Letters to the editor
Readers respond
Death is appropriate punishment for Oct. 27 shooter
I was surprised and gratified to read the letter in the Chronicle’s Nov. 18 edition, “Most families of Pittsburgh synagogue victims support the death penalty for the shooter.”
The letter is from the families of nine of the 11 wonderful people who were slaughtered at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, this community’s day of infamy.
I respect those who oppose capital punishment and various rationales to support their position; however, I concur with the writers of this letter that death is the appropriate punishment for such a heinous and unspeakable act as was committed against our community and civilization. I wish that there were a functioning death penalty statute in Pennsylvania. The reality is that there is not.
Well over two decades ago, a white racist mass murderer and a Black racist mass murderer were sentenced to death for their savagery. More than 40 years ago, two individuals were sentenced to death for their local homicide spree which was dubbed “kill for thrills.” One member of that pair has since died of natural causes in prison. All of these individuals were sentenced to death under Pennsylvania law, yet the three who remain alive and on our farcical death row are unlikely to ever be dealt the ultimate punishment.
I wish it were possible for the killer of their loved ones to be dealt with in a way that would bring some peace and finality to the families whose lives were shattered by an indoctrinated antisemitic savage.
Oren Spiegler
Peters Township
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