Forgiveness

Have you ever noticed that at darn near every televised criminal trial, the accused, more often than not, asks someone to "forgive" them.  Heinous crimes, and they want forgiveness on the spot like it's supposed to wipe away all of their sins.

This concept of in court forgiveness was brought to my mind when I was reading about a young lady who committed a number of crimes up in Utah.  Apparently she (an 18-year-old woman) and her boyfriend went on a rampage killing one deputy and injuring another.  At the sentencing, the young woman bursts in tears begging forgiveness.  

I gotta wonder why was she seeking forgiveness after the the trial, after all the evidence has been presented, after all is said and done? From whom is she seeking to be forgiven?  Was she begging forgiveness to avoid punishment?  Was she seeking forgiveness from the family of the deputy who she killed?  The deputy who she injured?  Where is the bravado exhibited whilst the crimes were being committed?  THEN, whilst the crime(s) were being committed you only wanted to run free with the buffalo.  NOW (after you've been caught and charged and tried) you want to be forgiven?  Seems a bit late in the day for such a request.  Perhaps had there been remorse before you got caught, forgiveness would be understandably forthcoming and not an after-all-is-said-and-done sort of thing.

I suspect the moral to all this, if moral there be, is if you want forgiveness for forgiveness sake, great - forgive away.  If what you want is a more lenient sentence, get in line.