Man’s earlier light sentence led to second slaying

The Herald front page story on Aug. 11 says “Family expresses grief, outrage.” We should all be outraged with our system of justice in this state.

Since when did 12 years for murder become the appropriate punishment for taking someone’s life from them. I suspect it was when justice became a bottom-line issue. John Derosia says he doesn’t know why he does the things he does. I don’t care why he does whatever he does. Neither did Shannon Yeager. Yet she is dead and this miserable excuse for a human being lives on.

I hope on some level, the judge who gave him 12 years for 2003 slaying of his wife feels a measure of remorse for that slap on the wrist. I also wish I believed that were true.

Phil Bate

Lynnwood