Contemporary Criminal Law - Felony-Murder Rule - Essay Example

If one is not made to realize the serious consequences of his or her actions, he will never grow up to assume and take responsibility. 

If Trevor Jones was sentenced for pulling the trigger on Matt Foley, which he really did, there can be no question about his complicity in the case. Trevor had every intention of deceiving Matt and decamping with both the money and the gun- hence the charge of robbing Foley was slapped onto the murder charges as well.

The facts are that the gun went off and killed Foley, and he will never again walk the face of the earth. Foley has been lost to his parents, his community and the world. Why then should Trevor Jones be let off for his crime in 2 to 6 years, or even a maximum of 15 years in prison? His parents and well-wishers should feel the same pain that Matt Foley’s parents are going through. It’s either felony murder or the death penalty that would fit the bill here (Frontline Video, 2007). And I agree whole-heartedly with Matt’s mother, that all of those in prison invariably come to trials with Bibles in their hands and ask for forgiveness. In my opinion, only God is the giver of life and only He can forgive Jones for his actions. For me, it is no more a question of the cost of keeping people in prison, but the importance that everyone committing a crime should face its consequences. When we allow such people to be forgiven, we are definitely sending a wrong message to our communities and society (Lippman, 2010).