Dona - in 2002 I lost a friend who was the sister I never had. A mother of three…beloved wife…killed on her way to pick up milk at a mini mart…a drunk driving a big E Class Mercedes hit her mini van broad side going 75 in a 35…even though she had her seat belt on and had air bags, she was ejected through the passenger side window. He walked away without a scratch…his defense? “Its my anniversary and I didn’t want to be late for our dinner reservation.” I was godmother to her children, in the delivery room when each of them came into the world. I walked into the chaos and carnage of that household the day after her passing…seeing a family totally destroyed. My godchildren (the youngest was 7) could not grasp that this magical, marvelous woman had been taken. The man who murdered her? He got a slap on the wrist…until her Father, who was wealthy enough to pursue him…won damages in a civil suit, insuring his grandchildren’s future. The murderer? He just went on with his life…other than monetary penalties, he paid nothing. He suffered nothing. Will I forgive him and feel I am the “better person”? Never. Would I give anything for ten minutes alone in a room with the drunken coward? You bet. Its not about “stooping”…its about an eye for an eye. Had he ever shown remorse of any kind, maybe I would feel different. In his court appearance, he blamed my friend…saying she should have driven “a safer, more reliable vehicle since she was a Mother.” Tell me how much mercy he deserves.

Dear Dona, I wanted to tell you sorry I am for all you have gone through. I am sorry that some on this site might have upset you. I am ashamed of a few comments found on this thread. You are a good one Donna!

Make you can provide a link to the alleged symptoms of her brain tumor. I can’t find this “can barely walk across the room or make a sentence” on the Internet….which should be very easy to do if were actually reported. Not to mention it doesn’t matter. None of her 8 victims or the little baby could walk across a room or make a sentence either after she got through with them

Gee, that’s strange…..can’t find ANY symptoms mentioned anywhere not even doing a Google News search. Even her husband and the prison spokesperson and EVERY NEWS story I read—-none had symptoms. The AP, CNN etc said this: Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton declined to specify the nature of her illness. “She is very ill” and has been hospitalized, said Thornton. “Her condition is very serious and her prognosis is poor,” she said. Thornton said a doctor determined that Atkins has less than six months to live, which could make the application for release futile because of the length of the process. Such releases are relatively rare — only 10 of the 60 requests made last year were granted, Thornton said. The matter could be referred to the sentencing court in Los Angeles, she said, which could delay the decision even further. What was mentioned in the news stories however was what she said about her mass murder of 8 totally innocent victims and a about to be born baby; she said at the end of her trial, “I feel no guilt for what I’ve done. It was right then and I still believe it was right.” Interesting. So Mugsy, did you just make up symptoms? Because why is there no news source or the prison stating them? Sounds that way to me. That’s you brand of logic…..argue that ‘principled’ people have compassion and mercy and clemency for a mass murderer….and then recant and state you personally hope she stays in prison so she is safe from bloggers like who don’t think she should be released under any circumstances. Since this was a random crime just mass murdering the occupants of that particular house in as grisly a manner as possible. And since you expressed that if we were principled we’d want clemency and have compassion and mercy…..How would you feel if the innocent person who’d been murdered in that manner was Candace Bergen. She lived in that house. What would you say then. “can barely walk across the room or make a sentence.” Please provide a link because I think you just made this up.