Malvo should face the death penalty

Seventeen-year-old John Lee Malvo is one of the two men suspected of terrorizing the… Seventeen-year-old John Lee Malvo is one of the two men suspected of terrorizing the Washington, D.C., area through a series of sniper attacks last month.

Immediately following his capture, a new hunt began – one that focused on finding the most likely jurisdiction to execute him.

Is this wrong?

As a minor, does Malvo deserve to be treated in an entirely different manner than someone only months his senior?

In opposition to the execution of minors, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has said, “adolescent brains are not fully developed, which often leads to erratic behavior and thought processes in this age group.”

Is it possible the discrepancy between Malvo’s 17-year-old brain and an 18-year-old brain is so great that a degree of blame should be removed and a lesser punishment imposed?

Was Malvo’s “premature” brain incapable of understanding the consequences of his actions?

Ten innocent people were killed. Three were seriously injured, one being a 13-year-old child. Investigators are linking more murders around the country to Malvo and John Muhammad, his adult accomplice.

Thousands of friends’ and family members’ lives have been shattered.

Malvo had weeks, possibly months – we’re not yet sure when and where the murder spree started – to think about what he was doing. He had endless opportunities to turn himself and Muhammad in and end the killings. His mind was clear enough to function as a member of a very cautious and calculating killing team for a substantial period of time. This was not blind rage or impulsive, erratic behavior.

Malvo knew what he and Muhammad were doing. Each time before the trigger was pulled he had a choice. He chose to kill.

This country has developed a disgusting habit of finding excuses and shifting the blame.

Oh, he was abused. He was brainwashed. He’s young, he didn’t know what he was doing. His brain isn’t fully developed.

Such legal smoke screens rape the souls of the victims, put daggers into the hearts of victims’ families and friends and put a wrench into our system of justice.

But perhaps Malvo was just along for the ride. An innocent kid mixed up with a violent man. Not likely.

Investigators claim to have very strong evidence that Malvo was the triggerman in at least one of the shootings. And he is a prime suspect – his fingerprint was found at the scene – in a September murder in Montgomery, Ala.

The evidence says he killed and helped John Muhammad to kill. He focused on a specific human being with a .223 caliber rifle and fired.

Considering the severity of the case and the coldness of the killings, his age – only months shy of the legal adult age – should not be a factor in his punishment.

The victims deserve justice and the families deserve closure. To all those bleeding hearts who may disagree, I suggest you take a second to imagine that one of the victims was your mother or father, husband, wife, brother or sister. If that were the case, where would your sentiments lie?

I personally would love to hear news of some miracle piece of evidence that absolved Malvo of all responsible involvement. I don’t want to see him die.

But if he is found guilty, then justice should be served, and he should pay just as John Muhammad will pay, with his life.

Ben Magid can be reached at bmagid@pittnews.com.