YSU graduate faces execution
Federal appeals court postpones Trumbull County man's deasth sentence for 1991 murder
Ashley Tate
Issue date: 3/20/07 Section: News
Charles Singler, also a professor of geological and environmental sciences, said that he hopes what Biros did doesn't affect YSU and "what he did was totally independent of the university."
"It's [the death penalty] a very gray area as to whether it's a deterrent or not, but people who commit crimes don't think of the penalties while they are in the act of committing them. But they might think about it afterward," Singler said.
Singler said he is torn between the two sides of the death penalty.
"One is that the crimes are so heinous the death penalty is deserved. The second is in the compassion of the human beings we're supposed to be, I don't think we should be taking another life," Singler said.
Third-year student Vanessa Flores can't choose between the two either. "Some people deserve it; some don't. I can't say I'm against it. Anyway you look at it it's murder."
Freshman Laura Carter said she doesn't know how she feels about the death penalty, but it also depends on the crime's severity.
Biros was abused as a child by his father, but Wan-Tatah said this doesn't make what he did acceptable.
"It's a horrible tragedy. Regardless of what proceeded the act, it was inexcusable. The death penalty, no matter the circumstance, is not the answer. The best punishment is to keep the person alive and let them serve a life sentence without parole. They won't be able to clear their conscience of what they did."
Wan-Tatah agrees with Singler and said that what Biros did had nothing to do with YSU.
"He's an exception to the rule. He doesn't reflect anything about the moral behavior of YSU students or alumni. But there is a lesson to be learned that I point out in my religious studies course; everyone has the potential of being good or evil. We have to be very conscious of our own actions and not be judgmental," Wan-Tatah said.
By conducting the death penalty, Wan-Tatah said we are following the old Hammurabian code, "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth."
"I would like to see every person that supports the death penalty wind up on death row for a crime they did not commit," Beiersdorfer said.
Additonal reporting by: Aaron Blatch and Emily Thayer
"It's [the death penalty] a very gray area as to whether it's a deterrent or not, but people who commit crimes don't think of the penalties while they are in the act of committing them. But they might think about it afterward," Singler said.
Singler said he is torn between the two sides of the death penalty.
"One is that the crimes are so heinous the death penalty is deserved. The second is in the compassion of the human beings we're supposed to be, I don't think we should be taking another life," Singler said.
Third-year student Vanessa Flores can't choose between the two either. "Some people deserve it; some don't. I can't say I'm against it. Anyway you look at it it's murder."
Freshman Laura Carter said she doesn't know how she feels about the death penalty, but it also depends on the crime's severity.
Biros was abused as a child by his father, but Wan-Tatah said this doesn't make what he did acceptable.
"It's a horrible tragedy. Regardless of what proceeded the act, it was inexcusable. The death penalty, no matter the circumstance, is not the answer. The best punishment is to keep the person alive and let them serve a life sentence without parole. They won't be able to clear their conscience of what they did."
Wan-Tatah agrees with Singler and said that what Biros did had nothing to do with YSU.
"He's an exception to the rule. He doesn't reflect anything about the moral behavior of YSU students or alumni. But there is a lesson to be learned that I point out in my religious studies course; everyone has the potential of being good or evil. We have to be very conscious of our own actions and not be judgmental," Wan-Tatah said.
By conducting the death penalty, Wan-Tatah said we are following the old Hammurabian code, "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth."
"I would like to see every person that supports the death penalty wind up on death row for a crime they did not commit," Beiersdorfer said.
Additonal reporting by: Aaron Blatch and Emily Thayer
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