In response to the following article, one person said that LaRosa deserved the death penalty. That got me thinking about how we view punishment and restoration. Here are my thoughts after the original article for context:

https://www.wfmj.com/story/49425324/judges-dismiss-appeal-from-inmate-serving-life-for-murder-of-niles-neighbor?fbclid=IwAR1ZGtj9DuEEsg4fVX9Q8sDKhCwY7d27NE6VA_JCMl1fXzye7tezyiT09tA

Let’s be honest with ourselves, can we? The death penalty, the ultimate resolution that many push for in cases like this, doesn’t leave any room to explore that possibility. It’s like closing the door and throwing away the key without ever peeking inside, never knowing the potential for transformation that might lie within. Life, as harsh and bitter as it may sometimes be, does hold within it a chance for us to stand up and make amends for our past actions. But with the death penalty, that chance completely evaporates.

Now, don’t get me wrong – what LaRosa did is appalling. My heart aches when I think about the sufferings of his elderly neighbour Marie. And we should honour Marie and her life through our actions and our justice system. But here’s the question: Does the death penalty really do that?

Armed with a belief in the potential for instigating change within even the most hardened individuals, I can’t help but wonder if our system somehow limits the opportunity for that change to occur. We deal with transgressions by, essentially, saying restoration is impossible. Aren’t we selling our own human potential short by adhering to such a doctrine?

Remember, friends, change doesn’t occur overnight, and sometimes, it might not seem likely at all. But it won’t happen if we don’t give it a chance, right? If our system doesn’t provide space to atone, to learn, and to grow, is it really a justice system. Isn’t it part punishment, part reform, ideally speaking?

I hope we can strive for a system that recognises a wrong, yet understands the importance of an opportunity for change, however unlikely it might seem. A system that says, yes, transgressions hold severe consequences, but you are more than just your transgressions, and you can do better if given the opportunity. A system, quite simply, that doesn’t stifle the potential for restoration outright. After all, isn’t that what justice is truly about?

I hope we can foster an understanding in our societies that there might be a better way, a way that doesn’t entirely squeeze out the chance for restoration, however small that chance might be. Because, I believe, where there’s life – there’s hope. – Pastor Shane Russo