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Friday, August 28, 2009
Dugard Case Demands
Tougher Justice System
Jaycee Lee Dugard missed out on a lot. Her first innocent kiss with a boy. Her sweet 16 birthday party. Graduating high school and going to college. Maybe even having her father walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.
But allegedly, that was all savagely taken away from her at age 11, when she was allegedly kidnapped in 1991. But now, Jaycee Lee Dugard has finally been reunited with her family.
According to media reports and the police, the past 18 years have been a living hell for the blonde woman. Her alleged capturers, a husband and wife, held her prisoner and the husband allegedly raped her, fathering two daughters.
As Dugard and her family are now starting to piece their lives together again, the question is: What to do with Phillip and Nancy Garrido, the alleged abductors?
Interestingly enough, Phillip Garrido is no stranger when it comes to rape and kidnapping. He was convicted of those crimes in 1971. Apparently, prison did not help cure him of his vicious desires. And it seems unlikely that any rehabilitation programs will help him.
Assuming that Phillip Garrido is guilty of kidnapping and raping Dugard, what do we do with him? Well, in 2007 Reginald Swinton, a serial rapist dubbed “Spider-Man” because he went up New York City fire escapes and through windows to sexually attack women, received 150 years in prison.
Will this be the same fate for Phillip Garrido, if he did allegedly rape Dugard and held her captive for nearly 20 years?
Maybe stronger laws are needed for those who have committed such heinous crimes and their guilt is well beyond a shadow of a doubt, especially if they confess to their crimes.
Phillip Garrido lives in California and the alleged crimes took place in that state. Maybe, although very doubtful, he should get the death penalty. Yes, with the number of reviews and appeals that are given to convicted criminals it does cost the taxpayers money, far more than giving the convicted a life-time sentence, and that includes food, medical care and shelter.
However maybe it’s time to restrict these rights to those who have committed such foul crimes against the innocent and there is no doubt of their guilt, with the evidence stacked against them.
While capital punishment may not prevent crimes like rape or murder, it will guarantee that there will be no repeat offenders. And it will end the fears of the victims who lie awake at night, wondering if their tormentors will escape from jail and get them.
