Do monsters really exist?
Jim Nutting

I have always been an open proponent of the death penalty. I also believe in due
Process. If one is sentenced to meet his or her maker, there should be no doubt that person murdered their victim or victims. I am also against cruel and unusual punishment of prisoners. Punishment of human criminals should fit the crime. Recently, I have experienced a change of heart. What if the crimes were committed by something other then a human.
David Westerfield, who crawled out from the bowels of a sick and permissive society, lurks into a community, terrorizes and kills a child. Westerfield, like many other child molesters, attack the innocent and instill fear into the hearts and minds of mankind.
Crimes like this have been happening for many generations, but now seems to be festering into an epidemic of unbelievable proportions. Recently an 11-year old girl was abducted and killed. Millions witnessed the kidnapping on television. A college girl was kidnapped in broad daylight and killed by a previously convicted kidnapper who should never have been released back into public. There are other high profile cases now pending involving crimes against innocence. Again, I believe in the due process of law and I will not comment on anyone until they are convicted. There is a common thread with these individuals. They are what scared us as children. They are the things that we feared were hiding under our beds. They made us afraid of the dark. We insisted they were real. Our parents assured us that it was okay and sometimes kept the light on. They comforted us by saying, “there is no such thing as monsters”. They were wrong. Monsters do exist. Worse yet, they creep through our communities during times of daylight.
When captured and convicted, do we put these monsters to death? I don’t believe in all cases we should. All murders are tragic and all murderers should pay the ultimate price. Monsters rape and kill their victims, horrifying society and changing it forever. Monsters do not go away, they will ooze into once safe neighborhoods. Some monsters have infiltrated into families and terrorize within. Once appearing to be a family member or friend and then morphing into a creature with a lust to induce pain on the innocent. Leaving the light on won’t help.
Modern science is inventing medicines to cure and comfort the ill. Every day animals give their lives to modern science. Even after a possible cure for a disease is found, there has to be ongoing studies of the medicines because the tests were done on other species. This could take decades. I think you know where I am going with this. Yes, I did say I was against cruel and unusual punishment. You’re right. What I meant to say was cruel and unusual punishment against humans, not monsters. Society needs to know there is a payback. In cases of murderous rape, this punishment fits the crime. I place a higher value on rats, monkeys and rabbits over monsters. Oh yes, terrorists are monsters too.