IT'S PRECISELY THE TIME FOR SYMPATHY

The October 24th Chicago Tribune headline 'It is too late for sympathy' is an example of irresponsible journalism unbefitting of the Tribune's great and long history.

Instead of exploiting the sad twenty-nine year Nicarico murder saga which will go on for another ten or fifteen years should death be decided, the Trib should use this case to lead the charge to abolish the death penalty in Illinois. Did the Trib forget that DuPage prosecutors nearly succeeded in killing two innocent men for this crime when they had sufficient information to drop he prosecution entirely, much less seek state sponsored homicide?

Nothing in the long, two page underlying article mentioned explicit calls by the Nicarico family member for Dugan's death, the implication of the headline notwithstanding. Why fan the flames of capital punishment bloodlust which emanates from county prosecutors who have no shame and no remorse for their predecessors' inexcusable brush with wrongful execution in the same case. Had it occurred it would merely have been one of many in the long, sorrowful history of capital punishment.

Either the Trib shares that bloodlust or is simply trying to garner circulation. If the former, at least the headline is in keeping with your values. If the latter, then the mainstream print media is in worse shape than imagined.

Also published in Chicago Tribune, October 29, 2009