“I derive great comfort from my belief there is an ultimate judge. I fervantly pray Barbour is not allowed to pass through the Pearly Gates.”
Ummm... Shouldn’t you be praying for him instead? Pray that he see’s the error in his ways and ask God for forgiveness. Your prayers for someones damnation are in vain... Just sayin.
Your point is well taken. I will pray the man ultimately sees the light. Certainly he has the chance to acknowledge his perfidy right up to the point of death. That said, my life 68 years of life experience tells me he will not unless something terrible happens as a direct result of his misguided clemency. I fear at least one of these murderers will hurt—or worse—someone again. Statistically, that is an 80% certainty for violent offenders. For the most part the only reason that percent isn’t higher is that a large number of the 20% that did not not commit another crime were simply too old to do so.
Which brings up another point. Why did Barbour pick murderers for clemency? Please spare me the wrongful judgement argument. The fact is that only only a fraction of a percent of condemned felons were the result of wrongful convictions. Certainly Barbour had the opportunity to show mercy on a whole host of young, non-violent offenders who really did just make a terrible in-the-moment choice. In ther words the likehood of them committing another crime was low to non-existent.
I find a bit odd, too, that Barbour chose to have murderers serving him in his home. I think that’s the last thing a rational person would choose to do. Don’t you?