January 14, 2014

Dear Sir,

Once again I read in today’s Royal Gazette that another convicted murderer may have their life sentence reduced.

Back in the late 1980s I participated in a petition to have the death penalty abolished in Bermuda because the legal system at that time was not impartial, nor were there social programs in place to net youngsters falling through the cracks of society.

I also held the opinion that the hangman was a murderer whose action was legally sanctioned by the state and did not want this being done in my name. I did, however, feel very strongly that a convicted murderer should be made to fulfil a complete life sentence, or at the very least, a minimum of 35 years particularly for premeditated murder.

A judge should not “mull a killer’s jail time”. Instead legislation should be in place that dictates to the judge how much time should be meted out to a convicted killer.

Parliamentarians are responsible for legislation and they should be the ones to see to it that our community is safe and that cold blooded murderers are locked away for as long as possible.

If a human being takes a life, then they should serve life. Also, the legislation in place for sexual predators and serious sexual assault is far too soft and sentences should be doubled.

If killers are being let off early, then it is the Government and Opposition that need to unify in supporting legislation to stop it.

Yours sincerely,

Cheryl Pooley