[John McKee @ Oct 5th 2007 8:26PM]

Let's see, he had been repeatedly convicted of theft and spent time in prison for it and he killed a mother who's own children found her body in order to steal to buy cocaine. He later admitted to killing her by "accident" and took investigators to the confirmed murder weapon although he later claimed innocence.

I feel very limited sympathy in this case.

[K. @ Oct 5th 2007 8:33PM]

I agree......no sympathy. What is "admittedly saddening" is that this mother was murdered and the children now must suffer for the rest of their lives. I would bet the author would not be so cerebral about this case if it were his own mother.

[Sickened @ Oct 5th 2007 8:34PM]

As abhorrent as this mans crimes were some of us find it equally if not more abhorrent that a group of educated supposedly civilized people could in cold blood put to death a chained and manacled human being who was at the time posing a threat to nobody.

[randy @ Oct 5th 2007 8:42PM]

Oh, so educated people are more compassionate than the rest of us? Uh huh, OK.

[Simon @ Oct 5th 2007 8:48PM]

@randy

Why have an appeals system if something like a computer problem (or more likely, lawyer apathy) can bypass the system entirely? I, for one, do not see how it is morally justifiable to kill a killer. The man committed murder, so he was in jail. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[dukrous @ Oct 5th 2007 9:25PM]

@Simon

Morality aside, the legal system allows for an unlimited number of appeals to be placed into the system but each appeal must be received by a sitting judge to be put into motion. The judge in this case imposed a deadline of 5PM, a notification which did go out to the lawyers (it has to in order to be legally recognized) but the articles do not say that. Instead, you have a lawyer blaming a computer malfunction which they should be able to get around even if you have to run to Kinko's with a USB drive.

As for the murderer, I feel no sympathy and he was judged as deserving to die for his crime by a jury of his peers. Justice has been served and he's repaid his debt to society. We should instead see to the victim's children and make sure they can move on past an event no one but the convict had any control over.

[LC @ Oct 5th 2007 9:49PM]

@duckrous



Exactly. Good call. It sounds like the lawyer is playing the victim card. I mean it's not like he couldn't file the appeal using another computer. The story makes it appear that the deadline was made only hours earlier. His attorney had more than enough time to get the papers in order and file them and have a contingency plan in case of computer failure.

Either way, the guy admitted what he did, so I have no sympathy for him.

[Andrew @ Oct 6th 2007 1:27AM]

@Randy

You can read, write, operate a computer, subscribe to RSS. I would consider you to be in the 'educated persons' category, unless you choose to disagree with me?

[John @ Oct 6th 2007 1:51AM]

When going over a legal question, the actual case itself is irrelevant. You can't say "well, it's ok because this guy is obviously guilty" (even if that is true), because it sets a precedent for everyone else who might follow. The appeals process for those sentenced to death seems a mockery of justice until you consider how it would feel to be a victim of circumstance incorrectly placed in that position.

This seems more of a question of 'competant legal aid' though.

[ThePete @ Oct 7th 2007 10:16PM]

@John McKee

Hey, well, should you ever accidentally kill someone and are put on death row, you should really promise here and now to never file an appeal ever.

You were found guilty! SORRY! That's that.

The same goes for all of you who are convinced that a guilty verdict is a perfect, immaculate thing.

Sorry, we humans are way too flawed for me to be behind the death penalty for anyone but the most violent criminals.

As for the computer problems, tell me how he's supposed to get the document onto a thumbdrive when his hard drive has tanked. I'm recovering a 500 gig HD right now and it's taking forever.

Hm, let's see--some arbitrary deadline vs. a PERSON'S LIFE.

Yeah, you guys are right--kill the guy. He was asking for it.

o_O