or the murder is committed in conjunction with another felony, or if the victim is a police officer or prison guard, or under several other situations.

     Recently Jermaine Lee was shot to death in West Mobile. Is his life worth less than the life of Officer Tuder?

     Jakorian Smith was shot to death on Christmas Eve. Is his life worth less because he was 15 years old and not under 14?

     Who should avenge their deaths? Is it not the proper role of a just government to punish murderers with a sentence equal in value to the life they have taken?

     I have often thought, while watching “Christian” ministers marching outside of prisons and holding signs that read, “Thou shalt not kill,” of how completely ignorant they were of the Bible. Perhaps they skipped the Hermenuetics class at their seminary.

     It was same God who gave the sixth commandment who also charged human government with the responsibility of executing murderers. Whoso shetteth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man. Genesis 9:6. The Apostle Paul wrote of the governmental official that . . .he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God: a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. –Romans 13:4.

And it was the same God who gave the sixth commandment who also allowed for killing in self-defense, in time of war, in response to a home invasion, and other specified situations. So what did God mean when He said, “Thou shalt not kill?”

     Jesus Himself defined the commandment when He said, Thou shalt do no murder. –Matthew 19:18. It is killing for personal reasons that is forbidden, and that deserves the death penalty, according to God’s Word.

     As our society is drifting into a post-Christian era, the Biblical underpinnings of our law are being erased. Currently 20 states outlaw the death penalty altogether, 7 states have capital murder laws (including Alabama), and those who are sentenced to death are able, through appeals based on the most ridiculous excuses, to avoid execution for 20-30 years after the death of their victim.

     In a just society, we express our value of the life of the victim by taking the life of his murderer. Further, we deter future murders.

     Liberals will say that capital punishment for all murderers does not deter future murder. You can be sure that the murderer who is executed will never commit another murder either in or out of prison. When execution is swift and sure, others will consider before they take the life of another.

     I like the idea of an automatic appeal of all death sentences. That way, if mistakes have been made they can be corrected. However, it is not right for a murderer to live decades after the death of his victim.

     When the death penalty is universal (with rare exceptions) for murderers, and when executions are carried out swiftly, we will reestablish the value of human life, and lower the murder rate. The legislature of our state should make this a priority.

[Dave Gunn is the nom de plume of Dr. David E. Gonnella, pastor of the Magnolia Springs Baptist Church in Theodore, Alabama.]