Not all murder victim family members support the death penalty. Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation is a national group of murder victim family members who oppose the death penalty. We, the undersigned local members, read the April 25 article on the loss of federal review for death row inmates with dismay and disgust.

Attorney General Christine Gregoire's comments about using executions to bring "closure" to murder victim family members is insulting to those of us who do not find healing through retribution. It seems our politicians and the media would have us believe that a quick trip to the execution chamber for an offender will help alleviate the suffering of the victim's family. How simplistic. Would our "fond" memories of the execution console us over the years, through anniversaries and holidays?

We've had enough killing.

Let's be honest. The death penalty isn't about helping victims cope with their grief, and it has never proven to deter crime, so it doesn't help the public. The only people well served by the death penalty are politicians.

—Jeanette Star, Teresa Mathis, Brian Mathis, Cindy Domingo, Paul Hartley, Anne St. Germain

Note:
Membership in MVFR is available to both family members of homicide victims and family members of victims of execution who oppose the death penalty in all cases. Associate members are friends of murder victims, friends of the families of murder victims, victims of crime, and all those who support MVFR's goals. -from The Voice, MVFR's newsletter.