Because Not Him

If not him, then who?  

And not him.

Lest there be any doubt, I'm talking about this guy.

 James Holmes.  Killer of 12.  

The nightmare in the Colorado movie theater.

He's batshit crazy, of course.  But that didn't stop the prosecutors. 

He was willing to plead, offered to plead 2 years ago.  Just take killing him off the table. Life without the possibility of parole.  LWOP.  Death in prison by natural means rather than by state killing.  That didn't stop the prosecutors.

Millions of dollars.  Months of testimony.  Potentially years of appeals and post-trial.  That didn't stop the prosecutors.

Because he planned.  And executed.  He entered a crowded movie theater.  Midnight showing.  The Dark Knight Returns.  With gas grenades and handguns and long guns.  He wore fucking body armor f'rgodssake.  

Batshit crazy the prosecutor's own experts said.  Batship crazy like a fox, the prosecutors said.  Not enough for him to die.  He has to be killed.

Because if not him, then who?

And, as it happens.  Despite the tears and the horror and the anger and the impassioned pleas to kill, f'rgodssake kill.  But no.

Not him.

Not him.

Which means, just maybe, that it's finally time to admit it.

Because if not him.

Then, really, 

Not anyone.

Because not him.