A Matter of Life and Death

The issue of Capital Punishment isn't high on the national agenda at the moment. But I was confronted with that reality in the reading of Richard North Patterson's Conviction.

This carefully researched novel published in 2005, presents the case of a young, Afro-American male, who is charged and tried along with his older brother in the horrendous abuse and murder of a young girl. Complicating the case is the fact that the younger brother is mentally challenged if not retarded. Following his conviction the appeals process is picked up by a white, female lawyer who enlists her son and father, also lawyers, to examine every aspect of his trial and conviction. What they find is that every means is used to block any effective challenge to the original verdict.

This oppostion is often based on the political ambition, demands for revenge, lazy detective work, equally lazy public defenders, racial bias and the conventional belief that someone has to die to satisfy justice.

Shorty after reading the book I saw two old movies, Young Mr. Lincoln and Twelve Angry Men. Both these dealt with murders and the role of public opinion in the fate of those charged. Both are powerful statements that the discernment of guilt is not easy and the public demand to convict and kill and based on emotions and pujudices that are blinding.

Neither the book nor the movies touch on the religious relevance to the issue. Of course, that is where I would begin in building such a case. I will not pursue that further; I would only say that if one examines the life and words of Jesus both will be found to establish the sacredness of human life and reveals a God who values and protects life rather than vengefully extracts the pound of flesh for every crime. I believe God expects the same respect and care of children.