Sentence wasn’t justice

I was totally surprised and appalled after seeing your Jan. 18 front page story, "Gullion pleads guilty – five life sentences given for family’s lives taken."

What has our judicial system come to? This young man brutally gunned down this young family of four, and now after more than two years of waiting, he gets five life sentences instead of the death sentence? What is wrong with this picture?

It costs Virginia taxpayers $18,000 to $31,000 per year to house and feed an inmate. Much more than this if he’s on death row. This inmate could easily live for another 50 years? Is this fair to the taxpayers?

Have some compassion on him, you ask? Did he have any compassion on the sweet little girl who was found shot to death in the bathtub? I certainly think not!

In a case like this, the accused should be taken out and executed within 30 days of conviction. This young man will no doubt appeal his case forever and still cost the taxpayers thousands and thousands more as the years go by. Sorry, but this makes no sense to me or others I have talked with.

Yes, Mr. Gullion should have had to face the jury on capital murder charges, regardless of the outcome. This case will cost the taxpayers much more in the long run.

Ron Penland
Wytheville, Va.