In 2000 we moved to Maryland. In 2001 we were part of all the crazed crowd of parents pulling their children out of school to bring their babies home after the Pentagon was attacked (I still cry for DS's friend, the only child left when his parents didn't come). DC was too close, everyone knew someone who might be at work that day. In horror we had watched the Trade Centers collapse. Not too long ago we lived across the river in NJ, knew too many there. My brother's neighbor died that day, my home town train station's parking lot remained filled with cars. Now, close enough to DC, lock-down was initated in kids' school after the Sniper killings, no one went out for recess, a Police car parked and guarded the school entrance, guarding our children. We lived in fear.

Today Mohammed is scheduled to die. I am usually not pro-execution but he taught me terror and fear, especially for my children. I can remember how terrible that felt. I can only be glad he is no longer in my children's world. No DNA testing will someday exonerate him, there are no gray areas here.