Scott Shellenberger: Tough as Spaghetti

If you've watched the news over the past couple of months you heard about the trial of Walter Bishop, the man accused of being hired to murder William Porter. The murder took place in Baltimore County in Towson at the Hess gas station on Joppa Road.

The jury eventually decided that they were not going to recommend the death penalty, as allowable under the law. I guess the jury decided that paying someone to kill another person, which I think constitutes several layers of premeditation (you have to agree to do it, you have to plan to do it, you do it) aren't enough to hand down the toughest sentence in the land.

I'm not totally shocked. Marylanders love their murderers. How often is someone sentenced to death, let alone actually put to death? Marylanders don't even like to put people away with life sentences. That's just too mean. I think Governor O'Malley loves criminals. He's had a, what, six year study on the death penalty, which amounts to an executive moratorium? That's the worst study ever! If I told my boss that I needed 6 years to make a decision on one of my projects, I would have been summarily fired. Not our Gov. We love his intense indecisiveness.

After the verdict was read, it sounds like Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Schellenberger agrees with the Marty. He said on WBAL that he was not disappointed at the jury's decision. Scott Schellenberger was not disappointed on the jury's extreme leniency? Is it just me? Or do you think that the county's top prosecutor would want to sound a little tougher on crime than that? He could have just come out and said, "Crime doesn't bother me. Just don't get caught. Be rest assured, if you do get caught, we promise not to be too hard on you."

Then on the other hand, Schellenberger went on to sound more like a politician when he said that, "...Bishop deserved the death penalty." How can you not be disappointed that the jury did not recommend the death penalty when you thought that he deserved the death penalty? Is this guy setting himself up to run for Baltimore County Executive or what? I didn't say that I didn't say that. Take both sides of the issues. That's the safe thing to do. Appease everyone while not appeasing anyone. My name is Willy Wishy Washy. And I'm Baltimore County State's Attorney. And I want to be County Executive. Can you hear it now?

Mr. Schellenberger - your view on crime is easy like a Sunday morning.