Make decision based on Dugan's crime

Brian Dugan's confession to killing Jeanine Nicarico ends a period of torment I cannot even imagine for her family, and for all who were connected to her and have been waiting far too long for closure. My heart goes out to each and every one of them, and I hope they can have some peace now that the uncertainty is finally finished. Especially for Jeanine's parents ... I feel so sorry for their loss.

What upsets me, and prompted me to write this letter, is the notion of someone's opinion of what should happen to Dugan changing simply because he told the truth. I'm not saying he deserves the death penalty, nor am I saying he should be spared it. That's a personal view for each of us to have and a 12-person jury to express in the coming months.

What I'm saying is that changing your view based on the mere fact he confessed makes no sense. The question is simple: does the man deserve to be put to death for committing the crime he confessed to? That's the debate, and it saddens me that we as individuals would even consider altering our opinion based simply on the fact that after 26 years, he finally told the truth. In this particular case, the question of why he finally did so is also of debate.

Anyway, each of us who reads stories like these forms decisions in our own minds as to what justice is. Make your decision based on his crime and your opinion of fair punishment, not the fact that he announced his guilt after two-and-a-half decades. And when people tell the truth just to get your pity ... don't let it affect your decision at all.

Justin Lee

Lombard