Attention to murder trial reveals human loss

I covered my first murder trial in the fall of 1974. The 3-year-old murder victim would be 38 years old now had she lived. Maybe 39. I cannot recall her birthday but you get the picture, it was a senseless loss.

I covered about two dozen murder trials while a reporter and in each one was sobered by how cases built meticulously to prove blame for someone's death can strip away the humanity that is in us all while also heightening it.

At one time in the day a forensics expert tells in dry, scientific terms how body tissue reacts, depending upon size and velocity, when hit by something like a fist, a knife, a bullet. Later in the day a family member talks about lost dreams.

You ought to see a real murder trial. It changes your perspective on the value of life in ways that dramatized versions of courtroom proceedings cannot fulfill. You learn how fragile we all are in both physiology and in psychology. And each time, you understand the loss.

If you've been following the Mark Becker murder trial you, too, may think about senseless loss because of the death of popular, nationally known Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas. Stories in The Gazette by Trish Mehaffey, and by reporters at other media outlets as well, have captured that drama.

Trish also is writing descriptions of the trial in real time, in a live blog on thegazette.com that runs along with a live stream of video from the courtroom. Other media outlets have live blogs and video from the trial, too. These Internet tools not available for the printed paper give you chances to see how the courts work. The live blogs are interactive, which means the blogger can respond to readers' questions and comments.

Here is an example from the Wednesday, Feb. 17, live blog at GazetteOnline.com, with a note about live blogging: people do it quickly so the grammar is not always polished.

8:50 Trish Mehaffey:

Becker just came in and now the Thomas family are entering the courtroom. The Beckers were already here.

8:59 [Comment From Iowaskiguy]

It will be tough to have to make the decision than (that) he was sane beyond a reasonable doubt.

9:01 [Comment From Pat]

up to expert witnesses to determine whether or not he meets legal insanity criteria.

9:01 Trish Mehaffey:

It's actually up to the jury.

Then there was this entry later in the day:

3:02 [Comment From susan Reynolds]

Hi, I'm Ed's sister susan who resides in MT. what is going on right now?

3:02 Trish Mehaffey:

Becker is in a booking room after he led police on high speed chase a few days before the shooting. Defense wanted to play the tape.

3:03 [Comment From guest]

is he talking to himself. his lips keep keep moving but there does not appear to be any outbursts

3:03 [Comment From guest]

I am so sorry you and the family have to go through all of this, Susan. It must be very difficult for you.

3:03 [Comment from Peggie]

Hi, Susan, I'm here, too. (Peggie)

3:04 Trish Mehaffey:

You guys are great for sticking it out with me. Hopefully, something will happen soon.

3:04 [Comment From susan reynolds]

IT has been very difficult for our family.

3:05 Trish Mehaffey

The jurors are intently looking at the screen.

3:05 [Comment From susan reynolds]

Oh hi peggy, its been tough sunday i did a lot of crying again

You'll notice that the first entry cited dealt with the dry mechanics of a trial, the second touched on the humanity of a loved one lost.

After the verdict was read in that first murder trial I covered in 1974 I was struck by one other thing that happened. Outside the courtroom, in the upstairs hallway, the young victim's mother and the convicted murder's mother collapsed into each other's arms, sobbing. Two mothers, two lost children -- one to death and one who chose to do evil en route to life in prison.

Ed Thomas' death hurt his family and community. Given that, there was Joan Becker, Mark Becker's mother, on the witness stand last week talking about a son accused of committing one of Iowa's most infamous killings. Video tapes showed her son ranting about Satan after shooting Thomas. The Becker family awaits word on whether their son will be convicted of first-degree murder and spend life in prison. What a loss for them, too.

What a senseless loss for everyone involved. Again.