I'm Father John Rouse and I live in Stanton, Kentucky. Every month when I pay my water bill
at the Powell County Courthouse, I pass by some markers to police officers who have fallen in
duty. These are men who have protected our community. There are two markers there, Officer Briscoe
and Officer Bennett who died on the same day. Actually, unfortunately, they were killed on the same
day by a man who lived no more than five miles away from where I lived. Over the course of months
and even years, I got to know the widow and the family of both slain officers. I also met the man
on death row, the perpetrator. It is a most amazing thing to hear from a person on death row
how he felt he would like to really express sorrow for what he's done. When I think of
murder, when I think of violence, I think that everyone is a victim. Certainly, the people who
were killed are victims, the families of those victims. Certainly, even the perpetrator, the
perpetrator who perhaps had a very bad upbringing, perhaps didn't have opportunities in life,
confused, paranoid, whatever. These are people who unfortunately, in their weakest moment,
caused great harm to others. I am against the death penalty because I see that we must put an
end to violence. That if we continue to kill in order to tell people not to kill, it seems to be
a contradiction. I think of that gentleman on death row. How? He can still make contributions to
even his fellow mates on death row going out of his way. He can still resurrect his own life in
a small way by serving others in just little everyday kinds of activity. I realize that he can
never go free, the one who did this horrible crime against law officers. But I also recognize
that we as a society will be much better and much safer when we get to a point of dealing with
people like my friend on death row. We can put them away, keep society safe, and allow them to
continue to find forgiveness through some sort of activities that will help make a contribution
to society even in their own way, even in their jail cell. I am against the death penalty because
it just continues to make all of us victims of violence.
