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Dear FRONTLINE,
Frontline's Execution was superbly done and well-balanced (the few betrayals of the person behind the journalist in no way impair its balance). Unfortunately, though, I do not think that we have found the answers to the profound questions asked by the journalist himself and those of us who question the value and wisdom of death penalty. I am left as unconvinced as I was that death penalty serves any real or potential purposes. Most important of all, the retributive purpose remains unserved. The victim's families do not appear to be appeased by the execution. Much as I sympathize with them, I believe their sense of closure and peace must come from sources other than the execution of the person who inflicted pain. Do we as a species improve ourselves by such executions?
washington, dc
Dear FRONTLINE, Thank you for a program that shows that judicial murder gives our society nothing. The families of Boggess' victims were at least as tortured by the murders after Boggess was killed. Vengeance never leads to peace.
Emily Oren
east lansing, michigan
Dear FRONTLINE, The documentary clearly showed that with violence we all suffer.
Not enough is done to support the pain and suffering of the families of the victims and the families of the perpetrator. Thank you for such a penetrating presentation.
John Blangiardo
hempstead, ny
Dear FRONTLINE, After watching Frontline's, The Execution I had to re-think my position on the death penalty. I was pro death penalty, in part due to the vicious death of a cousin of mine twenty years ago. This story revealed the ugly truth that there is a no win situation with the death penalty. Perhaps society can claim to feel safe and righteous in condemning people found guilty of hideous crimes to be put to death, but societies hearts and souls never heal. To hate is to perpetuate the vulgarities of life. The only way to remedy hate and violence is through love and forgiveness. In MR. Boggess case, his life should have been spared and all of his art sales should have been put toward a fund that helps individuals with severe mental problems. There is no easy answer to the questions posed but the death penalty is not deterring the minds of those who commit such acts.
Mark Wallis
spencer, indiana
Dear FRONTLINE, Not only did it make sense, but it should have been done much earlier. Psychopaths do not change, they do not feel, and the taxpayers should not be forced to support them through endless appeals. He admitted it and appeared to be enjoying the notoriaty and the attention he was receiving from it. Disgusting and worthless human being!
Carol Wellman
indianapolis, indiana
Dear FRONTLINE, Gentlemen;
After watching your program, I felt compelled to write. You ask "Did it make sense to kill Boggess". In a sentence, no. But neither did it make sense for him to murder two innocent old men. I do not believe that we 'killed' Boggess--he killed, we executed a just sentence that denied life to sadistic and brutal sociopath. I have become very tired of the liberal intelligentsia taking a rather slanted view on programs such as these. Why do we spend so much time explaining the criminal point of view? I have no compassion whatsoever for Boggess. I have compassion for the families of those that he murdered. If anything is to be said for Boggess, it is that his death came too slowly and far too easily, a consideration he certainly did not grant his victims. He is nothing more than an animal, devoid of the spark that grants humanity. Do we debate the justice of executing Hitler, had we the opportunity?? Do we that attach some scale of inhumanity that grants death to a killer of only a certain number? Obviously, no. I am not a religious man, but the 'eye for an eye' staple certainly makes sense. Why should a savage be allowed to enjoy ANY part of life, having ended the lives of innocents? I say good riddance, and may Boggess burn in hell. I am outraged that he was allowed to choose the date of his execution! I would say execute him as speedily as possible, cremate the remains and flush him down the nearest toilet with the rest of the offal. Good riddance Mr Boggess, and I hope you experience all the pain and suffering you have caused others wherever your polluted soul may be.
Robert Sharpe
dallas, texas
Dear FRONTLINE, I wonder . Here is a whole page dedicated to Clifford Boggess. If he had killed someone I loved. I would prefer that a page be devoted to who the victims were. Also, angered that he was allowed to sell his art for his own profit. What happened to paying restitution to the victims?
The program was engrossing, but, upseting. I was angered at Boggess's arrogance and cruelty at describing in detail, both murders to the granddaughter of his victim.
Interesting. Does knowing the criminal help us feel more or less sympathy for them?!
glen head, new york
Dear FRONTLINE, I watched with interest as Clifford Boggess expressed his thoughts on his entry into Heaven. As much as 1/2 of me said make him suffer, let him know he can't do this and sit there smiling, the other half says no man here on this earth is God and therefore has no right to condem another man to death.There are no easy solutions to our prision problems. How do we punish a man or women when they have comitted a most horrible act of murder?
Maybe they should be blinded, so that they may never see the light of the heaven they think they will achieve by saying " I'm Sorry. Maybe they should be make deaf, so that they can never again hear a loved one talk to them.
Do we keep Death Row....I tend to think that the answer is yes, and then we'll all smile and beg forgivness for any wrong doing as did Clifford Boggess and if he was right..well we'll all meet in heaven anyway !!!
S Ecker
montreal, canada
Dear FRONTLINE, It saddens me to think that America has become comfortable with this type of killing. However, for this admitted killer, there was no other recourse, but the end result never can justify the means.
Vicki Gordon
gilman, iowa
Dear FRONTLINE, The death penalty has never made any sense to me. It never will. I saw only hatred and condemnation in "The Execution." The program seemed to me more about judgement than understanding. Well, until we understand crime and its causes we will never really do anything effective to prevent it. Even ardent proponents of the death penalty have given up saying that it prevents future murders. Well, what does, then?
Mary Jane Else
hadley, ma
Dear FRONTLINE, Mr. Boggess was well served by this documentary, if for no other reason than it allowed him an opportunity to make his final pitch for attention, forgiveness be damned. Having just watched the RAM video of the descriptions of the murders, I found a sense of aloof pride in the words used to describe the killing of Mr. Collier. It doesn't matter a whit whether Clifford Boggess ended up in heaven or hell. He is, quite simply, no longer here among us anymore. The world is not a poorer place for having lost him.
W.E.S. Harman
manakin-sabot, virginia
Dear FRONTLINE, I think that America has become "comfortable" in a good way. I think we should have it. If they've killed someone, they should also be killed. Even though I believe Clifford sincerely repented of his sin(s) and was saved and is now in Heaven, he understood that if he committed the crime, it is only just that he receive the appropriate punishment... in his case death. "Did it make sense to kill Clifford Boggess" -- Yes. I only wish that the reporter wouldn't have been such a cynic about Clifford's conversion. Why WOULDN'T Clifford have peace and joy and joke around when he did understand that "if he asked forgiveness from the Lord, that He would be faithful to forgive him of his sins". It doesn't matter how horrific any of our sins are--if we sincerely repent of them, and accept Jesus into our life as Lord and Saviour, then we WILL be given peace, and the life everafter with him. Sceptics may always be sceptics--and they will be unless they experience something personally--but at least of the reporter and the reportee, one of them had peace.
noblesville, in
Dear FRONTLINE, Ater watching this thought provoking epsiode, it only reinforced my opinion that capital punishment is morally and legally justified. The brutal, senseless violence perpetrated upon these men and the unrelenting grief and loss suffered by their families cries out for the most sever punishment. My only regret is that lethal injection has become the politically palatable method of executing wanton, unremorseful psycopaths. They deserve a fate equivalent to what their helpless victims suffered.
Curt Farran
anderson, in
Dear FRONTLINE, I cannot feel sorry for Mr. Boggess. Every con finds Jesus in the jailhouse, sincerely or otherwise. His punishment should have been to work hard every day of his life, be a law abidding family man, and then one day when he is in his 60's or 70's come to work and have some low-life violent criminal scum kick, knife and shoot him to death. If Hell is not for people like Mr. Boggess, then for whom is it?
baltimore, md
Dear FRONTLINE, Clifford Boggess was a very confused and lonely young man at the times of the double murder. That being so in no way excuses the horrible murders by his hand. He covered up his mental anguish with a song and dance to fool (his public). I felt no remorse. He got what he deserved. Too bad they don't hang convicts anymore.
William Ewert
buffalo, new york
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