From a family point of view

My lovely 'Spikey' Dr Michael meenaghan was murdered on the 10th of December 1994.
A life gone in a moment, our lives totally wrecked and the thoughts of what he went through in those moments, as he bled to death on the kitchen floor, haunt me to this day.
I still wake up and think of how callous and cold blooded his Hitman must have been, not to care about the life he was wiping out . If I and the children had been there would we be wiped out too?
Just a job for money, just taking orders from his boss. Not caring about the people left behind
These days I am feeling more whole as a person I still grieve every day
his mother still has her empty arms and i cannot speak for her and her feelings and would never think I was entitled too. As I see life it is so precious to me and the love of a mother or wife is vast in most cases I cannot condone anyones death by anothers hand . I cannot bear to think of the pain of someone losing a loved one in a cold blooded act of vengeance. When I think of someone being executed however evil they appear, I compare those responsible to the hitman who killed my lovely Spike
'how callous and cold blooded those executioners must be! Not to care about the life they are wiping out . Just a job for money, just taking orders from the boss Not caring about the people left behind

That is such a courageous and humane stance to take. I have so much respect for your opinion on this, and condolences for your loss.

Though different in many ways, my cousin Mikey Powell http://www.mikeypowell-campaign.org.uk died at the hands of 10 police officers in the UK. However, despite what some may feel is more appropriate, I do not harbour vengeance against the officers responsible for his death, nor do I demonise the whole police force.

All we want is justice for Mikey, for those that took his life to held accountable under the law. There can never be 'closure' (a term so readily used), because Mikey is gone and isn't coming back and I wouldn't wish that loss and grief on another.

Lots of respect to you and your loved ones!

Hi Tippa
I thought i had replied but I must have missed the saved button.
Thank you for your words its means alot. I have read about Mikey
and having retired from mental health nursing after 27 years ,I can fully appreciate how badly the system works. Not only for the mentally ill as a whole, but for the black community in particular. There is absolutely racial stereotyping in the perception of young black men in particular. I have to say with the abolition of the larger institutions there became little, if any safe haven for our most vulnerable members of society. Hostels and bed and breakfasts have become the norm instead of proper rehabilitation. I can remember many times trying to find a bed for someone on a friday night in Birmingham, who would be psychotic and potentially dangerous to themselves or others and having absolutely nowhere for them to go. The families of the mentally ill in particular have an enormous burden to bear. I feel terribly sad for Mikeys Mother and all of the families whose loved ones have died in the care of the police or prison service. In the old days when my mom was a community nurse, a man with a machete was waving it about in his garden at the police and his family. There were riot police and everyone was shouting and my mom bless her just said 'put that bloody thing down son, your gonna hurt yerself' and he did and came with her to hospital. I asked her why she wasnt frightened and she said 'don't be silly dear of course I was ,but not as frightened as I would have been if 8 riot police were coming at me with truncheons!