I truly do wish I could accept this verdict and it not bother me, but I would be lying if I said I don't care about the results or how it came to be. The memory of it will always bring me back to a very sad and unjust day in our court system. Every time I see that happen it seems to stick with me forever.
All throughout this case I posted often about my fears that Travis' life and death would not be valued as much by this jury as many other jurors do when the victim is female and the defendant is a man. So, when I first heard they were hung, I wasn't surprised. That is what I expected. What I did not expect was a rogue juror. One juror who was able to tear the very fabric of our justice system to shreds with one vote. I will not lie, it hit me hard in the gut leaving me in tears and the memory of that injustice will forever remain.
There have been other dark days which have left indelible scars on our justice system beside JAs where justice was snatched away from the victims and I remember them all. I have always been a firm believer in justice for ALL. I hate when gender of either the offender or the victim is taken into account. It often changed the proper outcome whether the murderer was let off scott free or the punishment was incorrect based on the evidence entered including aggravators and mitigation.
But my faith was renewed when I found out that eleven out of the twelve wanted very badly to give death to JA.....not because they are vengeful people but they took all of the evidence and came to the only verdict that suited the crime that had been carried out against Travis.
And then there was one.
And that one made a mockery out the justice system. We as a society... should want any juror who commits perjury (if the investigations shows this to be true) to be punished. If the DA doesn't send a strong message to the community where jurors are picked from... that this behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated...... then they are opening the flood gates for more rogue jurors to get on high profile cases. If not the lone wolf will know even if they lie to get on the jury there will be no repercussions from it by the state attorney's office.
If she lied about anything I do want her to be prosecuted. No one should be above the law. If she lied she not only caused undue pain and suffering to the Alexander family, she also caused much pain to her fellow jurors and rendered an unjust vote devaluing Travis' life. We just cant allow for these kind of jurors to be on death penalty trials.
As far as my opinion personally, I don't take much comfort having to settle for less knowing she is just going to prison instead of death row. I doubt Travis's siblings do either.
If there ever was a case that warranted the death penalty it certainly was this case. The punishment of death should have been rendered because the evidence supported nothing else. IMO
