Death of the D.C. Sniper

It was a matter of minutes ago that it was announced that John Muhammad, the adult half of the D.C. sniper team, has been executed.

Like most people, I remember where I was and what I was doing on September 11. But, unlike most people, I didn't see it as it was happening. I was working in an office, and there was no TV in that office so everyone sat riveted to their radios. I didn't actually see footage of the attacks until the middle of the afternoon. The manager decided to close the office early so I went home and then, about seven hours after the second plane hit the World Trade Center, I first saw footage of that event. And then I saw footage of the WTC collapsing.

That's been the source of a strange dichotomy for me. I feel as if I shared the experience I had on September 11 with the people in that office. But I didn't share the experience of people who saw it all unfold.

Anyway, I feel differently about my experience with the D.C. sniper case. It wasn't a one–day event. Instead it was spread out over several weeks. But I felt more personally involved with it. I saw the reports of the latest shootings. Even though it was all happening in another part of the country, I couldn't help feeling that I could be next. The attacks seemed to be so random, people getting shot while doing ordinary, everyday things like buying gas or mowing the lawn or sitting at a bus stop reading a book.

When I was younger, I was against the death penalty because I felt there was always a possibility that the wrong person could have been convicted. But in the last 15 years or so, DNA evidence has emerged as a convincing element of most death penalty cases, which has eased my concerns.

But, whether you have DNA evidence or not, I've learned something else in my life.

Some people are evil, plain and simple.

John Muhammad was one of those people. And the world is a better place without him.