Angie Zapata's Monster Never Again

[Guest mia 1]

Read this article in today's Denver Post and feel that justice was served a HATE CRIME AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER consecutive sentences...bye bye monster http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/19411715/detail.html Last time that dirt bag will be seen under blue skies.......

[Guest Elizabeth K]

GOD does sometimes allow justice to be served. It is so needed - and we have a precident here now - punishment for a hate crime... one against a transsexual person.

I still am just sick over some of the comments I read regarding this case! But it took 50 years to get the 'n' word out of people's vocabulary. Queer I still used - gay is common, but 'F*g' seems to be fading. And all gender dysphoric? People don't really know what derogatory name to call us, but they are probably working on it!

I'll probably be gone - but someday, people will allow people to be themselves.

Lizzy

Oh yes - a special expression of deep appreciation to Mia and her keeping us informed on the tragic Angie Zapada case. Mia's sypathetic approach also reflects the compassion and exceptional insight of the majority of the people in her community and the State of Colorado. GOD bless you all.

[Sally]

Justice, rather than blind vengeance was served - to me the idea of incarceration without hope of release is a concept more terrifying than death, must be the claustrophobic in me but I do feel that it is a terrible price to pay and should be reserved for such horrible crimes.

It would be so much quicker and more of a mob justice idea to want to see the monster destroyed and to want to take part in some way of the destruction - it is a glimpse into our more civilized nature to maintain the beast and try to make it understand the seriousness of it's actions - in a sense to redeem it, or at least to allow it the opportunity for redemption before eventually going to meet his maker as a man again rather than a soulless monster.

That was the original idea behind life imprisonment - to remove the threat from society and to offer redemption for the tortured souls that have committed unspeakable acts - that is why every prison has a Chaplin - there would be no need if we weren't in some small way still trying to save them

We need to hold on to that tiny spark of humanity and goodwill that has been for so long buried under the weight of centuries of punishment and realize that we may not be able to safe the man, but there still is a chance for the soul or essence to finally be cleansed.

It is only through such well meaning beliefs that we can ever hope for acceptance and peace in our lives.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

That's great to hear! That dude needs to rot in prison.

[Guest nova]

YAY!! I hope the gay/trans "panic" defense never sees the light of day again either.

[CharlotteW]

From the Onion:

Justice Anthony Kennedy stated that the death penalty is in fact too lenient a punishment, saying sentencing inmates to life without parole seemed way more brutal because it's like their on some kind of prison colony planet in the future, where they just have to fight for the rest of their lives.

(gratuitous swearing)

I have only one more thing to add:

I am the law!

[Guest Sarah Marie]

I am relieved that the Judge applied the full letter of the law in finishing the sentencing. While adding 60 years to life without parol might seem a bit absurd, it sends a badly needed message: members of our community deserve the same legal protection as anybody else.

Also, there are no doubt those who feel he should have received the death penalty for his actions. On one level I can see how people would feel that way. However, a sentence such as what he received is ultimately a far harsher punishment because it is not time limited (like a death sentence), and because his loss of the freedom to hit the open road on his bike will be a daily reminder of what he threw away in order to "save face" with his gang.