Tête-a-Tête-Tête: Gregory Thompson

December 14, 2005

Gregory Thompson's execution is set for February 7, in Tennessee.

As improper as I found the execution yesterday of Tookie Williams, he was likely guilty, and he probably did understand what he was doing at the time of his crimes, and what was happening to him at execution. I can understand a society that puts him to death, even if I disagree with it.

Gregory Thompson, on the other hand, was truly and clinically insane when he killed Brenda Lane, and will be just as insane the day he is executed. His mind is broken by disease. The idea of executing him as "punishment" just disgusts me to no end.

We anguish over the necessity of putting down a rabid animal. But Gregory Thompson is a human being, not a dog. We have hospitals where he can be treated. There is no necessity to force us to an anguished decision. Yet we decide to kill him. It's beyond comparison.

If you want to help, please contact Phil Bredesen. Phone calls and letters through snail mail are the best. But if you don't have time for that, you can e-mail him. It's not too late.

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Posted by smijer at December 14, 2005 07:32 AM

Comments

I know that I am fairly computer illiterate, but I am unable to find a link on that website to e-mail anything. I guess I will have to take one of the phone numbers and call.

I also feel that the death sentence is not what this man needs. The government has cut taxes and cut taxes until there are not enough mental facilities to deal with our mentally challenged people. They get acutely ill, are sent into state mental facilities for treatment, only to be pumped back on the streets in a few days because of the medicare and medicaid guidelines before we even know if the medications that we put them on are working.
I have talked to and worked with many patients that are schizophrenic. The really believe that they can take electric shocks and crazy things like the CIA is listening to everything that they say through their fillings. Extreme paranoia is all about them and one false move makes you one of the bad guys...which puts you at danger. Once stabilized on medications...some of these people are so normal that you could hardly beleive what was going on before and wondering just how fine the line is between sanity and insanity. (Am I next?)
Makes you think. What if it is you next....or me??? Do we deserve to die because our brains decided to check out on us for awhile? Does our death bring back the life of another or correct the unfortunate death?