Saw this story on abcnews.com: Dad Forgives Driver Who Killed Wife, Daughter. Seems this Bruce Murakami spent four years pursuing justice for his family, and then had second thoughts when it actually came to a trial.
From the article:
“In recent weeks, Murakami met Cabezas for the first time, and was surprised at how clean-cut he was. The young man, now 23, broke down in tears, expressing sympathy and remorse for what happened.”
I had two thoughts about it. Actually, a thought and a question. First: it’s kind of a sad picture of America when an act of forgiveness makes the national news. Really ought to be more commonplace.
Second (and on the other hand): In the father’s decision to ask the judge for mercy, how much did the fact that this young man was ‘clean-cut’ influence that decision? Would he have had the same second thoughts about giving the kid thirty years in prison if he had been a shaggy ne’er-do-well?
Either way…I do applaud the father for showing mercy and allowing something positive to come out of tragedy, instead of bitterness. The kid did show remorse, after all. And it wouldn’t work if the justice system just let anyone off who happened to remorseful that particular day…the government is particularly bad at discerning where and when exception can and should be made. Only Mr. Murakami could have seen if the fellow was really and truly sorry. And only the offended person has the power to truly forgive.
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