The law, since time immemorial, has tried to round up murderers at once by elimination as soon as possible and now, in some jurisdictions, by incarceration for life. We catch most of them.
This tidies up our communities and reduces a needless threat to the safety and well-being of all.
The unfolding sage of Chris Benoit (pictured) is incredible.
The "sport", embodied by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), have been pouring out the "we love you Chris" eulogies of this Canadian demon even as details come out of his cowardly attack on his wife and his son.
By 10 PM Tuesday night, Sports Illustrated was reporting that being native to Montreal bound his wife Nancy's feet and wrists before killing her; their 7-year old son Daniel was suffocated later that night. Benoit then took his own life "as long as a day later".
There are allegations now of steroids playing a part in this, as if that could put any distance whatsoever between the fact that this man - using the word loosely - can be excused for taking this innocent woman and boy's life because of drugs. In any event, the facts indicate deliberation not rage.
If Benoit did take 24 hours to make up his mind, and the only one with any choice as to suicide, surely the thought of capital punishment by injection in the State of Georgia must of hung on his mind - pun intended - making his actions all the more callous. According to a time-line released by WWE, he tried to peddle food poisoning and that (his wife) was "throwing up blood".
To WWE's credit, "as facts emerged surrounding the case, all tributes to Chris Benoit were removed both on-air and on WWE.com".
The law knows that animals still walk amongst us. And that's the beauty of law. In spite of arenas full of raving fans, the law has its system for handcuffing animals, Chris Benoits of the world.
But it's not a perfect detect and grab system.
Tragically, we still lose a few Nancys and Daniels along the way.