The Issue: The shootings near Rochester by a killer freed after he spent only 17 years in prison.
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William H. Spengler Jr., who killed his own sister and ambushed firemen in upstate New York before killing himself, had murdered his grandmother with a hammer and was released from prison after serving 17 years (“Fire Trap,” Dec. 25).
We hear continually from death-penalty opponents that the death penalty doesn’t save any lives.
I believe that had this murderer paid the ultimate price, his sister and two selfless volunteer firemen would still be alive.Peter Welch
Carmel
Unenforceable gun laws did not prevent Spengler, a demented monster, from killing two firefighters who arrived at a fire he set.
But this case raises an even more fundamentally important issue than gun-control laws.
Why was a man convicted of killing his own grandmother out of prison in the first place? David Rabinovitz
Brooklyn
With the murder of two volunteer firemen in upstate New York, we see yet again the handiwork of the governor and the state parole board, which is appointed by the governor.
The parole board lets murderers out who kill again, over and over, and there is no accountability whatsoever.
This has been going on since I was a child, and nothing has changed.
When will New York stop paroling violent felons and murderers?
How many people does one have to kill to be denied parole in New York state?
Isn’t one life enough?
When will the voters realize that a governor has enormous power to directly and negatively affect your life?
Anthony Johnson
Brentwood
Spengler, the man who set his house on fire to lure first responders to their death, was convicted of beating his grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980 and spent a mere 17 years in prison.
Why was this evil headcase ever allowed to walk among us again? Who let him out?
New York has to look at the death penalty once more.
There are evil people out there who don’t belong on this planet.
Dan Galvin
Port St. Lucie, Fla.