Pedophile's painful death not painful to most

Obviously, the state of Ohio made major mistakes in the death of Joel Yockey. Earlier today, autopsy results found that the convicted killer should have received better health care before he died in prison of stomach complications and bowel problems.

Yep, he should have been treated better and the problem needs to be fixed. However, don't expect too many local folks to shed a tear for this guy.

I hate writing this entry this way, and I know we're called to forgive others, so I'm not trying to be spiteful here. Still, my first thought when I hear his name is the phone call I received from the relatives of Kristen Jackson. They called us out of the blue five years ago begging for a news story on Kristen. She hadn't come home from the county fair and "that just isn't like her." I remember asking the woman on the other end if Kristen had ever run away before, and she swore to me that she hadn't. Unfortunately, we have to ask because as a rule, we don't usually show runaways on the evening news unless police ask for our help.

I remember hanging up and then talking to out producers about adding a story with her picture. I just remember the sinking feeling that I had that night that this story wasn't going to end well. That as much as I hoped this girl whom I'd never met would be found at a relative or boyfriend's house, I knew in the pit of my gut that this was foul play.

Days later, police hit us hard with news that Yockey had been charged with rape and murder and that they were still looking for her remains, which he scattered among swamps. We also learned that Yockey had done hard time -- 15 years -- for another rape but was released to strike again. After Jackson's death, legislators came up with ideas to better inform people of the convicted sex offenders living near them.

So tonight, I'm upset that our state screwed up its medical care responsibilities. I am. There's no call for that. I just hate that I feel this way. I hate that Joel Yockey died at the state's hands, yet all I can think about is Yockey's own hands .. and the violent pain they caused to two local families.