What a gift!

There was a letter to the editor in Sunday's edition of The Dallas Morning News from Donna Chamberlain Arthur of Las Vegas, New Mexico. Donna's son, Karl Chamberlain, is on Texas' death row and is scheduled for execution June 11. Donna urges us to "come forward and insist the state of Texas change its laws in a positive, evolved move forward and abolish the death penalty forever." She says Karl has been an incredible gift in her life. I wonder if Felicia Prechtl and her family would feel the same.

You see, Felicia answered her door to Karl Chamberlain one day in August of 1991. He lived in the same apartment complex, and he wanted to borrow some sugar he said. Here's what Texas Department of Criminal Justice says happened next:

Chamberlain left the apartment and returned minutes later with duct tape and a rifle. Chamberlain entered the apartment, displayed the weapon to Felicia, and forced her into a bedroom. Chamberlain taped her hands and feet, and sexually assaulted her. Chamberlain took the victim into the bathroom and shot her one time in the head with a .30 caliber rifle, causing her death. Chamberlain left the apartment and returned to his own apartment.

Well, maybe it wasn't Chamberlain who did it. How can we be sure? Here's the info on the case from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott:

Police questioned Chamberlain the night of the murder, but he was not arrested until July 17, 1996, after a fingerprint search returned his name as a possible match. Police arrested Chamberlain, who gave investigators a written confession. He also directed them to a weapon of the same type used to kill Prechtl, and provided DNA samples that matched the profile of samples taken from Prechtl’s body.

Well, Donna, here's what I think. We'll take that "evolved move forward and abolish the death penalty forever" when animals like your son take an "evolved move forward" and stop violating and killing innocent people.

P.S. There was no concern whatsoever for the victim's family in Donna's letter. Maybe she needs to "evolve forward" to a little compassion for those who deserve it.