Capital punishment for heinous crimes
Published:Monday | June 12, 2023 | 12:26 AM
THE EDITOR Madam:
The murder of eight-year-old Danielle Rowe, is an indication of the level of savagery in Jamaica, which is troubling. I am concerned that it will get worse if drastic action is not taken to severely punish the perpetrators of this heinous crime. A strong message should be sent to prevent deviants from entertaining the thought of harming any child, else the situation will get worse.
This is certainly not the first time that Jamaican children have been targeted. We recall disappearance of Jasmin Deen, a 23-year-old visually impaired student of The University of the West Indies, who was presumably abducted and probably killed, about three years ago. For someone to engage in the dastardly act of taking advantage of those who are incapable of defending themselves, shows a level of nefariousness that detaches them from all sense of humanity.
Unfortunately, the hands of the law have been tied as Jamaica doesn’t allow capital punishment. Murderers who are tried and found guilty are not given harsh sentences. They are aware that the harshest punishment, if they are caught, tried and found guilty, will be a life sentence.
I fear that a frustrated populace, fearful that their child will be the next victim, will be forced to take matters into their own hands. This was the case in St Thomas; after a series of rape of young children, an innocent man was killed by people who mistook him for the alleged rapist.
Let us hope that it will not come to that and instead, the authorities will devise a solution to arrest the problem before it festers.
ERROL MCLEISH