D.A. to seek THE DEATH PENALTY for Samantha's killer

[PandyPaws]

Originally posted by WebmasterCathyCanada
I can't think of anything bad enough to make him suffer the same.
CC

I agree wholeheartedly......

 

[Buckalew]

I agree with aahmom. I hope he fries.

 

[gina2000]

I always thought I'd want to see a guilty person "fry" for the heinous crimes against children that have been perpetrated. After alot of real thought about it, I no longer am in favor of the death penalty. Let the prison population take care of him.

 

[JohnTBap]

Wow. This is very disappointing. I expected to see at least a facade of Christian compassion.

 

[Teejay32]

Originally posted by EROS
dizneegirl, this scum is no "poster child" for death penalty abolitionists like myself. However, THAT'S the point. As despicable and heartless as he is, I don't feel that the STATE has the moral authority to execute him. The STATE has the responsibility to protect its citizens from predators.............we can lock them away forever to accomplish that goal. Most of the CIVILIZED countries of the world realize that any STATE is bankrupt morally in delivering execution .........

I believe that in theory alone we need a death penalty, that we need a 'worst case scenario' even if we use it sparingly or hardly ever. It serves many purposes: as a detriment, as insurance against recidivism, and to serve public justice (which can be served in many ways but I'm talking about the awfulest of the awful.) To be honest I don't like to see the d.p. doled out at often as it is, like in Texas, but in the case of a sexual predator/killer of a child I find it hard to accept a rational argument against it. Would we ever have to take a life if the offender didn't choose to take a life first? With aggravating circumstances? No. Thus it is fair. Is it just? If the person is convicted beyond the shadow of a doubt, of course it is.

The bottom line is, we never have to use the death penalty as long as no one brutally murders someone else. I don't think that concept is too hard for an individual to grasp.

 

[aahmom1]

Wow. This is very disappointing. I expected to see at least a facade of Christian compassion.

Why would you assume that? Are christians somehow better than the rest of society? I do believe it says in the Bible "An eye for an eye".

 

[aahmom1]

One more thing, please don't tell me that you actually feel compassion for that lowly piece of garbage?

 

[AF Brenda]

However, if WE kill him, WE allow ourselves to be taken down to HIS level of immorality.

Unless the state of California arranges for him to be raped by someone 3 times his size, and then murders him in cold blood, we as a society will not have sunk to his level.

Burn the SOB.

 

[CathyCanada]

JTB, I'm afraid in cases like this, the only compassion I feel is toward the victim and her family. Call me cold, but I feel nothing even close to that for this man. To do what he did to an innocent little child earns him a place in hell, but not my compassion.

Just my 2 cents, but I understand where you are coming from. I believe in God, but don't consider myself to be a Christian in that I don't preach of Christ's works to others or as my Mother-in-Law describes a Christian "one who lives their life as Christ would". I'm not worthy of that.
CC

 

[aahmom1]

I had the exact same thoughts Brenda, but I think he's more like 5 times her size. God, I hope they fry his sick sorry ***. I hope he begs for mercy and they laugh in his face.

 

[bsnyder]

Yeah, let's just lock him up for life so that 30 years from now, Samantha's family can deal with THIS scenario on an annual basis:

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Leslie Van Houten, serving a life term in prison for her role in a gruesome 1969 killing spree by followers of Charles Manson, was denied parole Friday by a California board.

In its decision, the California Board of Prison Terms said simply that Van Houten was unsuitable for parole. Friday's appearance was Van Houten's 14th unsuccessful application for parole.

The decision came late in the afternoon, after pleas by Van Houten earlier in the day for her freedom.

"My heart aches and there seems to be no way to convey the amount of pain I caused," Van Houten said. "I don't know what else to say."

In explaining its decision, the panel said Van Houten needed more therapy "to further understand the enormity of her crime."

Van Houten appeared gracious but said no such programs exist for what the parole board was recommending.

Van Houten is serving life in prison for her role in two killing sprees in 1969. She was 19 at the time of the killings, has faced the parole board 13 times since 1978 -- and been turned down every time. Her most recent rejection was in June 2000.

Friday's hearing was thought to be Van Houten's best chance yet of winning release, in part because a judge earlier this month strongly admonished the board for flatly turning Van Houten down every time based solely on the crime, without taking into account her accomplishments in prison.

Superior Court Judge Bob Krug said Van Houten, now 52, has proven to be a model prisoner in the 30 years since her incarceration, completing all available prison programs and assisting other inmates with these programs, a fact he said the board doesn't dispute. She has earned two college degrees and maintained a clean disciplinary record in prison.

In essence, the judge said, Van Houten is serving "a sentence of life without parole, a sentence unauthorized by law." California does not permit life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Van Houten was convicted for her role in the Manson family's 1969 murders of Leno *****nca, a wealthy grocery store owner, and his wife, Rosemary. Prosecutors said Van Houten stabbed Rosemary between 14-16 times in the back, although Van Houten has maintained Rosemary was already dead when she began stabbing her.


Van Houten was convicted for her role in the 1969 murders of Leno and Rosemary *****nca.
Van Houten also was convicted of conspiracy in the butchering of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others at Tate's Beverly Hills home.

Charles Manson and three other followers, Charles "Tex" Watson, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel, were convicted and sentenced to death for their part in the Tate-La Bianca murders. The sentences were later commuted to life when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the death penalty in the 1970s. All five remain behind bars.

The gruesome slayings received widespread media attention and generated strong emotions. Van Houten's attorney acknowledged such, saying there is "an aura that has kept Leslie Van Houten trapped in the public's mind."

None of Manson's followers have ever been paroled.

In his ruling earlier this month, Krug said the heinous nature of the crimes was the "sole basis on which the board based its decision in denying" parole for Van Houten. He ordered the board to report back to him within 60 days to show "some evidence" why Van Houten should not be released and what she must do to rehabilitate herself to gain parole.

Van Houten's initial conviction was overturned on the grounds that she received an inadequate defense; her lawyer disappeared and was found dead during her trial, and she was assigned a replacement. Her second trial ended in a hung jury. A third trial ended in a conviction.

 

[Jennyfyar]

I hope he is put into the general prison population with an "I raped and murdered a five year old" sign around his neck for a few months. Then kill him!!

 

[aahmom1]

Jennyfyar, I'm sure somebody would call that cruel and unusual punishment. I'm sure he would be put all alone to save his sorry, disgusting self.

 

[aahmom1]

As a matter of fact I'm surprised that his lawyers haven't tried to get the case moved to another county because they know that whatever jury they find is going to vote that they fry him. I wish I lived there right about now.

 

[iluvorlando]

I'm sorry EROS, but I guess I must be a member of the HEH club. I don't think that even the electric chair or lethel injection is enough for this man.

I can't imagine the pain and suffering Samantha's family is going through.

 

[janette]

I'm against the Death Penalty but it's these cases that make me not sorry it is around. I don't think the state should execute anyone, life without parole needs to be an option in every state.

Even in this case I couldn't be part of the jury, I would not be a part of the process to kill anyone. I won't however be sorry he's gone.

 

[tnkrbell]

I think if he is found guilty he should be drawn and quartered!!!!!! (this is what they would do to those who commeted treason) I feel this would be fitting for a [erson who would steal a child take their innocense then take this little ones life!!!!!!!!! Say what you will about me but this is how I feel!!!!

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by JohnTBap
Wow. This is very disappointing. I expected to see at least a facade of Christian compassion.

I find your comment disappointing as well. You know nothing of level of compassion of most of the people here. Please remeber that the internet is a very bad medium for judging such things.

Are you really saying that locking him up for the rest of his life would be compasionate? Do you know what like is like in prison. A life of no hope and being surrounded by constant violance is a compassionate choice? Really?

I too am a Christian. I too beleive in compassion. If there was anyway we could cure this man and set himn free, never to harm anyone again, that would be the optimum choice abnd I would support it in a heartbeat. But we both know that is not possible. He (and the threat he has become) must be removed from society so that we can never harm anyone again. The only ways to do that are to place him in a hell hole for the rest of his life, or to humanely put him to death. In this case, the death penalty is a far more compassionate option.

 

[Zurg]

Originally posted by EROS
However, if WE kill him, WE allow ourselves to be taken down to HIS level of immorality.

Well I'm happy to hear you make an anti death penalty argument that is based on principal. Frankly I find the game saying that those who have thought about this and dissagree with you are just

the BLOODLUST AND VENGEANCE crowd

very tiresome and quite frankly conter productive, in that it makes the anti death penalty position seem simplistic and petty.

I am much less of an supporter of capital punishment than I have been because it is clear that in many cases the legal system has fallen short of a fair trial. I support those states that have taken the step of putting things on hold to be sure.

However I think one risks falling to the same level of immorality if the solution is:

If he's found GUILTY, then he will be well taken care of by the prison population which notoriously despises child molesters/killers. If alternatively, he is forced to spend the rest of his life in "protective" solitary confinement, so be it.

It seems that such a sentance of life in tourture is more crule than death.

 

[pw2pp]

I think I am having De Ja Vu (sp?)