The view of the jury box inside Courtroom 201, where jury selection in the trial of Aurora movie theater shootings defendant James Holmes took place at the Arapahoe County District Court in Centennial. Three jurors in the trial were dismissed on June 9, amid concern they had been exposed to media coverage of the case and were discussing it among themselves. A fourth jury member was dismissed Monday, June 15. (The Associated Press/Brennan Linsley, Pool, file)
The Aurora theater shooting trial has forced all conscientious citizens to weigh what is at stake with the death penalty. After a long conversation with a friend, I hope that I have gained in understanding when I say that I believe what is truly at stake is the Truth with a capital T.
What created the murderer in an otherwise decent sort of individual could not just happen in a vacuum. When a person is a murderer, knowing what made that person who he or she is would probably reveal problems deep within the fabric of our society.
The death penalty is a solution that ignores root causes. We can all continue to hide our heads in the sand that way, and pretend that all is well. At some point we must take responsibility for the violence in our society, and take a serious look at why it appears to be getting worse.
Brenda M. Romero, Westminster
This letter was published in the June 16 edition.
Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
