Driver1 0 #1 July 31, 2015 http://news.yahoo.com/suspect-charleston-church-shooting-due-federal-court-094257327.html Oh, good. He'll get hammered when he's found guilty. No plea-bargaining here. There will be no addressing the customers as "Bitches", "Morons" or "Retards"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 379 #2 July 31, 2015 From the article: "The white man accused of gunning down nine parishioners at a black church in Charleston wants to plead guilty to 33 federal charges, but his lawyer said in court Friday that he wouldn't do so until prosecutors say whether they'll seek the death penalty. During a brief arraignment in federal court, defense attorney David Bruck said that he couldn't advise his client, Dylann Roof, to enter a guilty plea without knowing the government's intentions." I think his lawyer is doing the only reasonable thing here. There is apparently no question about his guilt, just the penalty. If the prosecution insists on the death penalty he has nothing to lose by insisting on a trial, as the prosecution will have to convince the jury to vote for death. We just got done with a trial here where a local thug was convicted of murdering one guy just to send a message to the guy's friend, kidnapping another fellow, shooting one cop in the face (he survived), and shooting and killing another cop. Both cops were shot in their patrol cars, before they had any chance to draw their weapons or defend themselves. Despite all that the jury rejected the death penalty and sentenced him to life without parole. Similarly, several years ago Brian Nichols was on trial for rape when he beat up the deputy who was guarding him, stole her gun, killed the judge who was residing over his trial and a court reporter (in the court room, on camera and in front of many witnesses), killed a deputy while escaping the building, and later took refuge in a house that was being renovated and killed the owner, who happened to be a federal agent. Despite all that the jury rejected the death penalty and sentenced him to life without parole. Both these cases were in Georgia, a state not known as a hot-bed of liberal thought. The point is, you never know what a jury will decide when it comes to the penalty phase of the trial, and in a death penalty case it is always worth taking the chance. The prosecution could avoid the whole issue by agreeing to life without parole and taking the death penalty off the table. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #3 July 31, 2015 If the prosecutors would just say "we'll give you life without parole if you enter a guilty plea" and then he did, it would be over and done with. Now it's going to be a media shit show for that much longer because they won't take the death penalty off the table. I think there's irony in publicizing every minute detail of these shooters' lives and panning through it all for hints or clues as to why they would ever do such a thing, or how to stop the next guy. Now their name, their story, and everything there is to know about them is heard by millions... ...including the next guy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 858 #4 July 31, 2015 A number of large newsworthy trials of late seem to have juries struggling with giving death. Makes me wonder if the cost of the effort is worth it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driver1 0 #5 July 31, 2015 normissA number of large newsworthy trials of late seem to have juries struggling with giving death. Makes me wonder if the cost of the effort is worth it. The Aurora, CO theater shooting trial jury didn't have a problem with it. Though the circumstances were much different...There will be no addressing the customers as "Bitches", "Morons" or "Retards"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 858 #6 July 31, 2015 I had not heard they reached a verdict. Spoiler! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driver1 0 #7 July 31, 2015 normiss I had not heard they reached a verdict. Spoiler! touche'... they did convict him with the death penalty possible... my badThere will be no addressing the customers as "Bitches", "Morons" or "Retards"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 858 #8 July 31, 2015 I'd be surprised if they didn't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
