System fails victim by execution delay

Any health problems I might have are directly related to reading. I scan news reports constantly and often find something that is utterly disgusting with our system of government. That gives me heartburn which, in turn, I interpret as a heart attack. If I read less, I'd feel better. But it's too late now.

Michael Taylor and Roderick Nunley are two pieces of dung who have long outlived their usefulness on this earth. Back in 1989, the two kidnapped a 15-year-old girl as she waited for her school bus, raped her and then killed her out of fear she would identify them. But the guys had an excuse. You see, they had only intended on stealing her purse and, after all, they were using drugs at the time. So things happen, they said.

Well it took a jury but a short time to sentence both of these thugs to death. That was in 1991. So why, you might ask, are Taylor and Nunley still around? Good question.

Taylor is scheduled to meet his maker on Feb. 1. Nunley, for some reason I cannot explain nor understand, has yet to have his execution date set.

But here are the two elements of this story that prompted my heartburn. Pick up the Tums and read the following.

Taylor's attorney was granted a stay of execution this week while a judge considers whether lethal injection causes pain to the condemned. And since Nunley has been allowed to hang around the prison system for the past 15 years while awaiting his execution, it gave him the opportunity this week to stab a prison worker in the head and the back.

Do you get the picture? The first thug wants sympathy because lethal injection might cause him some pain. And because of the system failure that allows murderers to spend years and years on death row, the second thug used the time to stab a state worker.

First, tell Taylor that the 15-year-old girl probably felt some pain too. And then ask him what he wants for his last meal. And secondly, give Nunley an execution date on the same day as Taylor and hope the prison worker has healed enough to act as a witness.

Some in our society are beyond redemption. Why we waste our time and money to change this, I will never know. In the meantime, my heartburn continues.