the justice system and the Jessie Davis murder trial
03/13/2008 12:24 a.m.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions in this blog are those solely of the writer, being me. I'm open to hear yours. Please share them.



If you know me on a personal level, you know that I doubt the justice system in this country very much so. This has nothing to do with the OJ Simpson murder case at all. My reasoning is personal. Having been a victim of a crime, I've gotten involved with Victim's Assistance. I've spoken at the candle light vigil that kicks off the National Crime Victim's Rights Week country wide numerous times and plan on speaking this year. I was let down by the courts, as well as many other victims and families of victims have been also. I have heard their stories. I have consoled them just as they have consoled me.



Today, the jury suggested that Bobby Cutts Jr. get life in prison, not the death penalty. The judge's final sentence for Cutts was life in prison, not eligible for parole for 57 years. Now, I know most people in NE Ohio, as I'm sure people other places, are outraged by this. They were gung-ho for the death penalty. I figured the jury would go for the life sentence. Me, personally, I don't know where I stand.



Let's weigh the options...shall we. (Please note, these are MY OPINIONS...)



Part of me thinks life in prison is what he deserves. That he needs to sit there everyday and think of what he did and how he hurt the Davis/Porter family. He needs to think about the mother he took away from his son and the sister he took away from him as well. During his testimonies on the stand, he often had tears in his eyes. He kept saying that "it felt like a dream"...that "i just wanted it to go away". I felt most of his tears were for show. I do however think that by his words, he's mental unstable. So him sitting in a prison cell will eat him alive. And if not, I'm sure the inmates will.



On the other hand...this man was a police officer. Someone that people like you and I rely on to keep us safe from harm. He knew right from wrong. You shouldn't fight with a pregnant woman, especially physically. If he did hit her in the throat, he knew to call for help. His attorney's said that he once saved someone's life. They said that today. Why couldn't Cutts save the lives of Jessie Davis and Baby Chloe? He also left his 2 year old son unattended for I believe, 2 days. Who knows what could have happened to him. Cutts had repeatedly lied to Jessie Davis' family when they asked if he knew where she was. He had the audacity to show up at searches and to speak with the media, knowing all the while he had murdered her. While her family read their impact statements, for him to sit there and not cry and show no emotion is a slap in the face. It made me sick to watch him. I cried with them. I felt their hurt. I wanted to know the answers to their questions. That's the kind of stuff that makes me feel like death should have been his sentence. And obviously, just from my own observation, the acts questionable to the death penaly, out-weigh the life sentence.



In reality, it is financially irresponsible for us as American's to sentence people to life in prison if we can sentence them to death. It's even more irresponsible for us to just give criminals a term sentence as well. It costs us thousands to millions of dollars for criminals who've killed someone or robbed someone to get 3 square meals a day. It costs us money to put these wrong do-ers thru schooling. Go to your local court's website and look at the criminal documents. Read someone's motion for early release. Read everyone's. Most of them say something along the lines of..."I have learned my lesson and I'm so very sorry for my actions.". Now ask yourself this, how many criminals are repeat offenders? You do the math.



Enough about the criminals...I must give mad props to Jessie Davis' mother, Patty Porter. She is an incredible woman for everything she said today in her impact statement. She said that she has forgiven Cutts and that she owes it to God and she hopes that he'll find God. She also asked the judge to give Cutts the LEAST possible sentence so that he could have a second chance at life. I think it's amazing that someone could find it in their heart, and not allow such hatred into their life, to forgive someone who has hurt them soo deeply. Someone who has taken someone so special away from them...forever. I truly look up to her and respect her decision. She's a bigger person for her choices and I think we all could really take a lesson from her.



I know that I could because I still haven't forgiven the 16 year old kid, who's been in prison for the past 4 years, for just sticking a gun to my head.

I am currently Bleh