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Gerlach: Value Of People Over Stuff

In the Bloglander blog of the Inlander, Taylor Weech opines about a jury finding Gail Gerlach not guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of car thief Brendon Kaluza-Graham:

Rather than being about gun rights or gun control, this case has sent a message about who is valuable and who is disposable in the eyes of the average people who comprise a jury. The front page story about the acquittal in today’s Spokesman-Review pulls out a quote from Gerlach to top the headline. He said, “As Christians, we believe in redemption. The greatest tragedy is that Mr. Brendon Kaluza-Graham will not have a chance to turn his life around.” As a non-Christian, I believe in redemption too, both for Kaluza-Graham and for Gerlach. Unfortunately, our justice system’s focus on punishment and isolation over treatment and our culture’s devaluation of people who have made mistakes join forces to create an atmosphere in which the odds are not in redemption’s favor. More here.

Question: We’ve certainly had a lively discussion re: this verdict. Anyone have a new angle on the outcome of this case?

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Huckleberries Online." Read all stories from this blog