Ly Killing Justifies the Death Penalty

Your front-page article March 7 on the death of Thien Minh Ly chronicles a horrific and despicable crime of murder out of a sheer passion for the sport of it. One cannot be anything but deeply saddened and full of sorrow for Thien’s parents. They have now had to go through a double ordeal, hearing of the death of their son and finding out the details of his last moment alive.

Naturally, Gunner J. Lindberg is innocent until proven guilty. However, if he is found guilty, he is a prime example of why we should have the death penalty. Regardless of his past, all of the things that might have led up to shaping him into a person who would kill for the sheer sport of it cannot be condoned in manner. We cannot have a society of individuals such as this going in and out of our prisons, making it impossible for anyone to lead any type of normal life without the fear of being attacked senselessly. This type of behavior deserves the ultimate punishment.

The Times is to be commended for publishing the details and making us aware of the apparent callousness of this crime. My only hope would be that the next time The Times decides to write an editorial against capital punishment, you will take this article out and read it.

ALLAN G. LUNSFORD

Newport Beach