The way I see it, the only one to whom it'll make much difference whether or not Bart gets the death penalty is his father. Kent Whitaker said it himself, if they decide to execute, all they'll be doing is robbing him of the only family member he has left. Bart is going to rot in hell either way.

God, it's so unimaginable! What kind of creature could kill his whole family just for the money? What kind of psychopath is this? I mean, I get how people go criminally insane - mental depression, childhood trauma and so forth. But this? Smacks more of Leopold and Loeb to me. I can forgive the crazies. I just can't stand the brats!

The whole story holds a sick fascination, actually. I only hope Kent Whitaker doesn't blame himself for Bart's actions. Parents always do that. Poor, poor guy. eek frown


“Is he dead, Lois?”

“No! But I was really mad and I wanted to kick him between the legs and pull his nose off and put out his eyes with a freshly sharpened pencil and disembowel him with a dull letter opener and strangle him with his own intestines but I stopped myself just in time!”
- Further Down The Road by Terry Leatherwood.