Re: Ricky Ray Rector in "Death Note"

In rec.arts.anime.misc Bill Martin <bill_r_martin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> This reminds me more of an episode from the TV sci-fi series, Babylon5.
 In
>> the episode, you learn that the death penalty has been done away with,
and
>> instead Earth now uses a procedure that wipes the personality and
memories
>> from the brain.  A new personality is then implanted - one that wants
to
>> serve society.  The ex-convict is then released and given a menial
labor
>> job - which he happily does - until he dies of natural causes.
> 
> You call being beaten and crucified "natural causes"?

That wasn't supposed to happen.  The guy who was killed had been a serial 
murderer who was caught and had his personality wiped.  However, some 
family members of his victims didn't agree with that sentence, and set out

to find him, use a telepath to undo his mind-wipe so he'd remember, and 
then kill him out of vengenance.

As you recall, the man who was mainly responsible for killing the former 
criminal was himself sentenced to death of personality, and ended up back 
on Babylon5 serving in the very same job his victim had.  As the head monk

stated "Forgiveness can be a very difficult thing."

I'm not sure if this story was partially inspired by Rector or if it was 
more of an exploration of what justice could be like in the future.

Both situations bring up the same question though.  Is killing the 
personality the same as killing the body that contained it?  

-- 
It's not broken.  It's...advanced.