It is a very serious matter to sit on a jury or as a judge in our court system. The executive office's power to commute sentences is meant to check and balance the judiciary, and it is an overwhelming responsibility.
If columnist Dan Rodricks had informed the readers of the subsequent paths of the 249 inmates who were pardoned or had their sentences commuted by former Gov. Robert Ehrlich, he might have made a convincing argument ("Death of a lifer," Oct. 9).
As it stands, it is another emotional piece. Describing the last days and death of any human being can bring empathy if done by a seasoned writer. We would be better served with facts of the paths of the people released from prison so our opinions could be informed by facts rather than by the backwash of Mr. Rodricks' media bandwagon.
Margie Saunders, Towson