Craig Michael Wood, a 45-year-old middle-school football coach had snatched Hailey from the street in plain view of neighbors, racing her off to her doom, and to what should without question be his own doom.
Nobody.
Clearly he is guilty beyond any doubt whatsoever. Witnesses saw him abduct Hailey. She was found in Wood’s basement, inside two trash bags stuffed inside of plastic storage containers.
Justice demands that Wood receive a speedy trial and an equally swift execution.
Is there some other punishment that would fit the crime? No, nothing short of Wood forfeiting his own life.
I’m not aware of a single rational argument for withholding the death penalty in cases such as this one. There is zero doubt as to Wood’s guilt. He snuffed out the life of an innocent child. He deserves nothing less than death.
Was Mr. Wood sane when he committed the crime? Of course he wasn’t. Is anybody sane who sheds innocent life in cold blood? I doubt it. And I definitely don’t believe that “insanity”, temporary or otherwise, should ever be a death penalty deterrent.
Some would argue that in a “civilized” society such as ours it is barbaric for the state to enforce the death penalty. I totally disagree. So long as due process of law is followed, and guilt is established beyond any doubt, there is nothing barbaric about justice. On the contrary, it is uncivilized for a society to withhold the death penalty in such cases.
The day Hailey’s body was found, an angry citizen stood outside the the Greene County courthouse holding a sign that read: “Child killer. Hang ’em”. [ref]
I couldn’t agree more.