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Lisa Sophia Spencer

Dec 30, 2020

Who deserves...

No baby is born into this world a "criminal." Very small children do not dream or aspire to die on death row.

As we know, on Thursday night, December 10, 2020, Brandon Bernard was put to death. I felt crushed in sadness. Though, I realize my heart would initially and instinctively have felt differently if it were my loved ones harmed by any act of terror.

Yet, I found myself pondering, what harm, neglect or trauma could've caused Brandon to be this way at the age of 18 (his age at the time of the crime), and with the very wrong crowd that paved the way to the lethal injection that killed him at the hour of his expired time on death row.

As in the story of Guy Fisher, people do rehabilitate and even in Brandon Bernard's case, people do reform their lives. As an American society, do we believe in providing the resources for people in prison, who are willing and able, a true chance to reform, retrain, redeem, readapt and reintegrate?

Despite my above thoughts, I also feel for the surviving family members of Stacie and Todd Bagley. If I had 10 million tongues, I could not find the mouth to say to the mothers of the victims, "you should move on after 22 years, and advocate that Brandon's life not be taken away."

I think Bryan Stevenson said it best "... the question is not who deserves to die for the crimes they commit, the real question is, do we deserve to kill?"

7 comments

7 Comments

Unknown member

Nov 18, 2022

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C Bella

Jan 05, 2021

The death penalty should be used on people who commit heinous crimes, like the Sandy Hook shooter and other serial murders. My problem is that the justice system is notorious for falsely imprisoning and over-sentencing black people. Bernard's crime, though wrong, didn't fit the punishment. If -and only if- the person is 100% guilty, AND the crime is diabolical and intentional against multiple people, then death is warranted but states should rarely use this power.

Lisa Sophia Spencer

Jan 08, 2021

Replying to

Such balanced and intriguing points of view you've shared, in my opinion. Though the double murders that Bernard was involved in would be considered heinous, by many, and arguably diabolical, for me as an outsider, it's much easier to have a compassionate viewpoint. I was deeply saddened when Bernard was put to death, despite the transformation he made. He reformed himself and was still serving his life in prison. Facts, Black people are grossly over-sentenced, this is evidenced C Bella. "Black people make up 47% of exonerations (due to wrongful imprisonment) even though we're only 13% of the American population" (eji.org/issues/wrongful-convictions/ ). We cannot make the violence of poverty and the resulting decay of mental illness go away through imprisonment.

troy.logan66

Dec 30, 2020

Even though we live among monsters no one have the right to take a life the monster or a state government not knowing what we should do with monster eventually they will meet another monster that is bigger government has no right to take life everyone has to pay for their crime only GOD can judge.

Lisa Sophia Spencer

Dec 31, 2020

Replying to

powerfully spoken Troy "... bigger than government...only God can judge."

earlytalkwithrizzodenise

Dec 30, 2020

This is without question a great read. All valid points written in this piece. I agree with a heart filled with heaviness and hope that our government comes around to the side of the people

Lisa Sophia Spencer

Dec 31, 2020

Replying to

Truly Denise, truly.