This time it was Bobby Lee Hines.
Mr. Hines murdered Michelle Haupt 21 years ago in Dallas. He was 19 at the time.
The death of Mr. Hines did nothing to heal the pain the Haupts have felt since their daughter was killed. The hold in their lives is still there. There daughter is never coming home again.
The State of Texas killed Mr. Hines for the sake of killing him. There was nothing to be gained by pumping him full of a lethal dose of pentobarbital. His actions on that day 21 years ago were not magically erased.
You can't really even call the murder of Mr. Hines revenge. Harold Haupt, Michelle's father, was upset that it took 21 years for the state to get around to taking Mr. Hines' life. He was upset that his death appeared so peaceful. As he described it, Mr. Hines was put to death with a sleeping pill.
So who's satisfied by this outcome?
Nothing was solved. No one was healed. Two families have suffered a loss.
I'm sorry for the loss the Haupts suffered. I can't imagine the pain of losing your child in that manner. But one murder does not justify a second murder.
The state is still killing. People are still killing. The state will continue to kill until we tell our government that we've had enough killing for the sake of killing. People will continue to kill each other so long as there are alcohol, drugs, money and women around.
For those who champion limited government I ask how you justify affording the state the most intrusive power it can wield? You're up in arms when the federal government proposes a measure to mandate health care coverage for (more or less) everyone, yet it doesn't even phase you when the government kills in your name.
It's time to stop it.
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