Just recently, a judge once again declared an inmate was fit for execution (after 37 years) and competent to carry out his demise.

For those of you who remember the “Hi-Fi Shop” killings and torture of many people, those killers went about 20 years before their executions. This was decades ago. Those on death row deserve no benefits.

I once worked with the father of one of the victims. He was also tortured but luckily survived. His child didn’t.

I don’t know all of the correct numbers but back in those days it cost about $13,000 per inmate per year. Fast forward to their date with death and that number went to about $27,000 per year.

Another inmate on death row was about 20 years before he was executed. By that time costs had risen to over $35,000 per year.

The point being that we have had to foot the bill for many more since.

Now we are bonded and paying for a new prison. I’m pretty sure the housing costs per inmate per year are astronomical.

Last year I used the Freedom of Information Act and wrote the Department of Corrections for the costs. I’m still waiting and the boss at the time has moved up the “food chain.” We as taxpayers have the right to know because it is our money, not theirs.

Russ Larsen

Smithfield