We are all too familiar with this narrative. Someone walks into a public area — a movie theater, a press event or an elementary school — and the gunman fires, injuring and killing too many. James Holmes, the alleged shooter responsible for the Aurora theater shooting, faces the death penalty after prosecutors rejected a plea bargain proposed by Holmes’ lawyers. If he were to receive the death penalty, he would be fourth on death row in Colorado.
Colorado has not executed an inmate in more than 30 years. It could be over a decade before Holmes faces the needle. His incarceration on death row will not nearly match the amount of tax dollars that the state and citizens of Colorado — not to mention those affected by the shooting — will have to pay. According to a study called “The Price of Prisons,” released in 2012, the average inmate costs $30,374 annually. As reported by news outlets such as The New York Times and NBC News, people present at his trial called for the death penalty so that victim’s families would not have to pay for a life sentence.
People are calling for the death penalty in this case. The Times even led its story with a quote about why Holmes should be executed. The general consensus is emotionally charged, and with each subsequent shooting, the sentiment grows. But even people who commit crimes like Holmes, especially if the evidence overwhelmingly points towards a guilty verdict, should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis like any other trial.
The death penalty is a dramatic end to the case that will give people solace and soothe open wounds, but that step is dramatic. The death penalty seems to make sense in certain situations, but if decisions such as these are so driven by anguish, the alternatives, like a lifelong prison sentence, seem to be more of a punishment than the needle, the permanent solution.
People similar to Holmes strive to be eternalized, which is why their crimes are so dramatic. The incessant national news coverage feeds their need for attention. These shooters formulate their plans far in advance and work out every kink so that they accomplish their goals. Although clouded by their rage and hostility towards innocent people, they think clearly enough to foresee the consequences. Every move is premeditated. The death penalty seems to be the solution people throughout the U.S. want for Holmes.
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