THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, January 1, 1997            TAG: 9612310002
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A16  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   20 lines

ANTI-EXECUTION, NOT PRO-O'DELL

A reply to the Rev. Tom Douros' Dec. 26 letter, ``Ovation for a murder'':

First, the Italians were not applauding Joseph O'Dell. They oppose the death penalty, as I do, and were reacting to his stay of execution. This is an important distinction.

Second, the Rev. Mr. Douros quotes Hebrew Scripture (Gen. 9:6) in defense of his support of the death penalty. More than once Jesus called for hesed, merciful justice, rather than misphat, eye-for-an-eye justice.

Society should not descend to the level of the murderer by executing him. We should protect the innocent by jailing the murderer for life. This is the stance of Pope John Paul II and mine, also.

FRANK McGRATH

Virginia Beach, Dec. 26, 1996