Isaac Zamora Pleads Guilty

The Associated Press reports on the guilty plea entered in the case of Isaac Zamora who killed 6 in a Washington State shooting spree last year. When we discussed this at the time of the arrest, Bob S., who runs a wonderful blog of his own, asked, "How do you want to treat mentally ill people? Wrap them in cotton and let them walk the streets?"

A man who killed six people, including a sheriff's deputy, in a northwest Washington shooting rampage last year pleaded guilty Tuesday and will spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital or prison.

Isaac Zamora entered the pleas to 18 charges, including aggravated murder, attempted murder and burglary, after prosecutor Rich Weyrich agreed he would not seek the death penalty.

"Mr. Zamora won't ever walk the streets again," Weyrich said. "From a public safety standpoint, we've accomplished that."

Zamora, 29, began his rampage Sept. 2, 2008, near the town of Alger, 70 miles north of Seattle, and continued it on Interstate 5. Described by his family as mentally disturbed, he was captured after a police chase and later told investigators he killed for God.

One thing this story clarifies is that killers are not all atheists. Some of them are cracked believers.

In answer to Bob's question, no I don't want to treat the mentally ill offenders gently and let them offend again. I want them to get the mental health care they need just like any other sick person. To me the State of Washington is doing this exactly right.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.