“He should get the death penalty for what he’s done,” were the words of a mother, Jennifer Cloninger, directed at her own son. What has he done to warrant that his own mother wish the death penalty on him?
Last Friday, Cloninger’s son, Matthew Safrit, shot and killed his stepfather, Nathan Cloninger. In the process, he stabbed his mother as she tried to protect her dying husband from the wrath of Safrit. The family fight began over a car and quickly escalated to a murderous rampage. Safrit, who is battling depression, was high on drugs and alcohol when the incident took place.
Obviously, these were not the actions of a stable person. I completely agree that Matthew Safrit should be incarcerated and punished by law. After all, he did murder someone. Whether he was drunk and high is irrelevant, he did he crime; now he needs to be punished by law.
Lots of people get drunk and high and hate their step dad, but lots of people don’t use the family squabble as an excuse to kill their step father and stab their own mother. Of course, I’m pretty sure that mommy dearest was simply collateral damage. Junior was so engrossed in the throes of murdering his step daddy she just got in the way as Safrit tried to get to Nathan Cloninger. Safrit probably never even noticed she was between himself and his victim.
We grow our babies in our bodies, nourish them of our body, hold them in our arms and cherish then in our hearts. They may grow up but we never stop being their mother. When I look at my girls, I still see that newborn that I met on the day they were born. The love that I felt in that moment is always with me. Nothing or no one could ever alter that bond between my children and myself.
I don’t understand how any mother, no matter what her child has done, no matter how old her child is, wishing the death penalty on her own son. To me, that is the craziest part of this entire situation. As a mother myself, I would never wish the death penalty on my child. Isn’t that what a mother’s love is; unconditional love in the face of reason and all else? I’d say Jennifer Cloninger’s motherly love most definitely has conditions. Apparently, killing her husband is a condition for turning her back on her child.
Mrs. Cloninger, don’t talk to your son. Be pissed that he killed the love of your life. Shake your fists at the Gods in fury but don’t wish the death penalty on your own child.
I have a feeling there is more to this story than meets the eye. If I had to guess, Cloninger was the type of woman who put men above her child’s needs, her husband may have been a brute to Safrit and the kid just snapped. Or maybe Safrit is really just a mean, crazy asshole and he deserves to be locked up forever. He may even deserve the death penalty but I don’t think it’s right that his own mother is running her mouth on national news lobbying for his death sentence. I think his mom’s got her priorities mixed up. What about you?
Would you ever wish the death penalty on your own child?
Image via Zaldylmg/Flickr
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Comments 72
A mother's instinct to protect her offspring, conflicted by the knowledge of what the offspring has done...
I think, in all honesty, I would have to just let the law handle the situation. I could not push for leniency, or punnishment. The system may be flawed, but there's no way I could ask for my child to be put to death, or a murderer to be given leniency.
Women do judge men as a whole sometimes based on the actions of one man or a couple of men. Women do make generalizations about men and yes, they do stereotype men. How many times do women say all men are dogs, all men have a one track mind, or all men think with the wrong head? It's perception that I was speaking of. If women are going to think with there heart at times like this they are going to get blasted by men who use logic. Simple. And while there may be many ways to punish someone, in our society, like it or not, the death penalty is the go to punishment for crimes like these in the eyes of a majority of people. I wouldn't care who did it, if this had happened to me, there is a very high likelyhood that I would advocate the same. It's not about differing opinions on punishment, its about the author going after a mother because 'she's not the proper kind of mom'.
How can you give advice to a woman like this? Your article makes me sick. Why should she feel any judgement from the likes of you over her wanting to have some justice for her husband? You don't know her, the situation, the family, or really anything other than the highlights, so really just shut it and keep your self righteous opinion to yourself.
Once again, people are rushing to judgement without knowing all the facts. Amazing how our society loves to do that. We don't know what kind of mother this woman was or if she tried desperately to help her son. We also don't know what the relationship was with the stepfather. Maybe she was putting her husband abover her son, but maybe they both tried everything they could to get him help. Until we know all the facts in the case... let's just keep our opinions to ourselves.
So many criminals are released and then go on to commit more heinous crimes.. I believe anyone with the ability to kill others like that, who rape or molest children or who constantly reoffened should be put to death. To protect society, not necessarily to punish the person.
So many criminals are released and then go on to commit more heinous crimes.. I believe anyone with the ability to kill others like that, who rape or molest children or who constantly reoffened should be put to death. To protect society, not necessarily to punish the person.