Peterson gets death

[Midlodemocrat]

...per MSNBC. Cheering in the street outside the courtroom. What a world.

[MidwestTransplant]

1. JUMP JUMP JUMP JUMP

The cheering in the streets is like people yelling for a person to jump.

[johnfunk]

73. This has such a direct impact on my life...

... NOT!!

[stevedeshazer]

85. Dear Mainstream Media,

WILL YOU PLEASE COVER VOTERGATE NOW?

Sincerely,

Me

[shamanstar]

86. i beg to differ

this does affect everyones lives in some way. it sends a message to abusive men that they cant kill their wives and get away with it. this verdict makes a million abused womens' lives a little bit safer- if only for a moment... and though it may not be your wife or mother or sister who is abused or your husband or brother or father who is doing the abusing, it is happening to people only a few steps removed. this decision affects everyone, whether they realize it or not.

[bullimiami]

92. shamanstar your logic is senseless.

this has nothing to do with abusive husbands. there was no evidence he ever abused her.
i dont know what went wrong with scott peterson but this is a situation that is very unlikely to occur again.

he is sick. i dont care that he can talk, walk and hold a conversation without drooling. he is seriously mentally ill. he should be in prison, the death penalty serves noone and makes the state a party to revenge killing.

[thinkingwoman]

112. I think killing her was fairly abusive

but hey, that's just me.

As someone who was emotionally abused for years and years without a hint of physical abuse and then suddenly physically abused, I can attest to the fact that a lack of prior physical abuse does NOT mean he wasn't abusive to her.

The argument could be made that everyone who takes another life is mentally ill. I agree that he is sick, but so is every man who abuses his wife. It doesn't excuse the behavior.

BTW, I'm generally against the death penalty, but I'd pull the switch myself on this one. It's not about revenge. But it's a mute point anyway given the rate of executions in CA.

[BUSHOUT]

134. I feel abused by your willingness to pull the switch.

Claiming the right to kill others feels fairly abusive to me.

But hey, that's just me.

[thinkingwoman]

165. I feel abused

by your melodrama, which reduces a serious topic to startling silliness.
As someone who has actually experience abuse, I find a claim to feel abused by someone's opinion is nonsense.

May that be the worst thing that ever happens to you.

But hey, that's just me.

[BUSHOUT]

183. So you mock the pain the death penalty causes me?

This isn't "your opinion" anymore than my assuming to say the abuse you suffered was a good thing would be "my opinion". The death penalty abuses me, there's no other description for it.
If I ran around this board expressing satisfaction that some woman get the beats would you feel offended and abused by that "opinion"?

If I accused you of being melodramatic over your descriptions of your abuse you'd possibly hit the alert key, correct? Why? Would you feel abused by my opinion?

[thinkingwoman]

191. oh for crying out loud

Um, trying reading the line of posts again.

I posted this:

"BTW, I'm generally against the death penalty, but I'd pull the switch myself on this one. It's not about revenge. But it's a mute point anyway given the rate of executions in CA."

That is my opinion.

You responded with this:

"I feel abused by your willingness to pull the switch. Claiming the right to kill others feels fairly abusive to me."

I responded with:

"I feel abused by your melodrama, which reduces a serious topic to startling silliness. As someone who has actually experience abuse, I find a claim to feel abused by someone's opinion is nonsense."

And now you say:

"So you mock the pain the death penalty causes me? This isn't "your opinion" anymore than my assuming to say the abuse you suffered was a good thing would be "my opinion". The death penalty abuses me, there's no other description for it."

and...

"If I accused you of being melodramatic over your descriptions of your abuse you'd possibly hit the alert key, correct? Why? Would you feel abused by my opinion?"

First of all, I've never hit the alert key about any post. I appreciate that DU has one but I'm a grown up and I have a thick skin, something I think more people should acquire in this day and age.

Secondly, I did not mock you. I disagreed with you and felt your overheated emotional reply to my post was over the top.

Thirdly, yes, in fact, my post IS merely my opinion, whether you like it or not.

[imenja]

198. I'm sorry

that you are subject to such callous remarks. I wish I could understand what motivates people here to be so cruel and thoughtless.

[thinkingwoman]

208. It's been happening more often lately

Have you noticed that the anger and frustration level has risen sharply lately?

I have a somewhat flippant, sarcastic method of conversation that often doesn't translate well online so I take some of the blame for misunderstandings. But I am genuinely concerned when I see people on our side (tolerant, liberal, free-thinkers) posting with venom to each other.

I don't consider these posts too bad but I have read some posts lately that made me wonder if we were simply going to destroy ourselves from within and give the country over to the fascists on a silver platter.

Whatever is causing all the anger, I wish everyone peace, especially in this season.


:edited for dreadful spelling

[imenja]

210. I worry about the same thing

I don't think it bodes well for the future of the Democratic party or progressive politics.

[thinkingwoman]

213. I used to react with anger myself

I have a reputation of a lousy temper. But after this last election, I began to realize that I wanted to change that.

I'm trying to react with humor, or patient explanation, without giving up honesty. I try to post what I truly think or feel, without pulling punches, but without anger at those who disagree.

When other posters react with anger, I try not to let them pull me into emotions I don't want to have. So far it's working...and I'm eating fewer rolaids.

It's not that I don't feel passionately about many topics, it's that I don't think emotion can mingle with reasoned debate. I, of course, could be completely wrong about that.

[imenja]

220. passion is good, personal attacks aren't

I very strongly oppose the death penalty. I also don't feel much sympathy for Peterson, and I took your statement as a feeling of outrage toward him based on your own experiences rather than an overall affirmation of the death penalty. I understand and applaud passionate pleas against the death penalty, but it's personal attacks I find ugly. I also think too many people prefer antagonism and conflict to thoughtful exchange.

[thinkingwoman]

221. I think you're right nt

[BUSHOUT]

212. "I'd pull the switch myself" isn't a callous remark?

Where's my apology?

Either apologize to everyone on behalf of others when they're "subject to callous remarks" or maybe mind your own business.

[thinkingwoman]

215. did you murder your wife and child?

If not, that remark was not a callous remark toward you.

If you did, well, all bets are off.

[BUSHOUT]

218. See the "yes you did" post below.

I'm trying to explain things to you with patience and honesty. I used to get angry, but decided to change that. It's not always easy when people are glib about topics as serious and pain-producing as the death penalty, but I try to keep anger out of it and patiently explain my true feelings.
I'm just so fucking wonderful, aren't I?

[thinkingwoman]

224. another personal attack?

do you feel better?

[BUSHOUT]

227. Your hypocrisy is astounding.

[thinkingwoman]

232. I've been very consistent.

And I have not attacked you. If you think that's hypocritical, so be it.

You jumped into this thread and began attacking me when I wasn't even talking to you. I indulged you for numerous posts. That has come to an end now.

Have a nice day.

[BUSHOUT]

217. Yes, you did.

I feel abused by the death penalty. It causes me emotional pain. I have examined the personal stories that surround it for years, and it is a source of incredible pain for many people far beyond the receiver of the penalty and his/her family. Because I empathize with others, that pain flows into me.
Someone saying they'd "pull the switch" themselves compounds that abuse.
That is the simple truth.

You call it "melodrama" and accuse me of reducing a serious topic to "silliness". I suggest if you knew more about the topic you wouldn't be so callous to talk about pulling the switch yourself.

Perhaps you'd like to explain to Lacis' family what they have to look forward to now? 10 to 20 years of scraping at their emotional wounds. Multiple court appearances to relive the pain of their loss. Zero closure. A life consumed with the lust for anothers death....believing the lie fed to them by prosecutors that Scotts death will bring them closure. In some way it will...but the time until it happens will be far from closure. That period will make the pain worse. Life in prison would have effectively ended his life and Lacis' family could have begun their closure.

Let me guess what your answer is to that....just take him out back and kill him now? Am I close?

[thinkingwoman]

223. Not even close

Perhaps you should give up trying to guess what my answer is going to be and just wait patiently for it.

You are entitled to your beliefs and feelings about the death penalty, as I am entitled to mine.

If, however, you choose to embrace victimhood, that is your personal decision. I am not required to recognize you as a victim of the death penalty unless you or a close relative/friend of yours is executed. Even then, I would probably reserve victim status for those who are wrongly convicted.

That does happen, of course. The evidence is overwhelming of massive failures of our justice system, which is why by and large I am anti death penalty.

My tendancy to be against the death penalty, however, cannot overcome my belief that there are some people who commit crimes so heinous that we as a society must take a stand.

I don't think that is callous. I think killing a wife and nearly born child, dumping their body in the same water he claims to have been fishing as an alibi, calling a lover during a vigil for his missing wife, leaving her family in the dark as to her whereabouts, and failing to ever show remorse, is callous.

My opinions about the death penalty in general and this case in particular, however, do not come from a lack of knowledge as you said with:

"I suggest if you knew more about the topic you wouldn't be so callous to talk about pulling the switch yourself."

I am finding more and more that people (both on this board and in face to face discussions) mistakenly think that when someone disagrees with them, that that means they simply don't know enough about the issue or don't "understand" it well enough.

This is not true. In this instance, for example, I simply, peacefully, fully disagree with you.

[BUSHOUT]

228. "Embrace victimhood".

First I was being "melodramatic", now I "embrace victimhood".

I'm afraid you are not just disagreeing with me. You are failing to understand or believe what I'm telling you. I've explained it as well as I can, so I'll have to give up on that part of it.

Your opinion is that the death penalty is society "taking a stand" in some cases. Since I assume you are not a cruel person, I will assume that you reject the idea that there are far more victims than simply the killed, the killer, and their families when the DP is carried out.
I, for example, cannot be a victim. Even if it offends me to the very deepest areas of my soul to the point of pain, I'm just "embracing victimhood". I should just "buck up" I guess.
I can't help thinking that you're not really a callous unfeeling person. I think you're just ignorant of the facts. Perhaps the word "ignorant" is too offensive for you. OK then, you're unaware of the facts. You're unaware of the true effects of the DP.
The alternative is that you're pathological.

[thinkingwoman]

231. I'm pathological?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop responding to you now. Your personal attacks have become ridiculous.

This isn't a discussion. This is you attacking someone who disagrees with you.

Have a nice day.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

123. death penalty for those with no self restraint-now he'll be permanently

RESTRAINED.
The difference between a mentally ill person and a "sane" person is that the mentally ill person has less self restraint when it comes to "acting out " the bad thoughts( that all of us have from time to time) especially when feeling angry or trapped.
Some have less self restraint than others and some have no self restraint.
Well at times some may feel that there may be a need to ensure that this violent offender is permanently restrained and thus has no potential means to ever harm again.
Life in prison doesn't necessarily do it.
Eventually the guy may get out on a technicality or after serving alot of years.
I do not favor killing anyone.
I would not want to be the one who administers the deadly shot.
But I do understand why some find it to be a solution.
There is permanence in the restraint that death brings.
---but that poses the problem of
:what if there is at some point in the future the guy's found innocent--too late to fix it.

perpetual debate

[bloom]

97. I would be more convinced if there was more local coverage

of abusive men/women locally - everywhere. Instead of one case in California.


And besides that - violence begats violence - IMO - so the state should not be encouraging murder by murdering the murderer.

[calimary]

197. I found myself wondering if there would be such ballyhoo

about this case, to begin with, if the victim weren't such a pretty young woman. A pretty young white woman, to boot. Not that I mean, in any way, to discount what happened to her - HORRIBLE. UNDESERVED in ANY event. WHY the hell didn't he just divorce her? JEEZ. But still, would our lovely media have made such a constant circus out of this if it had involved a woman of another color, or with a less incandescent smile? Opening almost every day's coverage there was invariably a mention by some anchor or reporter or pundit about Laci's looks. But ANY woman victimized by her man is just as tragic a story. Even those less photogenic.

Maybe it's just me. I feel sorry for Scott Peterson's family. The mom and dad must feel AWFUL.

[mumon]

102. reminds me of a bizarre line on 60 minutes last night....

some guy in Tennesee seems to have confessed to killing his wife after some other guy got nailed for it, and - regarding the murder- Ed Bradley said that it was known the guy beat his wife, but this time- after the murder - he went "too far."

I nearly fell off my chair.

[mountainvue]

105. I'm not an attorney but

I think this case must set some precedent that people can be put to death without a shred of physical evidence.
Perhaps that precedent was already in place I don't know.
Pretty damn frightening if you ask me.

[Carni]

122. I agree with you 100%

I tend to think Peterson did it but there is no real scientific evidence to that effect.

I was shocked that he was convicted of 1st degree murder based on the prosecutions circumstantial evidence.

I am even more shocked that the jury has imposed the death sentence.

I think Peterson is most likely an insidious person and he may be a murderer, but there is definitely reasonable doubt in my mind.

[0007]

145. Absolutely!

[sepia_steel]

201. Not in mine!

Are you kidding? Who pretends to be in Paris, while talkng to his GIRLFRIEND when he should be greiving for his dead wife and child???

Why would he LAUGH at his own mother during a voicemail she left him about putting up posters to search for Laci?

He is a MONSTER. He had no remosrse whatsoever! His actions were proof enough.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

225. no! they should put him in a mental rehab-the victims are already dead-

He was "ill" so therefore he should go to a place with nice young men in clean white suits.
They can give him the treatment he so desperately needs.
Then he can be rehabilitated and live a useful life.
Do't you see??
Don't be cruel.
He wasn't "himself" when he acted like a "monster".
Don't you see, the poor guy was feeling trapped!
He just made a teeny weenie little itsy bitsy mistake.
Give him a break.

[Tinoire]

146. It's chilling.

Very much like supporting an immoral war without a shred of evidence.

Welcome to the New World where conventions and evidence are considered "quaint" concepts.

We're in for a world of hurt and people are cheering.

Disgusting.

Hope the same ones keep cheering when the goon squad comes after them and their loved ones "without a shred of physical evidence".


This isn't a surprise though... not in a world where political lies and nuances are all the rage, where you can obliterate a country because you don't like its leader, where the life of your gas tank counts more than the life of an innocent Iraqi child, where "allies" can drop one ton bombs on apartment buildings when its inhabitants are fast asleep claiming they thought there might be a "terrorist" inside.

Nope. Sadly no surprise but nonetheless extremely disgusting.

[Bo]

148. Exactly what frightens me as well!

There was absolutly NO physical evidence.

[RobinA]

189. Quite Scary

Gotta agree. I figured they'd give him life just because of the lack of evidence. Then again, these are ugly times.

[imenja]

200. I think it's fairly common

an astounding number of death penalty convictions have little evidence, far less than this one.
I think the guy is guilty and I don't feel badly for him, but I nonetheless oppose the death penalty is all cases. Apparently the chances of his actually being executed are slim. Cal has over 600 people on death row, and kills about one a year. Still, that doesn't make the sentence acceptable.

[rooboy]

120. Doesn't affect me. n/t

[renaissanceguy]

132. I agree but

my concern is that this case gives legal status to fetuses. The MSM often refers to the fetus as his "unborn son."

[jmowreader]

166. Renaissanceguy is right!

The fundies will use the Peterson case as "justification" for banning abortion--Peterson got the death penalty for a double homicide (purely on circumstantial evidence) where one of the victims was a fetus. Therefore, abortion is also murder and (first) doctors (and later the patients) should be executed for that too.

Question for all you law-abiding citizens: if you were going to kill someone's wife, where would you dump her body? Most of us would put her "in a place where the victim's husband likes to go--the husband is always the first suspect in a wife's murder anyway." Now, if you were going to kill your own wife and you didn't want to get caught, where would you put her body? Probably somewhere you don't go; it's better for your alibi if you do.

[calimary]

199. Renaissanceguy is absolutely correct.

The so-called "Laci Peterson Law" was instituted because of this. It's a dangerous precedent, for sure. Really gets the slipperly slope greased for the anti-choicers. All they need to seal the deal is something like this.

And yes, the circumstantial evidence angle to this has bothered me from the get-go. NOBODY denies this guy was a complete cad. Of that we have AMPLE evidence. But there still is some reasonable doubt. FAR LESS reasonable doubt has gotten other murder suspects acquitted.

[demokatgurrl]

186. They even gave the fetus a name.

[sepia_steel]

203. He wasn't some anonymous fetus by that point.

Laci obviously wanted this child and he was hers. There should be some recourse when someone kills your child. Even if she was being killed she would have begged for Conner to live, and at 8 months in utero, he could have survived if born prematurely. But the point was obviously to murder them both.

Yes, I am pro-choice - and Laci chose to keep her baby. Scott took her choice away and her child away.

Should that not have consequences?

[BUSHOUT]

133. Um, the VERDICT may have, but the sentence sends a message of death

death of the people, by the people, for the people.

He's guilty, and life in prison would not have been "getting away with it".

Killing him makes America worse.

It really angers me to see people cheering and supporting such a harmful practice. It's such a harmful institution to so many millions of innocents, it angers me to see people support it in the cavalier way it's usually supported. I shouldn't be so angry at ignorance, but that's how it is.

[Midlodemocrat]

170. I agree with you wholeheartedly

...state sanctioned murder makes killing more acceptable. People look the other way when the government is doing it, either via executions or invasions.

[NVMojo]

149. I hope they do they same to that jerk who bashed his wife's head in and

put her in a dumpster in SLC cuz she found out he'd been lying about being accepted to medical school.

Like Laci's mom said ...there is always divorce ..

[demokatgurrl]

185. Men kill their wives every day. This case is about

rich good looking would-be celebrities. It's nauseating.

[RobinA]

187. The Death Penalty

is known to not be a deterrent.

[goddess40]

233. the death penalty doesn't deter murder

When people kill or commit any crime they don't plan on getting caught. Most people that commit crimes don't think like the rest of us. They have some twisted logic that lets them believe that the world owes them big time and they can just take what they want.

[Higans]

126. This is not News. Hardly worth your time and boardum.

The real news is this: http://blog.johnkerry.com/blog/archives/002533.html

[calimary]

195. Actually, it did have an impact on my life. A marginally good one.

I was sick all day yesterday - gave in, with my cold, and sat there in bed, blowing my nose when I wasn't dozing off. The all-Scott-Peterson-all-the-time coverage got rolling...

and rolled straight over what would have been a nonstop GOP gloat-fest when bush "won" the electoral voting. Otherwise, you know what would have been all over every pundit panel everywhere - wall-to-wall republi-CONS reliving their "great victory" from November 2nd, now confirmed.

Scott Peterson is pretty darn low. But I said a small thank you to him yesterday for big-footing bush.

[Cronus Protagonist]

226. There is a bigger question here - can we use his stem cells for research?

And his organs for transplants? Against his will?

Just a thought or two....



http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

[cal04]

2. Jury Recommends Death Penalty for Scott Peterson

A jury today recommended that 32-year-old Scott Peterson should be executed for the murder of his wife when she was eight months pregnant with their first child.After about 11 hours of deliberations over three days, the jury cast aside defense pleas that Peterson's life was worth sparing, and that, as his mother said, he could still do good things from prison.

The death penalty," prosecutor David Harris told the jury, is "a hard choice, but it's the right choice."

Shortly before announcing it had come to a conclusion, the jury asked to review 13 pieces of evidence. Among the items were photos of the bodies of Laci Peterson and her fetus on the shore of San Francisco Bay and — in contrast — a holiday photo of Laci Peterson, smiling broadly and wearing red pants and top, her hands clasped over a pregnant belly.

San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Alfred A. Delucchi has the option of accepting the jury's recommendation or of sending Peterson to prison for life at the formal sentencing Feb. 25.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uslaci1214,0,1323635.story?coll=ny-homepage-big-pix

[high density]

3. Just heard it on CNN radio

Cheers as well.

Are these the same people that like killing Arabs?

[Midlodemocrat]

9. Apparently the only life that matters to these people

is the life of the unborn. Whatever happened to 'Thou shalt not kill?'. Granted the guy is a bastard, but has it come to this?

[DemBones DemBones]

48. Have you forgotten he killed his wife?

Not that I approve of the death penalty or of people cheering that he got that sentence, but he wasn't sentenced to death for killing just an unborn child but for killing his wife.

[Midlodemocrat]

54. I haven't forgotten that he killed his wife

...but my comment was aimed at the 'pro life' crowd.

[Jack_DeLeon]

118. What about the pro-choice crowd...

that think its okay to kill unborn babies but its not okay to kill murderers? :eyes:

I think abortion is wrong however I'll still claim to be pro-choice because I think there circumstances when its necessary.

I also support the death penalty because there are some heinous people in this world that deserve to die for thier crimes.

[DemBones DemBones]

130. Killing his wife was enough to justify the death penalty, by law.

The death of Baby Conor was just an added charge that could have added years to his sentence if they'd given him a prison term. Baby Conor's death was important but no more so than his mother's, though his presence made her death a more heinous crime in most people's eyes.

[BUSHOUT]

136. F#$K THE LAW!!! The law is an ass. Don't hold up "the law" as an excuse

for killing a man.

I think people who feel the government is "justified" in the pre-meditated killing of a defenseless human being need to do a little more thinking.

[Jack_DeLeon]

194. I agree fuck the law, fuck the government....

Laci's family should be the ones to kill Scott.

However I doubt that is what you had in mind. :eyes:

[BUSHOUT]

211. Sure. We should EACH of us be able to decide when another should die!

Steal my car stereo, I should be allowed to kill you!
Knock up my sister, you should F'ING DIE!!

What a wonderful world it would be!

I doubt that is what you had in mind :eyes:
yet the Irony is the DP creates that sort of revenge culture.

[sepia_steel]

204. I have no sympathy for him,

nor do i feel protective of anyone who would kill his own wife and child. He gets to die a much better death than they did. And the death penaly in California may aas well be a lifetime of the appeals process.

Maybe he should be sent to Iraq in one of Rumsfeld's un-armoured Hummers.

[BUSHOUT]

209. I don't have sympathy for him either. I have sympathy for myself and

everyone in the world who suffers because of this horrific premeditated murder by the government.
Government is "we the people", and I don't really appreciate being made into a murderer thanks v.much.

[Griffy]

190. ITS OVER.. GREAT.. now can we cover the election fraud! focus ppl! nt

[phantom power]

4. on to the next over-hyped court case....

[Bake]

47. That would be the Robert Blake case ...

Bake

[0rganism]

143. Don't forget, we always have Michael Jackson to fall back on

There will be no shortage of glamour trials to cover in the next four years.

[AngryAmish]

5. death penalty is wrong

but couldn't happen to a nicer guy

[paula777]

6. I was listening on the radio. Who was cheering? and why?

[neverforget]

7. i can finally get some sleep now that he's going to die

:puke: :eyes:

[Liberal Veteran]

14. Oh, come on...don't you feel safer knowing that Scott Peterson isn't ...

...going to someday get to come after you and your unborn child?

You should be dancing in the streets that you are now safe from this evil threat to your way of life.

(yes, I am being sarcastic)

[karlrschneider]

8. Beat me to it.

;-)

[Midlodemocrat]

12. I made my little one leave my office to watch

MSNBC, simply because I would like to believe that at some point in my existence, the death penalty will be eradicated.

[Benhurst]

74. Good news: the death penalty already has been abolished in

all but the most backward and despotic nations.

[Midlodemocrat]

78. Well, I would move to one

...but I am afraid of being invaded by the BFEE.

[GCP]

10. I'm against the death penalty

He should have gone away for life. At least we won't be getting him rammed down our throats 24/7 while he's on death row.

[yardwork]

31. Unfortunately, we probably will

He's now eligible for a zillion appeals.

It would have been far better all around to give him life without parole and stick him in the general population.

I'm against the death penalty. It's perverse.

[Rainbowreflect]

43. No, he will be forgotten soon.

The Michael Jackson trial is about to start.

[scarlett1]

44. All those appeals will cost more than keeping him alive

for 30 - 50 years on a life sentence.

[darkism]

66. Here's hoping he gets his sentence commuted to life in prison on appeal

Because the death penalty is barbaric, especially for a blue state.

[Runcible Spoon]

38. oh no, we'll get him rammed down our throats as

he undoubtedly will appeal over and over again, draining taxpayer dollars and diverting ever MORE media attention from the real issues (not like they get coverage anyway)

[ekhunter]

61. we need more of the death penalty, save some tax dollars

[progressiveBadger]

72. Wrong

The death penalty actually costs far more because of appeals, etc. It is far cheaper for you and I to give life sentences out.

[SOS]

99. More death penalty?

"Since 1973, 113 prisoners have been released from death row in the USA after evidence emerged of their innocence of the crimes for which they were sentenced to death. Some had come close to execution after spending many years under sentence of death. Recurring features in their cases include prosecutorial or police misconduct; the use of unreliable witness testimony, physical evidence, or confessions; and inadequate defence representation." - Amnesty International

Those 113 innocent men would surely disagree.

[BUSHOUT]

219. You're like most DP supporters, you're opinions are based on

ignorance.

The death penalty as an institution is far more expensive than life in prison would be.

This is a known fact, not up for debate.

[ekhunter]

222. you are correct, but i feel this scumbag deserves the death penalty

anyone who kills their unborn child and his wife deserves it.

[sepia_steel]

206. That's basically what just happened.

It will take at least 20 before his execution comes around.

[davidinalameda]

11. here's the SF Chron link

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/12/13/PETERSON13.DTL

wow

[underpants]

13. Jury Recommends Execution for Peterson

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20041213/ap_on_re_us/laci_peterson

[alexisfree]

15. jury just had kick hes nuts!!!

[MaineDem]

16. I'm sorry to hear this

id he get 2 death sentences???

Thank goodness this will now be OFF the news.

[alexisfree]

20. yes me too

and look how many others killed and they never give them the death penalty?? :shrug:

[Walt Starr]

You're wrong there, the media circus has JUST BEGUN!

Now there will be appeals, appeals to the appeals, stays, clemency hearings, etc. etc. etc.

This thing will be milked for the next ten years.

[phantom power]

29. And there will be the Dateline sequels

"Scott Peterson -- the untold behind-the-scenes story"

"Scott Peterson -- Where are they now..."

[alexisfree]

50. lol

I know this is the american way...x(

[yardwork]

37. I think it's only one DP. The jury found him guilty of second degree

in the death of the baby, so that killing wasn't eligible for DP.

[MaineDem]

55. Thank you

I can't imagine how I could have missed one iota of information about this case. :eyes:

Thanks. :)

[daleo]

17. Now time for the Robert Blake case to go to the batter's box

I am guessing it's been in the on-deck circle.

[CornField]

18. Well, it's just a good thing that Congress passed that Laci Bill

Too bad it couldn't have been passed before this arrest and trial so that Peterson would have faced a charge of double-homicide instead of... uhmm... wait a minute...

[lapfog_1]

19. I am watching MSNBC

and didn't hear any cheering, not that it would surprise me.

I think he did it, but not "beyond a reasonable doubt".

I really don't care if he gets the death, life or slap on the wrist.

What disgusts me more is the amount of cable news time that this
stupid story got. There are lots and lots of murders in the US,
many of them with husbands killing wives and vice versa.
Giving this trial as much attention as even the OJ trial (which
at least had a celebrity, race, drugs, and sex!), not to mention
that the OJ trial was televised... whereas this all we get is
the idiot talking heads.

It's so sad.

[Midlodemocrat]

22. As they announced the sentence

...there was some loud cheering. They broke away almost immediately, but it was there.

[davidinalameda]

108. my ex was watching the verdict on TV

and said something about the cheering inside the courtroom and outside the courthouse

this will be all over the news tonight and since I live in the Bay Area--I'm sure there will be specials on all the stations as well

[wicket]

21. The general pop. will probably take care of him before that

Then again, I doubt the general pop. will be allowed access to him.

[Midlodemocrat]

25. No, they won't be.

...any high profile 'baby killer' like Peterson is never allowed to mix with the general population. The state wants the privelege of killing him themselves, they don't want some low life 'lifer' to get the pleasure.

{sarcasm}

[frylock]

41. lucky for scott too..

someone as pretty as he is would command a king's ransom in cigarettes and desserts.

[Walt Starr]

26. Nope, straight to death row

Only one hour each day of recreation, by himself.

General population will only hear of him via rumor and innuendo.

Meanwhile the media circus has just begun.

[Anakin Skywalker]

46. He's Too Pretty for Them!

Probable he will be sent to WHITE COLLAR prison!

[derby378]

23. And the crowd sings... (WARNING: Bad taste ahead)

Hang the bastard, hang him high.
Hoist his body to the sky.
It's as nice as a day can be.
Won't you come to the hanging with me?

Hang the bastard, hang him high.
Hoist his body to the sky.
It's as nice as a day can be.
Won't you come to the hanging with me?

(From Cannibal! The Musical)

[TexanDem]

24. I knew it! The mentality nowadays.

Seems like our culture has gotten more and more blood-thirsty. I admit that I didn't follow this case to the letter, but it seemed to me that the evidence was all circumstantial. They shouldn't be able to give the death penalty in purely circumstantial cases, IMHO!

[Midlodemocrat]

30. I don't think they should give the

death penalty ever. It only creates more victims and the argument that it is cheaper to keep them in prison is more expensive is fallacious.

[derby378]

32. I think...

...some of the bloodlust is in response to O.J. Simpson and other high-profile types walking away scot free. At least Scott Peterson won't be going anywhere. I think that might be partially what's going on.

[Runcible Spoon]

45. good post and welcome to DU

:hi:

[hughee99]

84. I agree with most of what you say, but...

I don't think you can base the punishment on the nature of the evidence. The evidence is used to determine guilt or innocence. Once a person is convicted, I don't think it would be right to give them a lighter sentence because of the type of evidence presented. If enough evidence was presented to convince the jury that he was guilty, then that person should be eligible for any sentence that the crime warrants. If the evidence was all circumstantial (and I have somehow managed to not follow the case too closely as well) then he should not have been convicted of 1st degree murder.

[TexanDem]

115. I agree with you.

I think this just went full circle. Personally, I didn't think he should be found guilty from what I knew of the case. But as mentioned above, I think the ridicule the Simpson jury got for not finding OJ guilty, they wouldn't dare. The media of course were ready to string Peterson up and hang him Day 1, which the jurors weren't supposed to know about. Remember Condit!! I tend to think we should not have a death penalty at all, especially in these weak cases - albeit I see your point -- but in cases such as Westerfield -well, I don't see a whole lot wrong with a potent injection!

[Zhade]

27. No offense, but WHO FUCKING CARES???

There are more important things going on. Fuck the media for wasting everyone's time on this useless, trivial bullshit.

[Midlodemocrat]

35. Well, for me, it is a personal thing

...I am an total death penalty opponent and I was hoping that a 'blue' state such as California would sentence him to prison instead. I would like to see a trend towards fewer state sponsored killings, not more.

[slackmaster]

51. I oppose the DP too - Don't worry about it

The most common cause of death for California death row inmates is old age, the second most common is murder. Since the DP was reinstated in 1992 only 10 (out of over 600) have actually been executed.

[Midlodemocrat]

56. So maybe there is hope?? n/t

[truth2power]

124. NPR reported

that the soonest he could be executed would be in 27 years. Because of the backlog of people awaiting execution in CA.

[Zhade]

68. Okay, fair enough. That's a good reason to care.

:)

[grumpy old fart]

173. I hear ya but....when was the last time anyone was executed?

In California, that is. This isn't Texas.

[Midlodemocrat]

182. I know that

...I live in the Old Dominion and we execute as often as we change socks. I don't think the point is when he will be executed, I think the point is more that this is an option in a civilized country.

[Runcible Spoon]

28. fuck this media circus

and fuck the death penalty. There is a special place in Hell for Peterson, but it's barbaric for our society to send him there sooner rather than later. I say keep him around to study, to gain insight into the criminal mind to help prevent this from happening again. That is a better use of the legal system than this eye-for-eye vengeance business. Killing someone does not bring the victims back.

[DBoon]

33. Highly publicized notorious murderers

whose crimes are the center of media attention get the death penalty.

The sentencing phase is a trial by media.

[scarlett1]

34. Jury to Peterson- Drop Dead

My Boss told me that one when we were looking to see if the jury came back. He is working at home and heard it on TV before I saw it a moment later on Yahoo.

[Bouncy Ball]

36. I really haven't followed this case at all

since I am perturbed at the way the media takes one case and turns it into a three-ring circus and that's all we hear about until we are ready to PUKE if we hear anything more about it.

But the death penalty is wrong, wrong, wrong.

[Patiod]

39. This sort of media circus and blood lust

is exactly why I don't support the death penalty. Don't trust the justice system in a situation like this, where there's so much pressure to get a guilty verdict and then get the death penalty.

[GOPFighter]

40. Wow!

I guess the next step in this media event is to televise the execution! Reality TV at its best. Think of the ratings! Think of the advertising revenue! Doncha' just love the new free market America??!

:puke:

[Walt Starr]

42. Well, they forgot the bread

but the masses definitely are getting their Circus.

[DemBones DemBones]

49. Life without parole would be a much better sentence. eom

[samtob]

52. The death sentence was the most HUMANE

sentence for him. He will be in maximum security, solitary confinement, another inmate is going to have to work very very hard to off him.

On the other hand, had they sentenced him to life in prison, he would in population, thus fair game for anyone and everyone wishing to brutalize him.

There is a code of ethics so-to-speak, even in prison. You can kill your wife, your father, your mother, your brother, your best friend, but you do NOT KILL CHILDREN. He did, he would have a very rough time, and a very short life in the general population.

On edit, Let me add, he will have a better chance on appeal with the death sentence being attached to his case.

[yardwork]

58. He could have been kept in solitary in the GP

for his own protection.

I don't care much about Scott Peterson's comfort. I think he's a cold-blooded murderer who killed his wife and unborn child and then pretended she was missing, putting her family and friends through months of hell while he partied.

I do think that the death penalty is a blight on America. It is evil and perverse for the government to kill somebody in cold blood, whether they "deserve" it or not.

The blood lust in our system makes me sick.

[samtob]

64. Which is better though

even with protection in general population, it is a lot easier to get at him, per interviews with prison inmates. Plus, the death he would suffer at the hands of other inmates would hardly be painless.

Domer is a good example of that.

23 hour solitary confinement, constant supervision on death row will make a hit (if you will) unlikely.

There were so many problems during the course of this trial, the appeals court will be more likely to take each one of those problems to heart since the death penalty was the sentence.

I am with you, the guy is a slime ball pos for a lot of reasons. I will be glad not to see this crap on every single news show every single daaaaaaaay and niiiight for two long years. puke.

[BUSHOUT]

141. Agree w/ you 100% who cares about SPeterson, I care about society.

Those who support the death penalty are simply ignorant of the negative effects it has on society on different levels.

[frylock]

53. he won't see the needle for at least 20 years..

California is quite a bit different than Texas, and there will be appeals for years to come.

I am strongly against the death penalty, but I am more disappointed that this fool didn't get consecutive life sentences, because then we wouldn't hear about him ever again.

[WI_DEM]

57. Well, Scott--was it worth killing her? divorce would have been

messy, and we know how much you hate anything which challenges your "nice guy" image--but at least she and your bb would be alive and you would be free to screw as many women as you want or wanted you--and based on your track record and the number of letters you get from needy women even today--that is probably quite a lot.

p.s.
I'm against the death penalty, so I disagree with this verdict, but I don't feel any sympathy for the bastard.

[Midlodemocrat]

59. Moi non plus

...me neither, but I am totally opposed to the death penalty. Killing to show killing is wrong is somehow.....wrong.

[samtob]

65. You brought up an interesting point

The letters he receives from women every day. That has always perplexed me. What the hell kind of woman would be attracted to a man that was convicted of a violent crime? Especially the murder of his wife?

That speaks volumes regarding not only our society, but every other country that has the similar happenings.

[Midlodemocrat]

77. Doesn't it though?

Is there some attraction in knowing you can never be together? I don't get it.

[WildClarySage]

155. celebrity by proxy

[calimary]

202. Because he's handsome.

Looks - they're EVERYTHING in this superficial country.

This entire case wouldn't even have gotten off the ground if Laci were some fat, homely girl with bad teeth. NO ONE would have cared. How many other women, especially those of color, get - or get killed by - rough treatment by their men, and it's NEVER reported, no less obsessed over for almost two full years?

Take it to the bank: "People" magazine will be marking the anniversaries of her going missing, her body being found, and Scott's conviction/death sentence in many issues to come. Look how they're still trotting Princess Di out of the grave? Not only the "where are they now" stuff but also, every time Scott's case comes up for appeal, or changes lawyers, or the law changes in honor of Laci or her ill-fated pregnancy. And Larry King and Nancy "hang 'em high" Grace will dredge this up every chance they get.

Do you remember the case of Linda Sobek, that pretty, blonde, "full-chested" model/cheerleader here in SoCal who disappeared and was later found murdered? They went on and on and on and on about that one, with her photos and testimonials and modeling resume AD NAUSEAM. Some observers locally did point out - nobody would have given two hoots if she'd been some fat, ugly, unphotogenic broad from nowheresville.

[Mike Niendorff]

60. Coming soon : "Scott Peterson II : The Appeal"

(or whatever else the corporate execs decide to pad the airwaves with in order to keep real news and information on the sidelines)


MDN

[Imagevision]

150. yes but at least it won't be happening for 5 years!

[calimary]

205. Nope - next we'll hear of it will be February 25th.

That's when the judge has to certify the jurors' recommendation - which is what this was. A recommendation of the death penalty. The judge could either let it stand or downgrade it to life without parole - but THAT, in turn, could then be appealed, and bumped back up to death. In any event, there'll be truckloads of coverage, again and again and again and again, ad nauseam.

And there'll be the twists and turns involved in his lead attorney probably getting the heave-ho. Mark Geragos wasn't there for the verdict and everybody views that as rather icky - ample grounds for one of many appeals that are expected and likely.

They don't readily snuff 'em out here in California. It's not like Texas. He could wait years even to get close. Years. And he'll be protected like nobody's business. The poster farther up who reminded about Jeffrey Dahmer was correct. It's actually a rather merciful decision because he wouldn't last two weeks in the general population. Not that he'd be there for at least a long amount of time. At first he'd be in the "special needs" ward where they keep lifers who for one reason or other have to be isolated. But eventually, he'd probably be transfered to the general population. And he wouldn't have a prayer. He's very much a marked man because of the killing of his unborn baby.

[barb162]

62. it seems there is even less evidence in this case than OJ's.

ALthough I hardly followed this case, I thought he would get life in prison as there was circumstantial evidence only.

[Imagevision]

151. The dude was a pathetic liar, worked on the ladies, thats it!

[KenCarson]

63. what real issue is this circus a distraction from?

i wouldn't pay to watch this crap

[anarchy1999]

69. Ummmh...... The 3rd official/election/selction in a row, the ever

worsening situation in Iraq, war crimes, oh, the list just grows and grows.

[superconnected]

67. more institutionalized murder

they hand it out like candy.

Can this man be saved? Not in the religious sense, but saved - changed, someone who will not kill again, who can have a worthwhile life. Who knows. It looks like they voted on vengence though - kill him for what he did, the ultimate act of giving up on people, the easiest way out for a society that doesn't deal with it's problems.

We are the ones giving our government the right to execute us. We are the ones enabling them to not even try to save a life. I have co-workers cheering.

what a baaad day.

[thebeaglehaslanded]

70. Peterson gets death on circumstantial evidence, but the lying, murderous

bastard in the White House gets cheered wherever he goes. There is no justice in America.

[PSUDem]

83. Circumstantial Evidence is right

This has to be weakest case I ever saw, really (no weapon, no trace of the victim on the boat, etc) and not only did they convict him on it, they then gave into the victims family's need for bloodlust...makes me sick.

[mountainvue]

90. I couldn't agree with

you more. The change of venue was useless. The lynch mob outside the court house was quite the spectacle when the verdict was reached and was today as well, from what I've heard. Three people dead, two families crushed and America cheers. What the hell is wrong with us?

[Bo]

152. I saw it as a lynching.....

there was no where on earth this man could have gotten a fair trial.

[MADem]

142. No, there was a weaker case in Delaware

The governor's secretary, dating a lawyer, think he was in the AG's office, and he killed her and dumped her in the water in a cooler. The only reason they got him, with no body, ever, was that they turned his brother, who was a bum, and he testified as to seeing the leg--just the leg--of the victim as they tossed the cooler overboard. The cooler washed up way later, a guy was using it to store fish. Then, the guy tried to claim that his OTHER girlfriend was the killer--it was a sick tale, if you made it up and wrote it as fiction it would have been rejected as too farfetched.

It's the whole story that got Scott Peterson. Coincidence upon coincidence, added to his lying to his girlfriend and saying he was posting flyers whilst chatting on the phone. Sneaking down to the marina, lying about his whereabouts, and then, the obvious change of appearance in a car registered to his momma, carrying camping and survival gear and a ton of dough, headed for Mexico.

I think the guilty verdict was an accurate call. I'm not enamored of the death penalty, though. Odds are probably even or better that he'll end up with life after the appeals process.

[MisterCompletly]

71. We all get death

Some get it sooner, some get it later but we all get it in the end.

[progressiveBadger]

75. By that logic

Murder shouldn't be a crime.
I love when people think things through just far enough to make themselves look good.

[MisterCompletly]

76. Self Murder is no crime

People die inside every day and too often take others with them. They are the truly selfish and unwanted.

[OneBlueSky]

79. what an example to set for our kids . . .

hey, kids . . . killing another human being is WRONG! . . .

unless you're the government, of course, and then it's okay . . . as long as you're killing the RIGHT human beings . . .

today it's this Peterson guy . . . cause the government says so . . .

yesterday it was the residents of Fallujah . . . cause the government said so . . .

tomorrow it might be gays, or liberals, or blacks, or ALL muslims . . . cause the government might just say so . . .

but don't forget . . . killing is WRONG! . . .

morons . . .

[Midlodemocrat]

113. Man, you took the words right out of my mouth

...like spanking a toddler because they hit a playmate. Doesn't make any sense whatsoever. And for the RW ers, whatever happened to 'Thou shalt not kill'? I don't get it.

[MrSlayer]

80. Well he earned it.

I have no problem with the verdict.

[RebelOne]

81. But he will still be alive for the next 10 years while he is appealing.

Plus there are some death row immates who are still appealing for the past 20 years.

[merwin]

82. Doesn't it seem a bit strange that the jury asked

about a photo that they had never been shown? Doesn't that amount to jury tampering?

[Darth_Kitten]

87. In a normal world, it would seem so.....

But I wouldn't be surprised if this jury didn't want to see Anne Geddes pictures of cherubs dressed up as flowers. :eyes:

He's GUILTY!

[mountainvue]

93. I was amazed with the way they

kept kicking people off until they got a guilty verdict.

[Bo]

153. The judge kicked jurors off who were asking....

to many questions. But the media makes nothing of it.

[Darth_Kitten]

88. I'm getting the feeling this jury.....

didn't convict him for the evidence, but on other factors. That scares me.

[mountainvue]

101. You should go to CNN.com and watch

this press conference. It's a doozy.

[Midlodemocrat]

111. No kidding. Horrifying. n/t

[bullimiami]

89. I am still against the death penalty.

Wrong for the State to sanction revenge.

Why is life in prison not good enough?

[lies and propaganda]

91. Put the politics aside for a second....

He killed his wife, and he killed a baby that may have not been alive, but was very much a part of the lives of the family around him.

I wouldnt be out cheering in the street, but i do think justice has been served.

[Redleg]

121. Why not kill everybody who commits murder?

Because execution is a permanent punishment- if you later find the person didn't do it, you've killed the wrong mofo.

[LisaL]

94. Well, since he is in Ca,

He probably will die of natural causes because it takes so long for them to execute someone. Personally, I think he deserves the death penalty.

[readmylips]

95. I almost married Charlie Manson, then the Menendez brothers....

but someone beat me to it, now I want to marry Scotty Peterson. I love murderers...just kidding.

Never followed the soap opera of Scott/Laci nor the OJ crap. Meanwhile, Ken Lay is free to enjoy the millions he stold from poor citizens. Justice is crap in the US. If you're well connected, the world is yours.

[ElectroPrincess]

96. The story that NEVER ENDS!

I know this is totally selfish but, in addition to being against the death penalty, I was hoping that Peterson would get "life" just so we don't have to hear about IT anymore.

It's unbalanced to hyper-focus on this as our troops are dying on a daily basis over in Iraq and only get a cursory amount of attention.

Murders are important - LOCALLY! The MSM in the USA sucks pond water. :(

[VegasWolf]

98. Death on the merest of circumstantial evidence, and people are

applauding. What a world.

[mountainvue]

100. Watching jury press conference now.

One guy says he's "not sure" how he came to his decision. Unbelievable.

[yojon]

103. Off with his head!!!

My office is just down the street fom the San Mateo Courthouse. There were three helicopters stationary in the air overhead and a plane circling. All the women in my office were listening to the local all news radio station awaiting the verdict.

I couldnt stop thinking that it was like Mme LeFarge and friends gathered at the Place de la Concorde around the guillotine cheering each execution while the republic was in flames.

I wonder if there were that many helicopters in the sky around the Conyers hearing.....

O8)

[goobergunch]

104. Not LBN.

Lounge material, IMO. ;)

[Piperay]

106. Ho hum...

that really makes my day. :eyes: Anyway guy should have gotten life that would've been worse punishment. The other inmates would've taken care of him, I hear they're not to fond of wife and child abusers.:spank:

[Catchawave]

107. Do you think he'll confess now?

I mean what really happened? The dumbf*ck may have only gotten 20 years if he came clean in the beginning, and said it was an accident.

That would be a possibility too.

[Isere]

109. The death penalty is WRONG

One way to make a statement against the blood lust that is visible today is to go over to the Death Penalty Focus website and make a donation:

http://www.deathpenalty.org/

[VegasWolf]

110. What if awol were convicted of war crimes and sentenced to death. n/t

[Redleg]

119. I'd be opposed to his execution. Why create a martyr?

Bush's fundie followers would expect him to rise from the dead after 3 days.

[WildClarySage]

156. Too easy

these PNACers deserve long lives behind bars for the crimes against the people of Iraq.

[davis_islander]

114. Disgusting!

How anyone can "cheer" state sanctioned homicide of another person is beyond me. Every time the death penalty is used, this country loses just a little bit more humanity.

[Redleg]

116. Just like a bunch of fucking idiots to cheer a death sentence.

Some of those "morans" will probably volunteer to do the honors. Sick freaks.

And you trolls, this doesn't mean that I think Peterson should be let off the hook or that I think he's not guilty.

[Jack_DeLeon]

117. Good...

I was worried that because he was white and had no priors that the jury might not give him the death penalty.

My faith in the justice system is restored a little bit.

[mountainvue]

129. The problem is

there was no physical evidence. These people are going to execute a man on mere speculation.

[BUSHOUT]

138. I'm sickened by an attitude like yours.

The death penalty is part of the reason America is so willing to support killing everywhere. Iraqis aren't a concern to most Americans because death is a government-sponsored commodity to them.

Pre-meditated killing of a defenseless human being is publicised as a justified and worthy act in America. It's contributes to the sickness of the nation.

[Forkboy]

188. Like I was saying last week

bloodthirsty

[dzoner]

125. Responce

Billions of Human-Brain-Hours watching all those Greta and Abrams and etc shows over this one murder years ago, this country is sicker then i have though. Eight US soldiers dead over the weekend and how many brain H-B-H's of thought go to them??? Just stick another yellow ribbon on you're 3 ton SUV and feel good.

[ally_sc]

127. circumstanial evidence nfm

nfm

[LostinVA]

164. There's Nothing Wrong with Circumstantial Evidence

Ally_Sc, this isn't directed at you by the way -- many people on this thread have said he was convicted "only" on circumstantial evidence. I have a lawyer in the family, and a close relative who was a juror on a murder trial, and both told me that circumstantial evidence is preferable to eyewitness evidence, unless that eyewitness literally saw the accused perform the act. My lawyer relative said that most people falsely convicted are NOT convicted because of bad circumstantial evidence, but rather bad eyewitness evidence, ie a rape victim identifying someone in a lineup and testifying at trial that that person raped them. He also said that most false convictions are overturned because of the circumstantial evidence proving them guilty. (for the record, he works Legal Aid)

Circumstantial evidence is, "evidence in a trial which is not directly from an eyewitness or participant and requires some reasoning to prove a fact. There is a public perception that such evidence is weak ("all they have is circumstantial evidence"), but the probable conclusion from the circumstances may be so strong that there can be little doubt as to a vital fact ("beyond a reasonable doubt" in a criminal case, and "a preponderance of the evidence" in a civil case). Particularly in criminal cases, "eyewitness" ("I saw Frankie shoot Johnny") type evidence is often lacking and may be unreliable, so circumstantial evidence becomes essential. Prior threats to the victim, fingerprints found at the scene of the crime, ownership of the murder weapon, and the accused being seen in the neighborhood, certainly point to the suspect as being the killer, but each bit of evidence is circumstantial." (dictionary.law.com)

I am 100% anti-death penalty. NO ONE has a right to take a life. I also think that the evidence in this case pointed to Peterson doing it. I watched the jurors press conference yesterday, and it was evident this was not an easy decision for him. The odds are also good he'll die in prison as an old man, which is how it should be.

And, for those saying the Robert Blake trial will be all over the airwaves soon... are you kidding??? Michael Jackson's trial starts in two months. I'm sure that's when the military will invade Iran or something...

[FlashHarry]

128. You cannot mete out an irreversible punishment. It's as simple as that.

Death. Castration. Whatever. Our standards of guilt (i.e. "beyond a shadow of a doubt") leave room for error, however infinitesimal--especially in this day and age of exoneration through DNA evidence.

In other words, you can't kill somebody unless you absolutely, positively know for a fact that he or she is guilty of capital murder. End of story.

[BUSHOUT]

140. You're wrong.

Even if we're "absolutely positively" certain of capital murder guilt, we the people should not be killing defenseless human beings.

The harm it does America cannot be overstated. Those who think it's good and worthy are ignorant of the effects, plain and simple.

It promotes a culture of death and revenge....go figure.

[prezmonkeyboy]

131. Scott Peterson will become...

the Rosa Parks of the Anti-Choicists.

[ElectroPrincess]

135. P Monkey Boy, that is the most bizarre comment

that I have ever seen here on DU. DAMN! Whatever recreational drugs or alcohol you're consuming, stop now. Yikes!

[Hanover_Fist]

137. Whoopity effin doooooo...............

EOM

[Dancing_Dave]

139. If only Bush and Cheney could get the same

For their larger crimes that killed people off by the thousands.:nopity:

[NoSheep]

144. And black men are put to death regularly here in NC and who notices?

Most are probably innocent; the victims less than Hollywood beautiful. I'm disgusted by all the attention this case has gotten. I'm waiting to hear Bill Moyers interviewed on MSNB fucking C and I'm having to tolerate 30 minutes of jury interviews and Lacy baby photos. Sorry, people are dying everyday in Iraq, Americans and Iraqis
Who is telling their stories? Where is the outrage here?:mad:

[Guaranteed]

147. I'm confused....killing people IS okay? nt

[Midlodemocrat]

162. No BGL,

...but state sanctioned murder is worse. It promotes a culture of death that has people literally cheering in the street when a person is sentenced to death.

[HuffleClaw]

154. THANK YOU DU for demonstrating what 'really matters' :-(

TODAY, in a little state called 'Ohio', there were a few inconsequential events, which, judging by the number of responses to THIS thread, doesn't much matter to you folks. good lord, when the future of your nation is at stake, folks would really do well to pay attention to WHAT FUCKING MATTERS.

[Midlodemocrat]

161. State sanctioned murder

apparently does matter to the people at DU and judging by the amount of posts you have, perhaps you should do a little more lurking and learn a bit more about what people here at DU feel before you post in such a judgmental way.

[HuffleClaw]

168. "judging by the amount of posts you have" ????

yeah, that really seals your 'argument' real effectively.

[Midlodemocrat]

169. Point being

you are condemning people who replied to this post and it is obvious that the death penalty strikes a nerve here at DU. Prior to posting such a judgmental comment, it would behoove you to read through the posts and see what people are feeling about the death penalty.

[HuffleClaw]

175. oh NOW you have a legitimate point to make

hahaahahahhaha

[Midlodemocrat]

177. I stated this before in post #161

but you were too busy ranting about another issue.

[HuffleClaw]

180. erm...

"...apparently does matter to the people at DU and judging by the amount of posts you have, perhaps you should do a little more lurking and learn a bit more about what people here at DU feel before you post in such a judgmental way."

sure you did, in passing, right before that crap about number of posts. your backtracking is just hilarious, but hey, i'll readily admit to 'ranting'. i find this obsession about some court case pretty appalling. and it certainly isn't just the folks here. i get a lot of good news here. i just find it surprising that a group of normally quite rational and politically astute people go all to pieces over some court case. 'nuff said.

[Midlodemocrat]

181. You are still missing the point

Read the thread. People are not upset about Peterson, he is just one person, people are upset about the implementation of the death penalty. And as far as your post count goes, we all started with a few posts, but perhaps not in such a judgmental or accusatory manner. 'nuff said.

[HuffleClaw]

229. yada yada yada

i guess you missed my point too. you missed the part where i admitted to ranting? i guess so. i'd be happy if you apologized for your post count comments.

[BUSHOUT]

184. And ignorance like that won't give you longevity here either. n/t

[HuffleClaw]

230. and you are poking your nose into this because?

[NNguyenMD]

157. Still waiting for those Pro-life Catholics to protest the death penalty!

hmm....oh yeah I remember. They only defend against the unborn, b/c its TOO HARD to work toward saving the life of an, albeit scum of the earth, man from being put to death. Even though the Pope says its wrong, and that the Catholic church is suppose to be vehemently against it. Nobody trying to excommunicate Arnold for not commuting the Peterson's sentence, no sirree.

Yes, pro-life Catholics! Only fighting for those easy issues that don't require them to take a real stand on a tough issue, or invest any thinking or work beyond their own knee-jerk reactionary stupidity!

Funny how those pro-lifer Catholics were so for the new "Laci-Peterson Law" but haven't made a peep protesting the death penalty of Scott Peterson. I guess this is whats meant by "choosing your battles" hypocritically.

[Midlodemocrat]

171. Exactly!

and as a Catholic who grew up practicing the corporal works of mercy, it offends me greatly to hear not a peep from Catholics unless it concerns abortion.

[genieroze]

158. Yeah, clap, clap, clap, clap Petersons gonna die.

There was voter fraud in Ohio.....................silence.

:wtf:

[moondust]

159. Forensic pathologist shocked at death sentence.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_283079.html

~snip~

"(There was a) complete absence of physical evidence," he said. "I never would have thought there would be a death penalty verdict.

"Somewhere along the line it is clear to me that not only was the jury lost to the defense, but the jury became hostile to the defense."

Absent any physical evidence, Wecht said, the jurors had to imagine Scott Peterson premeditated the murder, transported Laci Peterson's body to a dock, loaded it on a boat and dumped it in the sea -- all without leaving any physical evidence for investigators to find.

Given the advanced forensic techniques available to modern investigators, "This is not so easily accomplished," Wecht said.

Wecht made two visits to California, performing autopsies on the bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn child, reviewing all the evidence with detectives and visiting Peterson's home and the site where the bodies were discovered. Wecht did not testify because there was no physical evidence to discuss.

~more~


Authoritarian times indeed.

[hangloose]

160. How do you sentence a guy to death on circumstantial evidence?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

167. Same way you attack and invade another nation. nt

[calimary]

207. Sigh... Very sad. Very true.

And yes, there was that other story in Ohio that many anchors and pundits can hardly get through without snickering...

[saigon68]

163. The SHHEP LOVE this SHIT

More distractions

[grumpy old fart]

172. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ n/t

[zulchzulu]

174. Oh no! It's over...now we need another white couple where wife murders...

...her husband.

What the hell is cable news going to do now? OH MY GAWD!!!!

Larry King must be freaking out! Damn! No Laci story? Might as well fucking retire!

[goddess40]

234. We just had a wife murder her abusive husband

maybe they could use that. Actually she did it in June but they just found out two weeks ago when they foreclosed on the house and found his body in an upstairs bedroom. She had been dumping perfume on it to cover up the odor.

[crankheart]

176. Life in prison woulda been better.

They'll have appeals, it'll be awhile till they get him executed.

If those Americans cheering are really hungry for execution...just send them to Iraq. Let them see the truth.
They are all jubilant and happy how the verdict went, while families are mourning over fathers, brothers, or sons dying in Iraq. Such a shame.

[Midlodemocrat]

178. That was the point to the original post

...but perhaps I needed to be more direct. Americans seem complacent about state sanctioned murder, whether done as an execution or as an invasion. That is why Iraq doesn't bother people and I think it is horrendous.

[thinkingwoman]

235. I think Iraq

doesn't bother people because they have been indoctrinated by the national media to think that Iraq sponsored 9/11. It's mind numbing how many people still think that there was not only a connection, but outright cause and effect.

If Dems are going to fight middle America's acceptance of the Iraq war we need to acknowledge what causes it, and get away from thinking that people are just cruel.

[FizzFuzz]

179. Bread. Circuses. Public executions. n/t

[4dsc]

192. Who really cares!!

EOM!!!

[superconnected]

196. well, if the Fundies really get what they want

they could be executing liberals as minions of Satan.

[nibbana]

193. Dope for the masses..how many troops in Iraq die..screw the media!

[lonestarnot]

214. Does this now mean we will have to hear endless fucking

reporting on a nobody for the next 18 years?

[dpakman91]

216. the most interesting thing to me...

...is that the states with the lowest crime don't have death penalties: http://www.heartheissues.com/deathpenaltyandcrime.html