The DA's office where I interned just got a death penalty conviction. I worked on the case while it was still in the early stages--reviewing witness statements, videos, police reports and started putting together the trial notebooks. It was the last case I worked on before my internship ended, and the prosecutors who tried it have kept me updated on its progress.
I'm not quite sure how I feel right now. I am pro death penalty, and the guy definitely deserved it. (There was no question that he was guilty--there was a video-taped confession and many eyewitnesses. No chance of a wrongful conviction.) But it feels strange to have had even the most minimal involvement in something that affects life and death. I can't imagine the emotions that the jurors must run through. Even though they must believe in their decision, it is an awfully heavy burden to bear. It is saddening to think how many people are affected by one man's stupid actions. He not only destroyed the lives of the victim and the victim's family, but he also destroyed his own life and his family's life. Not to mention the emotional impact on everyone else involved with the case.
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