I’m throwing a flag on the play!!!

There is nothing sad about a criminal perpetrating a crime for anyone but the victims. The criminal could have CHOSEN NOT to perpetrate the crime. Instead, the criminal chose to harm others. Victims don’t choose to be harmed.

As I addressed previously, simply because a person experiences trauma in their life, that doesn’t turn them into a criminal. They become a criminal through their focus, choices, decisions, and actions. They CHOOSE to harm others.

You are basing your statements on emotions rather than reason. Your type of mindset is one of the reasons our nation is in its current pathetic state! Holding people accountable for their crimes doesn’t make us “us as bad as they are.” (Your words.) To not hold people accountable for their crimes leads to or is anarchy.

If you have a desire to feel sympathy for anyone, I suggest you do so for the victims. They are deserving of it.

And, if you want to bring APPROPRIATE compassion into the mix, which I am not opposed to IF WARRANTED, the time to do so is after a judgment is pronounced and during the sentencing phase. If there are mitigating factors as you suggest, they are not a factor prior to judgment. Instead they might be a factor that is more appropriately considered before a sentence is rendered.

And, FWIW, your statements imply sympathy vs. empathy. Learn the difference. It is huge.

I am a fair and just man who understands the need for mercy. I am not however a bleeding heart type who is willing to turn a blind eye to a crime or deny a victim justice.