Missouri Executes Christopher Collings

Christopher Collings was convicted of raping and killing nine-year-old Rowan Ford in November 2007. Her body was found six days after she went missing, naked in a McDonald County cave. An autopsy determined she died from strangulation. Collings confessed to the crime. Rowan’s stepfather, David Spears, also pleaded guilty for his role in her death and has since been released from prison. Collings is currently being held at the Potosi Correctional Center, awaiting his execution scheduled for December 3.

An article that provides the basics regarding an upcoming execution likely led many people to believe it was the correct result. I have consistently not shied away from stating the crimes in my accounts, contrary to the common trope that opponents do. 

You can read more (picture) about the horrible details. The defense focused on avoiding the death penalty:

The prosecution sought the death penalty after highlighting the aggravating factors of the case, while the defense opposed the death sentence and asked for life imprisonment by highlighting that Collings was diagnosed with both severe disorganized disassociative attachment disorder and intermittent explosive disorder, and had a dysfunctional family background and tragic upbringing.

The prosecution accepted a lesser plea from the stepfather because they had less conclusive evidence that his role was as significant as Christopher Colling's actions. Nonetheless, there is reasonable justification to think the stepfather (who has more responsibility to the child than a stranger) still had a significant one. 

The Supreme Court in mid-November rejected one motion. Another longshot appeal argued the defense had the right to evidence that would have allowed them to challenge a key witness regarding his confession. Not worthy of SCOTUS review.

I don't mind that they didn't grant the Hail Mary appeal. Most of these appeals are not certworthy. This does not mean a statement or explanation is not warranted. The state is taking someone's life. And, sometimes, the appeal has some merit. And, there is still radio silence.

I have often cited Justice Breyer's argument against the constitutionality of an execution handed down long after the sentence. Twelve years (they were sentenced in 2012) is relatively reasonable as these sorts of things go.  

I do think execution after over fifteen years from the crime is somewhat questionable. Granted, executions twenty or more years afterward are a clearer case.  

A child kidnapping/rape/murder is the sort of "worse of the worst" crime that objectively warrants the death penalty if the death penalty is allowed. 

The mitigating factors included alleged mental health conditions. Perhaps. If he was another case of a victim who later victimized, it would be a tragic old story. It underlines that subhuman "monsters" do not exist. Just humans who do horrible things.   

The prosecution had reasons for giving the stepfather a plea deal. Still, he was not just a small cog in the crime. He is out of prison while Christopher Collins dies. Both should have had long prison terms.

One is now free while the other was executed by lethal injection. Two more executions are scheduled later this month. Happy holidays?  

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A bad system will have incidents that are less horrible than some others. The system as a whole should end. Such is the case with the machinery of death.

Nonetheless, Arizona, led by a Democratic governor, plans to start that machinery once more. 

The Trump Administration (a travesty that I have to write that) is quite likely to do so at some point too. It's just a question of how.