Pastors
call for death penalty in black-on-black crimes
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Pastors and community
leaders want to see black-on-black crime stop and are calling for harsher
penalties.(Photo: Ken Amaro/First Coast News)
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Kathy Robinson is a victim. January 4, 2014,
her only son was killed by another black man.
"When the killer killed my
son, he killed something inside of me," said Robinson.
Manuel Robinson was 21. His mother said he
was full of dreams from childhood. Keith
Collins, still awaiting trial, is charged with his death. Robinson said
her son's killer deserves the full consequence of the law.
"He deserves the death
penalty. He changed my life," she said.
A number of Jacksonville's black clergy say
if the death penalty is used more often, when it applies, it will send a clear
message.
"The message is black life
does matter,"
said Pastor Ken Adkins.
Adkins is an ex-offender and father of 14 and
has had it with what he calls the rising number of black-on-black crimes.
"When you don't value
life,"
he said, "I personally don't believe you have the
right to live."
Bishop Terrence Calloway said he has
eulogized several young men under 40 and the genocide has to stop.
"I don't only speak as a
pastor,"
said Calloway, "I speak as a citizen, I speak as a
father."
Even if their position seems to go against
the teaching of forgiveness, their position is full of mercy.
"The death penalty is
warranted for those who have no regard for human life," said Calloway.
Pastor Adkins said during the 500 days
between the death of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmermann,
there were 11,000 incidents of black-on-black crimes nationwide.
The pastors said the numbers are
unacceptable.
On Friday, Adkins plans to be in a Duval
County Courtroom to show support for the death penalty in the sentencing of Rodney
Newberry. The jury has recommended death.
The pastors hope their tough stand will lead
to a change in how the black community views black-on-black crimes.
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