Mr. Kachkar was determined by several psychiatrists to have been suffering from a mental disorder to the extent that he could not appreciate the nature of what he was doing at the time he murdered Sgt. Ryan Russell. It appears some form of mental illness is the culprit. I would ask you to consider a scenario where someone like Mr. Kachkar acted in the same way but because of a brain tumor. Sometimes mental symptoms have a clear biological component.

Would you still want to see him hang if it was a tumor? Would that make him less responsible?

Consider your underlying perception of mental illness. If it is some personal failing or self inflicted to some degree, how can you view these circumstances with anything less than disgust? If you believe the depressed person is their own worst enemy drinking from some contaminated cup, how can you look on someone who was so consumed by their illness that they murdered with any understanding or compassion?

We can all choose a side but as you dig your trench from which to do battle it might be prudent to take a look at the other side to see if in fact they are an enemy. In the rush to take aim consider what it is you wish to strike; is it the man or is it the illness?

If we looked to our government to deal with mental illness with half the passion we do to punish the man we might get somewhere.