Halloween 2013: 10:30am: Listening to "Fade to Black" by Metallica

I'm reading the newspaper today and there's a story of a murder. Last month, 16 year old Justin Robinson, from Clayton, New Jersey, admitted to killing 12 year old Autumn Pasquale. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the murder. I was in New Jersey and if he's lucky, he'll do half of that 17 years. This poor little baby girl was strangled and killed and this is the punishment? This is ridiculous. Just because I'm in prison does not mean I am soft on crime or I show any favoritism for people who commit crimes. You get caught, you take your punishment. This little girl was just 12. My own daughter just turned 16. Autumn's killer was 16. What do you do? What is the proper punishment? I know we all have our own opinions but I'm not just hurt right now for this baby girl, I'm angry. I don't have to know her. She was only 12, that's enough for me. I will attach a picture of Autumn and her killer. The newspaper article doesn't say why he killed her but was it sexual, did he want to rape the little girl? Was it racial? (She was white, he was black). Was it jealousy? Was it some sort of hatred? We'll never know because Justin Robinson will not say. What is a just punishment for him? You're society, you can probably read more of this on line, just look for the Clayton, N.J. newspaper on line. This is such a tragedy that didn't have to happen. Justin's older brother, Dante, was also charged with killing Autumn but for some reason the police dropped the charges after Justin confessed. Did he confess and take the heat off of his brother? I just don't know. With tears in my eyes for this baby girl, all I can say is I know she is in heaven and there was no justice in this case.

On another disturbing note, on October 8, the Philadelphia Daily News reported that the homicide count in the city of about 1.5 million people, is 195 so far. That is down 27% from the same time 1 year ago when the homicide count was 267 on Oct. 8, 2012. The city of Philadelphia expects to finish the year with under 300 murders, which will be the first time that has happened since 2002. That's just freakin' sad. They said they expect to stay under 1,000 shootings for the year, they are currently around 900. This is just a bizarre thing to be proud of. 195 murders is still entirely too many deaths. I don't have any of the answers in solving these problems but that's why we elect people, to run things and be problem solvers. So far, they are not doing a good job. Now, before I depress anyone with more bad news, I want to say on a happier note that I have received a few photos of my daughter Krista and I don't think I stopped smiling once in a few hours. I wonder if she is too old for Halloween now. She's only 16. I'll do my best to give her a present filled Christmas. I don't know what else to do. I can't be there but I can write and I can find people who will send my little girl a Christmas present. My friends in Italy are going on vacation to the Canary Islands so I asked if they would find something unique from the islands for Krista. I'm doing my best, most days I feel like I am not doing enough. I know it's not all about gifts and presents but for a child who was never spoiled, has hardly anyone showing her love in her life, the more I can do, I think the better. It's kinda like being in jail. When someone writes you, takes the time to be in your life, it shows they care. But when they send you their hard earned money so that you can live and take care of yourself in prison, it shows they love you. And if I can do anything for Krista to show her that I love her and I will never abandon my little girl, I have to. Secretly I am praying I can see her next year. Well, I think I'll stop boring you now. There's a lot of good out in the world but there is also a lot of evil and I'm not very optimistic about it ever ending. We need to figure out how to help kids before they turn into killers, or people that commit violent crimes and hurt people. Don't wait to start teaching your kids, get to them before it's too late. For Justin, Dante, and little Autumn it's too late. But it doesn't have to be for your kids, your neighbors' kids, the rest of society. We need to start caring about more than just ourselves and start helping one another. Take care, stay safe and God bless. See ya next week. Ciao.

[three photos]
Autumn Pasquale: An innocent 12 year old victim of murder
Justin Robinson: 16 year old admitted killer charged and sentenced as an adult to an adult state prison
Dante Robinson: 18 year old brother of killer who pled guilty to an "obstruction" charge