November 28, 2005

Why Should I Feel Sorry for a Child Rapist & Murderer?

Carlie Brucia was an 11-year-old girl full of life and a lot ahead of her.  She was charming, bubbly and an A-student.  Was...until her life was ripped from her, slain by a man who first sexually abused her and, in order to protect himself, killed her.  This vile excuse for a human being is Joseph Smith and he changed not only Carlie's life, but everyone who knew her.

"I lost the love of my life," Susan Schorpen, the 11-year-old girl's mother, said Monday while fighting back tears and taking deep breaths from the witness stand. "I cry for her at all hours of the day. I cry for her at night. I'm broken. I will never heal."

Carlie's mom wants to see Smith die.  She said outside the courthouse "I'd like him dead today."  Can you blame her? 

Smith had his first day of trial to determine his sentencing and his family and friends are hoping for life in prison versus the death penalty. 

His aunt, a cousin and a former girlfriend described him as a talented handyman and mechanic who was ready to help anybody with their cars or home improvement projects.

Defense attorneys showed jurors pictures of Smith as a child, with his daughters and other relatives. They also played a DVD of Smith, 39, making a toast at his cousin's wedding.

"He would do anything I asked him to do," said Jean Dwyer, his aunt. "He was like a second son."

Now, don't get me wrong.  It is entirely predictable that family and friends of a person being sentenced for murder would want to rush to their defense - especially if they knew him as a completely different person.  But honestly, that doesn't mean that I have to feel sorry for the bastard.  He murdered an innocent 11-year-old girl.  He has DAUGHTERS OF HIS OWN.  I don't care that he had a drug addiction, I don't care about any of the problems he had.  His defense attorney apparently thinks that these issues should count for something (emphasis mine):

But defense attorney Carolyn DaSilva asked jurors to recommend sparing Smith's life. She noted that he had battled back pain, depression and drug addiction for the past dozen years, and said relatives, friends and a drug-addiction expert would testify how "a man with good qualities could have fallen so far."

"You will hear from witnesses who can tell you about Joe's good qualities ... even though he was unable to control his drug addiction," DaSilva said. "You will hear from people who care about Joseph Smith, and that his life has value."

So back pain is an excuse to avoid the death penalty when someone murders an 11-year-old girl after sexually molesting her?  Did he choose to hunt her down and molest her because he was depressed?  Did the drugs make him do it?  C'mon - that's offensive to most back pain victims, individuals with depression and even most drug addicts.  It shouldn't matter that these things exist.  People live with these issues every day and never hurt anyone like this.  He is the ADULT and he made choices that caused him to be addicted to drugs.  There are treatments for depression and for back pain.  Why the hell would anyone accept these excuses when it comes down to determining his sentencing?  What matters is that he made a very swift, heartless decision to kill a little girl after he violated her physically.  That was his crime.  I don't feel sorry for the guy in the least - I am unable to.  I *DO* feel sorry for Carlie's family.  Parents should never have to bury their children - and in particular children who die brutally because of another.  I am angry as hell that an 11-year-old girl had to suffer the way she did - and had to know she was going to die - I cannot even fathom how afraid she was. 

Why should he live, when he made the choice to not allow her to do so?