The Issue: The suicide of Ariel Castro, who was serving a life sentence for kidnapping, rape and torture.
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Ariel Castro has done the world a favor, particularly the taxpayers who would have been on the hook to provide him with housing, health care and recreation for as long as he lived (“Ohio Kidnapper Kills Self in Prison,” Sept. 4).
Castro acknowledged having kidnapped, tortured and raped three young women, destroying their lives by holding them in captivity.
This individual was human in form but savage in nature — someone with no soul and no redeeming qualities.
By all rights, a man who stole prime years and inflicted permanent damage on an innocent woman and two girls should have been sentenced to death. It is fortunate for society that in lieu of society exerting common sense to impose capital punishment, he inflicted the death penalty upon himself. He will not be missed.
Oren Spiegler
Upper Saint Clair, Pa.
In a perfect world, Castro would have received the psychological help he needed, which could have prevented him from kidnapping, raping and beating three Cleveland women. Not only did the system fail Castro then, it has failed him again. Otherwise, he never would have had the opportunity to kill himself.
Some will cheer, but let’s not forget he was a human being, with a family that was stunned by his crime and will no doubt mourn his death nonetheless.
JoAnn Lee Frank
Clearwater, Fla.