DEATH ROW--death penalty in America

[Jimbone]

That guy was looks a lot like - a dead ringer maybe - for Bernie Kerick

[HairOfTheDog]

TEXAS EXECUTES COP KILLER


^27-year-old Daniel Lee Lopez got his wish yesterday. Lopez wanted to be executed and to drop his appeals.


He was executed for striking and killing a police lieutenant ^Stuart Alexander with an SUV during a chase six years ago.

"I hope this execution helps my family and also the victim's family," said Lopez, who spoke quietly and quickly. "This was never meant to be, sure beyond my power. I can only walk the path before me and make the best of it. I'm sorry for putting you all through this. I am sorry. I love you. I am ready. May we all go to heaven."

Outside the Huntsville prison, bikers revved up in support of police.

Lopez was also a registered sex offender (child molestation) at the time he was arrested for the officer's vehicular homicide.

[HairOfTheDog]

DEATH PENALTY RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN CONNECTICUT

The state repealed the death penalty back in 2012.

But, that was only for future cases. The 11 men on the death row at the time of the repeal were still scheduled to be executed.

Today, in a 4-3 ruling, the state's Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional, thereby converting those death penalty sentences into life without parole sentences.


That includes the two pieces of shit ^ who tortured, raped, killed and burned the Petit family.

19 states have abolished the death penalty since it was re-instated at the federal level back in 1976.

[Duchess]

That includes the two pieces of shit ^ who tortured, raped, killed and burned the Petit family.

Nooooooo!

[HairOfTheDog]

Appeals Board Denies Pope's Request

Last week during his U.S. Congressional Address, Pope Francis called for abolition of the death penalty around the world.

Today, he sent a letter specifically requesting that death row inmate Kelly Gissendaner be shown mercy and spared. He sent the letter to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles via Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, his diplomatic representative in the U.S.

"While not wishing to minimize the gravity of the crime for which Ms. Gissendaner has been convicted, and while sympathizing with the victims, I nonetheless implore you, in consideration of the reasons that have been expressed to your board, to commute the sentence to one that would better express both justice and mercy," Vigano wrote.


The 47-year-old Gissendaner ^ was convicted of murder in the February 1997 slaying of her husband. She conspired with her lover, who stabbed Douglas Gissendaner to death.

Gissendaner still has legal challenges pending before the 11^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Two of Gissendaner's three children already asked the board earlier this year to spare their mother's life. Her oldest child, Brandon, who had not previously addressed the board, now wants to make a plea for his mother's life, said Susan Casey, an attorney for Gissendaner.

"Forgiving our mother was the best way to truly honor our dad's memory," Dakota Gissendaner, who was 5 when his father died, said in the video. Kayla Gissendaner said she didn't believe her father would want her mother to be executed to spare his children from more pain. She said her mother has grown and changed while she has been in prison, describing her as "my biggest cheerleader."

The Board has denied both the papal request and that of inmate's children.

Gissendaner is scheduled to die by injection of pentobarbital at 7 p.m. tonight at the state prison in Jackson. She would be the first woman executed in the state in seven decades.

Ref: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis...ssendaner/

[Blindgreed1]

Appeals Board Denies Pope's Request

Last week during his U.S. Congressional Address, Pope Francis called for abolition of the death penalty around the world.

Today, he sent a letter specifically requesting that death row inmate Kelly Gissendaner be shown mercy and spared. He sent the letter to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles via Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, his diplomatic representative in the U.S.

"While not wishing to minimize the gravity of the crime for which Ms. Gissendaner has been convicted, and while sympathizing with the victims, I nonetheless implore you, in consideration of the reasons that have been expressed to your board, to commute the sentence to one that would better express both justice and mercy," Vigano wrote.


The 47-year-old Gissendaner ^ was convicted of murder in the February 1997 slaying of her husband. She conspired with her lover, who stabbed Douglas Gissendaner to death.

Gissendaner still has legal challenges pending before the 11^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Two of Gissendaner's three children already asked the board earlier this year to spare their mother's life. Her oldest child, Brandon, who had not previously addressed the board, now wants to make a plea for his mother's life, said Susan Casey, an attorney for Gissendaner.

"Forgiving our mother was the best way to truly honor our dad's memory," Dakota Gissendaner, who was 5 when his father died, said in the video. Kayla Gissendaner said she didn't believe her father would want her mother to be executed to spare his children from more pain. She said her mother has grown and changed while she has been in prison, describing her as "my biggest cheerleader."

The Board has denied both the papal request and that of inmate's children.

Gissendaner is scheduled to die by injection of pentobarbital at 7 p.m. tonight at the state prison in Jackson. She would be the first woman executed in the state in seven decades.

Ref: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis...ssendaner/

Because the pope said so. That's a real 21^st century way of thinking right there.

[HairOfTheDog]

I understand it's common for representatives of the Pope to send such appeals; the Church has always been strongly opposed to death as penalty to the best of my knowledge.

We're just hearing more about this Pope's pleas because he's out among the people more, I think.

[Blindgreed1]

I understand it's common for representatives of the Pope to send such appeals; the Church has always been strongly opposed to death as penalty to the best of my knowledge.

We're just hearing more about this Pope's pleas because he's out among the people more, I think.

Except for when they ordered executions.

[username]

If none of the victims want her dead (their children, his family etc), I don't really see the point in killing her. It's almost akin to victimizing the victims again. Lost your dad? Too bad, we're going to take your mom now too despite your wishes.

[Blindgreed1]

If none of the victims want her dead (their children, his family etc), I don't really see the point in killing her. It's almost akin to victimizing the victims again. Lost your dad? Too bad, we're going to take your mom now too despite your wishes.

It's not like mom is going to be there for them if she isn't executed. She'll still be doing life.

[username]

If none of the victims want her dead (their children, his family etc), I don't really see the point in killing her. It's almost akin to victimizing the victims again. Lost your dad? Too bad, we're going to take your mom now too despite your wishes.

It's not like mom is going to be there for them if she isn't executed. She'll still be doing life.

Life in prison is fine. One of the kids referred to her as their "biggest cheerleader". She's doing something for them that she can't do dead.

[HairOfTheDog]

I understand it's common for representatives of the Pope to send such appeals; the Church has always been strongly opposed to death as penalty to the best of my knowledge.

We're just hearing more about this Pope's pleas because he's out among the people more, I think.

Except for when they ordered executions.

We were talking about modern day justice and Catholic Church here, Fred Flintstone.

[Blindgreed1]

I understand it's common for representatives of the Pope to send such appeals; the Church has always been strongly opposed to death as penalty to the best of my knowledge.

We're just hearing more about this Pope's pleas because he's out among the people more, I think.

Except for when they ordered executions.

We were talking about modern day justice and Catholic Church here, Fred Flintstone.

You said always miss information.

[HairOfTheDog]

I understand it's common for representatives of the Pope to send such appeals; the Church has always been strongly opposed to death as penalty to the best of my knowledge.

We're just hearing more about this Pope's pleas because he's out among the people more, I think.

Except for when they ordered executions.

We were talking about modern day justice and Catholic Church here, Fred Flintstone.

You said always miss information.

I did indeed.

Let me be more specific, for you.

In the context of modern day criminal justice, Appeals Boards, Parole boards and such...to the best of my knowledge, the Church has always opposed the death penalty.

[ramseycat]

If none of the victims want her dead (their children, his family etc), I don't really see the point in killing her. It's almost akin to victimizing the victims again. Lost your dad? Too bad, we're going to take your mom now too despite your wishes.

It's not like mom is going to be there for them if she isn't executed. She'll still be doing life.

Life in prison is fine. One of the kids referred to her as their "biggest cheerleader". She's doing something for them that she can't do dead.

The husbands family wants her executed.

She was denied clemency and is set to be executed tonight. The appeals were still being considered at 7pm when the execution was scheduled to take place. I would imagine they are getting ready to go now.

[HairOfTheDog]

The husbands family wants her executed.

She was denied clemency and is set to be executed tonight. The appeals were still being considered at 7pm when the execution was scheduled to take place. I would imagine they are getting ready to go now.

She's dead.

Douglas Gissendaner's family said in a statement that HE is the victim and Kelly Gissendaner received an appropriate sentence.

"As the murderer, she's been given more rights and opportunity over the last 18 years than she ever afforded to Doug who, again, is the victim here," the statement says. "She had no mercy, gave him no rights, no choices, nor the opportunity to live his life."

I understand user's point. But, in many cases, there are a number of victims and, even within one family, they don't all feel the same about whether death is an appropriate penalty.

I think the wishes of the victims' families should be heard. But, if we're gonna keep the death penalty in certain U.S. states (which I personally wouldn't mind abolishing nationally, at this point), it should be dealt out consistently, according to objective protocol. Otherwise, we're just adding more delays, costs, and pain into an already cumbersome process.

Among the victims of Kelly Gissendaner, James Holmes, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Dylann Roof, etc........there are conflicting opinions as to whether death is appropriate punishment. There's simply no way the justice system can honor them all.

[username]

The husbands family wants her executed.

She was denied clemency and is set to be executed tonight. The appeals were still being considered at 7pm when the execution was scheduled to take place. I would imagine they are getting ready to go now.

She's dead.

Douglas Gissendaner's family said in a statement that HE is the victim and Kelly Gissendaner received an appropriate sentence.

"As the murderer, she's been given more rights and opportunity over the last 18 years than she ever afforded to Doug who, again, is the victim here," the statement says. "She had no mercy, gave him no rights, no choices, nor the opportunity to live his life."

I understand user's point. But, in many cases, there are a number of victims and, even within one family, they don't all feel the same about whether death is an appropriate penalty.

I think the wishes of the victims' families should be heard. But, if we're gonna keep the death penalty in certain U.S. states (which I personally wouldn't mind abolishing nationally, at this point), it should be dealt out consistently, according to objective protocol. Otherwise, we're just adding more delays, costs, and pain into an already cumbersome process.

Among the victims of Kelly Gissendaner, James Holmes, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Dylann Roof, etc........there are conflicting opinions at to whether death is appropriate punishment. There's simply no way the justice system can honor them all.

True...you can please some of the people some of the time...blah, blah, blah.

Personally, I can't imagine retaining enough rage, or eye for an eye mentality to carry me for 18 years and have it stay fresh enough that I'd still want to see the death of that woman over the wishes of her children. Obviously I don't know the whole story but that seems brutal (selfish?) to ride roughshod over the youngest family members in this. I wonder if the relationship his family had with those children is absolutely ruined by their stance on this. Do your grandchildren/nieces/nephew hate you now? Was her death worth it?

[HairOfTheDog]

I can't imagine hanging on to that either, user.

But, some victims reportedly feel a lot of relief and a sense that justice has finally been served when their loved one's killer is executed.

If mediating between conflicting victims' wishes became part of the appeals process, it would only add to the painful, drawn-out, expensive process that already exists. And, in some cases, killers who are simply better at manipulating others would get off while other killers would be executed for the same or lesser crimes.

I don't think the death penalty is a deterrent at all. But, I do think foregoing it in exchange for information and a valid confession/guilty plea often helps solve crime and bring closure to victims. It's way more effective as leverage for prosecutors than it is as a deterrent to violent crime, in my opinion.

So, I have mixed feelings about the death penalty. Maybe the same could be accomplished by abolishing the death penalty but keeping death-row conditions in place for the worst of the worst? IDK.

[Duchess]

She's a POS and deserves to be dead. She earned it. She planned her husband's murder and it was reported she wanted him dead because of 2 $10,000 life insurance policies and an $84,000 house, a pittance. Obviously her children are better people than she was, they cared about her when she gave them no consideration at all.

I agree with the court's unforgiving nature.

[ramseycat]

Duchess,
Do you believe a person can change?

I haven't read all the details if this story. Was the husband abusive? A Cheater? Just s dick? Or was she just a cold hearted bitch? I should go read the old stories.