If vigilantism was cool or legal, we'd consider Patrick Drum a real Miles Davis. But since it's not, we'll just have to consider him a violent man on his way to jail. In a Washington courtroom yesterday, Drum, 34, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for murdering 28-year-old Gary L. Blanton Jr. and 56-year-old Jerry W. Ray. Drum took their lives because he has a vendetta against sex offenders, and both Blanton and Ray had been convicted rapists.
Ray pleaded guilty to raping a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old back in 2002, and Blanton pleaded guilty, at 17, to raping a 17-year-old disabled girl. Drum evidently wanted both men to pay for their crimes, and took matters into his own hands. He shot them both multiple times.
Just as no one wants child rapists roaming around, no one wants lawless killers out and about, either. Ray's and Blantan's crimes were heinous and I'm disgusted that there are people out there capable of such things, but at the same time, I'm also appalled that there are those out there who think Drum is some kind of hero for his actions.
Apparently, he has some supporters who are stalking the victims' families, spitting on them and whatnot.
Drum murdered two people in cold blood. He's not a hero nor a pioneer. In fact, he's a criminal himself, having spent four years in prison on drug charges. He got Ray's and Blantan's names off the public sex offender registry and decided to kill them. He was suspected to be on his way to kill a third sex offender when cops intervened. What, exactly, is so brave and noble about that?
I guess he fancied himself some sort of Dexter character who could exact revenge on those who had done pretty horrible things, but Dexter is just a TV show. It doesn't work that way in real life. You can't go around shooting people in the face because you think they deserve it. Like Mom always says, two wrongs don't make a right.
Drum deserves life without parole because as soon as we show someone like him any leniency, the law becomes absolutely meaningless.
Do you think Drum did something good or evil?
Photo via Manu H/Flickr
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Comments 61
I'm all for the death penalty, I think it should extend to child rapists. And the problem with vigilante justice is exactly what happened to Gary Blanton.
I do.......
Gary was also the roommate and very close friend of the man who shot him.
I have known all the parties involved for a very long time. Patrick had nice had a heart of gold. He no longer has a heart.
If you want tp feel sorry for someone, dint feel sorry for oat. Feel sorry for baby gary and little skyler, who has downs syndrome, who have to grow up without a father who loved them with all his heart!
I would like to comment on this statement from the article:
"Drum deserves life without parole because as soon as we show someone like him any leniency, the law becomes absolutely meaningless."
It is my opinion that the rapists are the ones that deserved life without parole more so than this guy. How is it that a man who raped two CHILDREN is out walking the streets in the first place?? So for that crime he served what...a max of 10 years? Child rapists are horrific...they steal innocence and affect their victims for the rest of their lives.
I actually applaud the vigilante...clearly the justice system is a joke in this country. He did the world a favor.