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Today is Rick Scott's First Killing!
Technically, it's Florida's monstrous, terrible governor Rick Scott's second killing, if you count all the money he made when he was forced out of his own company, as it made the "largest fraud settlement in U.S. history," as it had systematically defrauded the government of millions of dollars. But it's his first killing of a human being! Is everyone terribly upset about the death, six hours from now, of Manuel Valle? Actually, probably yes: even the makers of pentobarbital have written to Rick Scott to ask him not to kill Manuel Valle with their drug. But the victim's family is really very eager for someone to die so that they can feel better.
You know what's fun? Reading the comments after the article. Quick everyone, to the coliseum!
Is this where he hides the horcrux?
I tend to find Balk's weather posts amusing rather than depressing, but state-sanctioned killing in the 21st century: oy.
And here we have a 61-year-old man being put to death for something that happened when he was 28. OH THE RAGE.
Nice article, thanks for the information.
Hmm. Tough, but fair. Have to agree.
Eh, not nearly as compelling as Troy Davis.
"eager for someone to die so that they can feel better."
Oh come on, I'm against the death penalty too but is it really necessary to get snarky all over the victim's family.
@LondonLee Kind of, yes. I'm sorry but this is a cultural issue, and until the culture around being the family of a victim is not one of bloody vengeance this is gonna be a lot more difficult.
Well, God forbid I never have to find out what they feel like but I wouldn't be sure I'd be so logical and cooly liberal about it.
And I still don't think being all NYC-superior about people that have lost a husband and father is the proper response either.
@LondonLee Thank you for speaking up for the victim's family.
@LondonLee
I think the larger point (as I have been thinking about it) is that the victim's family's opinion about any specific execution is absolutely not the point, and I (for one) would very much like these mentions to stop appearing in coverage of capital cases.
The death penalty is not for the families of the victims. It's ostensibly for "society." The courts exist to uphold the law, not to provide closure. Victims families deserve a whole other form of care and attention, but their support or (surprisingly frequent) opposition for a particular conviction and punishment are not germane.
@Charismatic Megafauna – I think you can make the argument that a criminal sentence is supposed to be partly a deterrent, but if we aren't supposed to take into account how crimes affect the victims, why include victim impact statements in the penalty phase?
I don't have the automatic aversion to the death penalty that maybe I should and this guy isn't innocent/a kid/a good guy in the wrong place at the wrong time so my injustice bells aren't sounding. That being said, something's been troubling me about the article, and it's that Choire is right: the daughter sounds downright eager. Vengeance isn't an emotion that I'm going to begrudge anyone, but I would like to think that 30 years (and therapy!) would temper that instinct somewhat. No one should be eager to kill another person.
@swampette Sometimes even 40 years is not enough, I can tell you that.