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Murder Is Taking Away Someone's Hope
RECEIVED Fri., Aug. 27, 2004
Dear Editor,
I am very saddened by the "No Mercy" article [News, Aug. 20]. However, I am not sad for Mr. Allridge, which seemed to be the intent of Ms. Smith's story. I am saddened that Ms. Smith only gave the life of 21-year-old Brian Clendennen a single sentence in her multipage article. All Brian was guilty of was working in a Fort Worth-area convenience store and having the misfortune of Mr. Allridge and his brother coming into the store and ending his life. I was completely sickened when I read James' comment "I think that you should never take away someone's hope because it destroys the soul and can create a monster that no one is going to want to deal with. I think that everyone, no matter what they have done, should be given the opportunity to become rehabilitated." If you feel that way, Mr. Allridge, why did you take away the hope that destroyed Brian and robbed him of his soul. Yes, I am saddened that we did not kill James when we killed his brother or preferably a lot sooner. This is Texas, sir, when you kill people that are working in a convenience store in order to try and make a living at minimum wage, this wonderful state of ours will kill you, and it's as simple as that. No amount of rehabilitation will ever change that. I doubt I will see this printed in your paper, but I felt compelled to write it. I have never written to a newspaper before, but I have never been this saddened by any article before.
I am very saddened by the "No Mercy" article [News, Aug. 20]. However, I am not sad for Mr. Allridge, which seemed to be the intent of Ms. Smith's story. I am saddened that Ms. Smith only gave the life of 21-year-old Brian Clendennen a single sentence in her multipage article. All Brian was guilty of was working in a Fort Worth-area convenience store and having the misfortune of Mr. Allridge and his brother coming into the store and ending his life. I was completely sickened when I read James' comment "I think that you should never take away someone's hope because it destroys the soul and can create a monster that no one is going to want to deal with. I think that everyone, no matter what they have done, should be given the opportunity to become rehabilitated." If you feel that way, Mr. Allridge, why did you take away the hope that destroyed Brian and robbed him of his soul. Yes, I am saddened that we did not kill James when we killed his brother or preferably a lot sooner. This is Texas, sir, when you kill people that are working in a convenience store in order to try and make a living at minimum wage, this wonderful state of ours will kill you, and it's as simple as that. No amount of rehabilitation will ever change that. I doubt I will see this printed in your paper, but I felt compelled to write it. I have never written to a newspaper before, but I have never been this saddened by any article before.
Cliff Luckey
[News Editor Michael King responds: The "wonderful state" of Texas law expressly includes provision for both rehabilitation and clemency, and the capital punishment statute would not be constitutional without providing the possibility of clemency. The intention is to make a distinction between justice and vengeance – in the absence of such a distinction, there is no law.]
