The Penalty Is Death

I feel so sorry for Max Soffar. Max is in prison for killing three people at a bowling alley and seriously wounding a fourth. He's been sentenced to death, but what with one appeal for this and another for that, he's been awaiting execution for 33 years.

Max has liver cancer. He wants a compassionate release. I don't believe the sentence said, "You are condemned to death unless you get sick." I don't believe the sentence said, "If you get sick, you get a get out of jail free card."

And remember the Lockerbie bomber? His death was imminent. But he lived a pretty full life for two years after they let him go. And you know how we traded five terrorists for deserter Bergdahl because his death was close? He looks pretty healthy to me.

So if Max's death is that close, it really shouldn't matter to him where he is when it happens. In fact, the prison should feel a lot more like home than any home on the outside. After all, he's spent over half his life there.

"Attorneys: Free inmate; he's dying anyway." The Dallas Morning News; Aug. 14, 2014; p. 4A.