worthy punishment

Published Sept. 3, 1999

There has been no trial, nor has there been any evidence presented. And until Thursday there had been no arrest. Perhaps for the first time since two Dothan girls were found murdered many people will be able to sleep a little easier at night.

The murders committed were senseless, violent and terrible. Perhaps even more tragic is the fact that two young people will never be able to realize what they would have been, even who they would have become.

Obviously no one can be said to be guilty at this stage. We are bound by the Constitution to legally presume all persons innocent of crimes until they are found guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt."

And it is fair that we should do this. No one has been proven guilty.

From the start, the double murder has been a big story, followed locally, state-wide and nationally. Law enforcement agencies on the local, state and national level have become involved in the investigation. Now they are at least on a lead and may be able to begin to piece the mystery together of why these two girls were killed and how they came to have their lives snuffed out.

And when this crime is solved – and we say optimistically that it will be – we hope that those responsible will be brought to bear the wrath of blind justice. We want the innocent to be left alone, but at times like these, we cannot help but believe that our state’s position on capital punishment is a good one.

Though it is never easy to advocate the taking of a human life, it is difficult for us to want anything less for the person or persons who brutally destroyed the lives of two innocents.