Jessica's Dad: "An Eye For An Eye"

Father Of Murdered Florida Girl Urges Death Penalty For Her Killer

(CBS/AP)  A Florida jury took only four hours Wednesday to convict John Couey, a known sex offender, of kidnapping, raping and then killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford.

The crime outraged Florida and America, CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann reports, from her disappearance from her bedroom in February 2005 to her body's discovery three weeks later, buried outside Couey's trailer.

The jury next must decide whether he should get death by injection or life in prison.

"With capital cases, I'm all for the death penalty. It's an eye for an eye," Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, said Thursday on CBS' The Early Show.

Asked if the verdict provided any peace or solace, Lunsford said, "I think peace would be a good word. I'm not real sure about closure yet. I've not quite figured that one out. I mean what is it and where does it come from?"

After his daughter's death, Mark Lunsford helped push Florida to pass Jessica's Law, mandating longer sentencing and lifetime tracking of child molesters. Other states have also cracked down.

He's now working with the group "Stop Child Predators," which advocates for stricter penalties and an integrated nationwide sex offender registry.

"I can't get my hands on the guy that murdered my daughter so I've made it my job to make the rest of these sexual offenders and predators' lives miserable, as miserable as I can," he told CBS.

Outside the courtroom Wednesday, Lunsford said that he knew "justice would prevail" but that the case wouldn't be complete until the sentence was imposed.

Circuit Judge Richard Howard will ultimately decide whether Couey should be sentenced to death. He is not required to follow the jury's recommendation, but judges give the recommendation great legal weight.

Couey admitted to investigators shortly after his arrest that he committed the crime, but the confession was thrown out because he did not have a lawyer present as he had requested.

The evidence at trial included DNA from Jessica's blood and Couey's semen on a mattress in his bedroom, as well as Jessica's fingerprints in a closet in the trailer.

Jail guards and investigators testified that Couey repeatedly admitted details of the slaying after his arrest and that he insisted he had not meant to kill the third-grader but panicked as police searched for her.

Couey had a record as a sex offender. In 1991, he was arrested on a charge of fondling a child. In 1978, he was accused of grabbing a girl in her bedroom, placing his hand over her mouth and kissing her.

But authorities had not known that Couey was living near the Lunsford home even though he was required to tell them he had moved.

Sentencing is to begin Tuesday. A psychologist testified for the defense that Couey has signs of mental illness and mental retardation, mitigating circumstances that could help spare him the death penalty.

[justfacts2]

I can think of a very easy way of tracking these sickos. Put a microchip in them like they do for pets. They would be very easy to track then.
It just pains me to think what that poor little girl's last hours were like. And I have news for that defense psychologist, I am sure he faked it where he appears to be retarded and mentally ill. I am behind the father 100%. The sad part of it is this is going to be tied up in appeals for years.

[jane02--2008]

There's no need to waste tax payers money and government time for this pedophile. He should suffer the same pain he put Jessica Lunsford through and more for the pain her parents had to endure doing that. Just hang him and let him suffer a slow and painful death.

[anopinion1]

dont dare put this guy in prison for us to pay for his easy living the rest of his life........

I say lock him up in a box with a few air holes and let him starve and dehydrate to death. (granted this is a 100% open and closed case) he deserves to suffer

[connapa]

If he gets death. he'll be in a protected unit- death row- for the better part of a decade while his appeals are heard.
I say give him life so that he can be put into the general population. That way he can live the rest of his life in fear, and likely end up like Dahmer did. That would be justice.

[CBSTV]

I understand the primal instinct to want to hurt people who hurt us -- but killing is wrong whether it is done by a mentally unstable person or methodically by the government.

[Turgedson]

As Dennis Miller said, a microchip is certainly one way to keep track of this kind of scum. But there's an easier, more effective method: burials!

[sharncedar]

We as a nation will indulge millions of dollars and countless expenditure of time and energy to kill someone for a horrific crime, but not a penny to prevent it.

We are becoming the Aztecs, a ruthless, cruel, stupid society that feeds on blood and death. God will give us the same as the Aztecs soon, I reckon, less we change our ways.

It would have been easy enough to prevent this crime by giving this lunatic a little mental health resources, but no, I think you people want these things to happen. You feed emotionally on the horrible crime, the horrible retribution, it serves the blood lust of the Aztec gods. A big mistake, its an ugly culture and foolish indulgence.

[thejameso]

FRY HIM OVER AND OVER AGAIN I HAVE NO REMOSE FOR KILLING ANYONE WHO HAS EVER TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF A CHILD. THEY SHOULD FRY ON EARTH AND BURN IN HELL

[draigon-2009]

Turn him over to Jessica's father.

[petesis]

A Question for those who think killing is wrong even if it is a mentally unstable killer.
My question is very simple. Why is it wrong to kill someone who has committed a heinous murder? Why is it as you say "wrong"? I am interested in your reply.

[weisisobese]

Mr. Lunsford may you somehow find peace .. and "thank you" for somehow finding the strength to make sure other states WAKE UP and enact Jessie's Law! It's pityful that they have to be "convinced"!

Studio41 - I don't know what planet you're living on BUT any psycho who murders a child should get exactly what they deserve AND lethal injection is way too easy!

[jenniferfry]

Studio41 - You haven't live on Earth long enough.

[susanhelit]

Studio - he's a rabid dog. He's killed because he's an extreme danger to others - even in jail, sometimes they escape, sometimes they hurt the guards.

Now the revenge aspect, of, hmmm, let's say leaving him in general population for 3 days for anything they can do to him, then taking him out, putting him in a few plastic bags and burying him alive - gotta admit, it has a nice ring to it. But that's not what our justice system is about.

[rasabaka]

I think they should put two plastic bags over his head so he knows how she felt when he did it to her...

[zippiez]

Studio41 and SharnCedar:

Get off your high horses.
Get your boots on the ground.
Start up your clinics.

But don't you dare let them out to continue their molesting and killing.

[zendigity]

Studio41 and SharnCedar:

Don't you get it? This is a Christian country..holding dear those important lessons of Christ.. to HATE and to KILL and above all, to justify it whenever it serves our purposes.

So enough with your satanic talk of turning the other cheek and loving thy neighbor. If we can't breed a bloodlust over this guy, how are we ever going to be able to justify the slaughter of millions later?

Read your bible morons!!!

[justfacts2]

Zendigity - I don't know where you got your information but Christianity is not about hate and killing. Why don't YOU read the bible you moron! I do not understand why when these psychos get in prison they aren't allowed to mingle with the other cellmates. Believe me, justice would be served in short order. Look at Jeffrey Dahmer.

[sugarmice-2009]

I hope real justice is served and this animal is killed - I am so tired of people out there crying about how we treat criminals... they commited a crime = they need to pay and if it's with their life - too frigging bad. This animal doesn't belong in society whether it be in jail or on the streets - he should be publicly hung.
Seems like today everyone is more worried about how the criminal feels than what the victim had to deal with and what their families are going through. I am so tired of my tax dollars paying for death row inmates for 20 years...
I am a christian and yet I do believe in the death penalty - we spend too much money on bull *** trying to appease these idiots - if we went through with the death penalties and did it faster than 20 years perhaps we would have less crime out there.. once you criminals realize that if you commit the crime - you pay for the crime - and if you murdered/molested a child than you don't deserve to live... as a society we have become so passive that law breakers could care less because there will be some lawyer out there that will wine and dine you until you are released - just not so right.
Let's let justice start prevailing and let criminals get what they deserve...

[sugarmice-2009]

The jails provide free cable tv, movies, gym equipment - excuse me... I can't afford that and I work 45 hours a week. If you commit a crime, you serve time, you don't play on my money - you get nothing because you deserve nothing. IF the crime is minor, then get an education and do something positive when you get out.
Otherwise, you deserve what you get...

[gaia3-2009]

Petesis.....what that scum did to Jessie was wrong. To enact the death penalty on him is only justice as far as Im concerned.

Zendigity...Christianity is not about hating and killing. Where you got satanism I'll never know. The Christian bible says "an eye for an eye". It does NOT say HATE and KILL. "Thou shalt not kill".....remember that part?? Your ignorant mentality that the Christian bible tells us to hate and kill is exactly like those who practice Islam who think that in the Koran, Allah (God) tells them to kill for him. That is THIER interpretation as obviously the vileness you posted is yours. I believe everyone is entitled to thier opinion. I dont have to agree w/ you but I will respect it as your choice because thats what I practice. Unfortunately, opinions like your are why we are at war with Hate, racism, religious intolerance ect as it is. I wish you peace in your life. You truely sound as if you need it.

[zendigity]

First let me ask, has everyone forgotten the definition of sarcasm?
Second, the concept of an eye for an eye was not meant to be a plea for vengence, it was a plea for restraint as in "only an eye for an eye"
Finally, yes I understand what the actual teachings of Christ really are, but anyone that fools themselves into believing that mainstream modern-day Christianity has even the slightest connection with the teachings of Christ has obviously not been paying attention.
Look closely and you will see todays shepherds seem to be leading the flock right to the slaughterhouse.

[gaia3-2009]

Zendigity, my apologies. Its hard to tell tone of voice in the printed word. The Jessica Lunsford case is a sore spot w/ me. I worked on her website while she was missing then after she was found. When the website closed, I started a new one w/ my best friend to continue the battle. I truly apologize for any offense you may have taken. It wasnt meant that way.
I agree w/ you about todays version of Christianity. Perhaps if people truly followed the words of the Bible, the Koran or which ever religion they follow, our world wouldnt be such an evil place. But when you see what these monsters are doing to our children, its hard to think in a peaceful or forgiving matter. These animals will pay on Judgement Day. Unfortunately it will be too late for many children.

Again. My apologies