Hello Katie,
I must say that I now realize a lot of what you have been explaining to us for quite some time now.
I now realize some of the pros + cons of the DP VS a life sentence, and the almost gauranteed endless appeals and more attention that JA would get if given the DP.
Its a much more complicated thing than I had thought when this trial first started so long ago. I am seeing advantages and disadvantages that I hadnt realized to the extent that I realize them now.
Nurmis bizarre methods have started to show us how obscenely far some of the appeals + objections can go. It will no doubt continue even if she gets DP.
However, I do think the particular judge in this case has all but faciliated his methods and increased the length of this trial much longer than it needed to be. So, in that avenue, this case is somewhat of a unique situation because I think another judge would have had this over a long time ago.
For the time being, I am sticking by the State and Juan and still agree with them trying to get the proper sentence that JA deserves. I think my main reason is that that particular verdict would keep her isolated more and away from other prisoners to prevent her from possibly harming another human. In addition to hopefully preventing her from being able to so willingly communicate with the outside world and other privileges that she would get if given just a life sentence. I do think she deserves a just punishment for what she has done and still feel the DP is a more proper punishment for her. I do understand she may never actually get executed and understand the lengthy appeals, however, the time spent behind bars I believe is different when under a DP senthence and I am weighing that into my thinking.
Anyway, thanks so much for helping us all understand a lot of how these things work. If we had a different judge from the beginning, I honestly think this would have been over by now.
Since we are stuck with the current process, I am willing to take a deep breath and suffer along with the rest of us until the time finally comes where her sentence can be handed out. Whenever that will be.