Killer Logic

Re “New Case Against Executions,” Jan. 12: Those in favor of the death penalty (I am not one) are faced with some hard choices. If, as shown in the Gary Leon Ridgway case, the murderer of 48 women has “something to sell” in a plea bargain and gets to live, what about the guy who might have killed in a fit of anger and has nothing to “sell”? The wrong message is being sent to would-be murderers: If you kill someone, take out a little insurance (against the death penalty) and kill another 47.

Richard M. Ruby

Woodland Hills