The families of killers will do that. It's human nature, and you nailed the reason with the phrase "loved one".

They see the troubled boy who grew to be a monster...while the rest of us just get to see the final product.

And this particular product is defective. I'm glad Texas is instituting a "recall".

So are you saying you have the same propensity to 'up and murder' a pastor one day? The "excuses" (bad childhood, mental disorder) are why the crime was committed.

Most rational people do not kill someone over a disagreement. That is why there are 'reasons' for the horrendous act.

What did you expect the family to say? One day Billy was on top of the world, loving life, and the next he off-ed a pastor?

You murdered a Baptist Pastor in Texas and it took the jury 90 minutes to convict for the death penalty?? They must have snuck out a back door and had barbeque ribs for lunch to tell the judge we actually thought about it. Next in line....

Nelson's family members testified that he had a troubled childhood in which he suffered from attention deficit disorder

I think the jury just found a cure for some cases of attention deficit disorder.

Gotta love Texas. Justice served in 90 minutes.

@markl323, you are mistaken, probably on purpose. Texas executes murders, red and yellow, black and white. If you don't want to go on death row, do not commit murder in Texas.

And the libtard race card gets played after only 5 replies. Never mind regardless of race this killer took a life. Never mind that MOST of the people on death row are CAUCASIAN. Never mind the brutality of the crime. But that's right, the color of your skin exhonerates any and all misdeeds you do, so the rest of society doesn't get accused of being racists.

People like you Mark make me sick. You are uneducated, ignorant, and apparently lack the intellectual skills to even begin to research your assinine argument. Had you bothered to even remotely evaluate your stance using a simple search engine and typed in Racial Demographics of death row inmates - you would have found http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/race-death-row-inmates-executed-1976. And in clicking that link, you would have found RACE OF DEFENDANTS EXECUTED IN THE U.S. SINCE 1976 - Black 449 Executions 35%, Latino 100 Executions 7%, White 736 Executions 56%, Other 24 Executions 2%.

But in your haste to perpetuate racism, and basically end up making yourself look like an uneducated ass, you successfully pointed out how truly ignorant people are. My suggestion, all be it a waste of time, would be in the future to arm yourself with facts, not fiction, not some political spew, not some knee jerk assinine comment, but some tangible pieces of evidence to support your position.

Watch him burn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They wanted to use ADD as an excuse for murder? Hell, some of my friends couldnt use that excuse for not doing well on a test in school. Some defense cases are really empty arent they?

A man convicted of capital murder in the strangulation death of a pastor in a north Texas church was sentenced to death on Tuesday.

Good.

Defense attorneys asked jurors to spare Nelson's life, saying he didn't get the proper help he needed when he was growing up.

WAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAAH!

Cry me an effing river already.

"And the libtard race card gets played after only 5 replies."

"You are uneducated, ignorant, and......"

Wait. Rethink that please.

Let him rot in a cell for 50 years without parole or however many years he has to live naturally. Death is too swift and easy.

Because his family deserved better. I do not believe in the death penalty. It about the only thing the pope is right about. I saw where the parents of a small child murdered in Florida ask that they not seek the death penalty becuase it was against there beliefs. They were from Europe not Texas. I say give Texas back to Mexico. Hispanics (of any race) were 37.6% of the population of the state, while Non-Hispanic Whites composed 45.3%. There taking it back to quote Carlos Mencia.

He had "attention deficit disorder"??? What that means is he didn't get spanked. That is amongst the most important types of "attention" children need so they don't turn out like this psycho.

I LOVE MY STATE. Proud gun-toting Texas girl here. Raised by two intelligent wonderful people along with three other siblings. My daddy is an aerospace engineer who owns his own company and my mom worked until she had children. She is also an Olympian who played in the 1964 games. They put all four of their kids through college and guess what?

Despite all the great genes, love, luck and the amazing family God blessed me with, I still ended up being diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 Disorder. My point in all the digressing is that I am not a killer despite the seriousness of my illness. I do keep a 9mm by my bed in case I need to use it on someone trying to enter my home who doesn't belong here.

My husband has a permit to carry. But other than defending yourself or your family, there is no excuse for murder. If someone hurt my family, I would hurt them. That's all. The self proclaimed monster got what he deserved. Too bad his death will be much less painful than the suffering he put that poor Pastor through.

Actually Oh, prior to Texas joining (annexing) into the union, during the period from 1519 to 1848, all or parts of Texas were claimed by six countries: France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America—as well as the Confederate States of America in 1861–65. The Texian forces fought and won the Texas Revolution in 1835–36 against Mexico. Texas now became an independent nation, the Republic of Texas. Attracted by the rich cotton lands and ranch lands, tens of thousands of immigrants arrived from the U.S. and from Germany as well. In 1845, Texas joined the United States, becoming the 28th state. The Earliest history of the "state" of Texas suggests it actually was French Territory 1684 - 1689, after which time, Spain claimed the territory 1690-1821, and didn't become Mexican Territory until 1821 following the Mexican Revolution from Spain.

Though technically, in 1835 Texas DID become an Independant Nation complete with all the trappings to include, it's own government, laws, economy, and international commerce.

Though truth be told, Justice in Texas is a hell of a lot more swift (due process - from arrest to charging to hearing, to trial, and sentencing and finally execution.) Instead of criticising the State of Texas, maybe the rest of this country needs to take a que from Texas, and administrating Justice alot more expeditiously saving the tax payers money, society from the dangers of violent and dangerous felons, and instilling that sense of Law and Order that perversely evades the rest of America. I am not from Texas but certainly I try to see all 3 sides to the tale (the 2 from the parties involved, and the truth, which hopefully rests somewhere inbetween.)

You will never get the attention that you need in Texas, They like to keep them ignorant , pregnant , and work for $10.00 bucks an hour. You will never have any chance in Texas until you vote out the Teabuggers

Will The King of Ignorance,

There are more Whites than Blacks in this country so there SHOULD be more Whites being executed than Blacks.

RACE OF DEFENDANTS EXECUTED IN THE U.S. SINCE 1976 - Black 449 Executions 35%, Latino 100 Executions 7%, White 736 Executions 56%, Other 24 Executions 2%.

thank you for proving my point; Blacks are only 13% of the population but they are 35% of the executions. Whites are 72% of the population but only take up 56% of the executions. not to mention White males have higher testosterone levels than Blacks after 24 years of age and therefore White males are more likely to commit violent crimes than Blacks.

i suggest you spend sometime analyzing statistics and try your best not to let your biased & twisted perception of reality affect your conclusions before post them.

Tarzan,

you completely missed the point, probably not on purpose due to your biased and possibly racist point of view. no one claims that Whites don't get executed, the claim was that Blacks or minorities tend to get harsher sentences. please refer to my response to Will The King of Ignorance for proof.

i hope that you both will see the errors in your judgements, learn from them and become better persons.

@ Will the Watcher. you speak as if Texas never executed the wrong person.

Ya just gotta love Texas. They don't mess around. Thank you.

A guy kills a preacher and gets the death penalty. A preacher sexually molests and terrifies a child, and gets "community service".

Fantastic "justice" system we have, innit?

markl323

Since blacks at 13% of the population commit close to 50% of the crime, I think a 35% shows some restraint towards executing blacks.

If you're going to preach statistics make sure you use the complete set of stats.

The attention deficit thing is hilarious. he had plenty of attention to plan murder, beating and torture so he could obtain a CAR. The Pope is wrong and un-Biblical. If parents want to forgive they have every right, the state is required to protect us. The murderer they forgive may go out (statistically will) and rape, harm kill another child/adult. It's on their head.

Agnon, did you read how this preacher was killed???? Nope, I guess not.

JohnnyOnThePipe,

Sorry, not buying your exaggerated statistics ("close to 50%") and half truths. Why don't you tell us the other side of the story in which Whites have been oppressing and mistreating minorities for CENTURIES. Here are the reasons for the high percentage of Blacks in prison:

- the bogus War on Drugs which specifically targets urban minorities. ever wonder why people keep overdosing on prescription pain pills and yet not much has been done about it? because the likely offenders of this crime are middle class Whites. this also isn't the first time that anti-drug laws and policies have been passed to target minorities. for your further education: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_of_drugs

- racial profiling. two words: Trayvon Martin.

- the CIA and who knows what other government agencies have been dumping drugs into minority neighborhoods for years. for your educational purposes: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/race_relations/july-dec96/cia_11-18.html

- most crimes are related to poverty. evidence: Russia. and minorities have been much poorer than Whites due to centuries of oppression and institutional racism and therefore they commit more crimes. if Whites were as poor as minorities they would have committed more crimes (per capita) than minorities due to higher testosterone levels in White males. lets not forget the Dark Ages, the colonial period, the bloody conquests of America, NZ and AU.

in other words, the average middle class White male today is just as violent ruthless as the average Barbarian that ransacked Rome only 2 millenniums ago. take the money away, and their natural tendencies will start to show.

truths be told.

OK Mark, you want some straight statistics concerning those poor poor minorities, and just how unfair the system is. Here is a link http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/homicide/race.cfm

IF you care to take your racist blinders off, in 2005 homicide victimization rates were 6 times higher than those for whites, meaning blacks were more likely to be the victim of murder. HOWEVER, in 2005, the homicide OFFENDER RATES were 7 TIMES HIGHER for blacks than whites, Meaning BLACKS MORE THAN WHITES COMMIT MURDER.

And some more little factoids for you, my ignorant, misinformed friend from the same link, which by the way is the US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE if you care to scroll down the page a few clicks, you will see THIS FOLLOWING INFORMATION

For the years 1976 - 2005 Combined

ALL HOMICIDES - Whites were the Victim 50.9% of the time, Blacks were the victim 46.9% of the time, and other ethnic races were the victim 2.1% of the time. In regards to OFFENDERS - Whites committed murder 45.8% of the homicides, BLACKS were responsible for 52.2% of all the murders, and Other ethnic groups were responsible for 2.0% of murder.

FELONY MURDERS, that is CAPITAL PUNISHMENT OFFENSES, where the death penalty could be sought, from the SAME US DEPT OF JUSTICE link provided, NOTICE THESE LITTLE NUMBERS:

39.1% of the Death Penalty Related Offense were committed by Whites, 59.3% of Death Penalty Offense committed by BLACKS, and 1.6% of the Offenses were committed by Other ethnic groups.

THEREFORE,

BLACKS committ more murders than whites that qualify for the death penalty, though BLACKS recieve the death penalty DISPROPORTIONATELY LESS than Caucasians for the same offenses. In other words, since literacy seems to be a problem - my original post PROVES Blacks are LESS LIKELY to get the death penalty than whites for committing the same crime. You don't need to believe me, but the link is provided IF you care to educate yourself.

And thank YOU for proving my point about wasting my time encouraging you to educate yourself before you make yourself look like an ass. The FACTS AND FIGURES DON'T LIE.

And Mark, if you want, we can go into just how unfair the system is for Blacks when it concerns Education Opportunities, Starting a Business, and just how the war on drugs is specifically targets at those poor minorities as well. I think WHEN you start educating yourself, you are going to certainly have an eye opening experience. In all of those (education, business opportunities, and drug enforcement) you will find MINORITIES are bigger beneficiaries of scholarships, grants, small business loans, and government assistance than caucasians, and caucasians generally have the larger incidents of being arrested and charged as a result of drug trafficking than blacks... (that my friend is just a spoiler alert in case you are too lazy to bother to look.)

Here's my Theory:

Black's get the death penalty less than whites, because they are better at forced prison labor, which profits the corporate prison system more than the whiny entitled whites.

Also, the reason most serial killers are White, is because after the first murder in a neighborhood, the cops have already investigated all the black people. Black people just cannot be successful serial killers, because they are never described as "A quiet neighbor, we would never have expected something like this." through no fault of their own. And a single murder is more likely to get 20-life instead of death.

Interesting theory John.

I must admit, when I reviewed all of the murder statistics, I was extremely shocked at some of the information I found. I would have never guessed a vast majority of the crimes involving whites were related to gang activity, and I certainly didn't expect to find the weapon of choice for whites in committing murder would have been poison. I would have expected to see blacks or hispanics leading the way for gang related murders and I would have expected to see firearms as the leading weapon of choice for all murders - especially given all of the gun control freaks out there and the constant coverage of gun related violence.

The other tidbit I found extremely interesting was whites were most likely to be killed as a result of work place violence, and certainly the theory that most blacks are killed by whites is certainly disproven as well. And to be honest here, especially with Mark now that his racist rant has been disproven, I too learned quite a bit in regards to the crime statistics. Where I would disagree with your theory John, and the crime statistic numbers support my theory, is that most murders occur within the same racial group, and while there seem to be more "serial killers" that are caucasian, the "total" murders committed still don't rank as high as those committed by blacks. The other interesting tidbit is that while whites committ more "gang related" murders, it is blacks that seem to committ crime in packs (53% of murders committed by blacks involved multiple offenders).

But for sure, and my stance on crime and punishment is, and has always been, the race of the offender plays no part in the crime itself. Those acts are committed consciously by an act of choice. Race shouldn't EVER enter into the punishment of criminals. Criminals are being punished for the choices THEY make. And truthfully, I know the other argument concerning poverty and such as being a catalyst, but, I found another study that actually shows Latinos/Hispanics as being more poverty stricken than blacks, and yet that racial group only comprises a mere 2% of all murders.

If by chance Mark you have not looked at the link I provided, I would encourage you, and anyone else to do so. There is some real eye opening information there, that certainly will change your perceptions about crime.

Go Texas!!!

They've got an express lane for that. (also paraphrasing Ron White)

"Vengence is Mine." Says The LORD. HE Never said that people wouldn't be Killed for Killing. HE said HE would be the Judge. Here and Later. This first Death will be Nothing, compared to the Second.

We are told not to judge, this has nothing to do with justice which is exactly what we are told to do. We are commanded to judge the actions of people. God judges the soul. Im with you, how hard can this be?

That is why as a christian I could not accept employment as an executioner

You may want to study The Ten Commandments. It is MURDER that is condemned. Killing is sometimes necessary, but it would be ignorant to assume that all killing is murder.

Well, I'm an atheist, and not opposed to the death penalty. Certainly not in this case. What an ugly crime.

And I'm all for helping troubled kids but I don't think that "dyfunctional relationships" is a diagnosis. It also sounds like his family is in denial.

The actual translation is, "Thou Shalt Not Murder." .... It was changed to the word "kill" to keep the sheep in line.

Texas will "git her done" with this cold blooded murderer!!!

Vern-1642229

You may want to study The Ten Commandments. It is MURDER that is condemned. Killing is sometimes necessary, but it would be ignorant to assume that all killing is murder.

With respect, it is YOU who needs to study the 10 Commandments. It was THOU SHALT NOT KILL for over 2000 years. It is THOU SHALT NOT KILL in the King James Version of the Bible. Recently some American Versions of the Bible have rewritten the 6th commandment as "Thou shalt not murder" but it is THOU SHALT NOT KILL -- has been for over 2000 years.

Apparently some new "christians" are so into guns and killing (war and capital punishment, etc) that they felt guilty breaking the 6th commandment (rightfully so) and therefore have rewritten the 6th commandment to suit themselves. Changing the wording from "kill" to "murder" (not the other way around). Very sad.

But it is THOU SHALT NOT KILL period. Always has been. Always will be. No matter how you want to rewrite it.

Look it up yourself.

Theo,

Believe it or not it was not the pastor who gave the man the sentence. Thats because he is dead. Instead it was the jury who did. There was probably at least 1 or 2 atheists on the jury. I know reading may be hard for you, but keep trying and you might make it through a basic news article some day.

Maxwell, you do realize the KJV is an English translation and hasn't been around for 2,000 years, don't you?

but since we're culling through the Old Testament, consider Genesis 9:6:

Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed

I'm no linguist, so I cannot say whether the correct translation is "kill" or "murder." However, I do know that The Bible does, indeed, give a pass on killing under some circumstances. What circumstances! ----- There is widespread disagreement on when it is allowed and when it is not allowed. However, I know of NO religion, nor any civil law of any country, past or present, anywhere/anytime in the World which totally disallowed killing under ALL circumstances. <><><> One more thing, 'though murder by inmates INSIDE prison walls may not be really common, it is not really rare, either. So merely ceasing capital punishment DOES NOT end murder.

Mr Burns - Neither of us has any idea what the makeup of the jury was and I my comment was a general one anyway.

Apparently having a differing opinion automatically gets a personal insult from you. That said please re-read the few simple words I wrote more slowly and with comprehension if possible.

Death penalty not end the murder because always are crazy people but eliminated killers !

God allowed David to get rid of Goliath. He killed him with a sling shot. David was a man after Gods own heart. He not only killed Goiath but he killed his brother to and cut their heads off because they were gonna come and kill him. It also says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Do unto others as they do unto you. God never meant us to be little wussies when it comes to evil. He will wipe out the devil and his angels in the end. So to say that the death penalty is murder maybe, maybe not only God will be able to tell us in the end. Fact is our prisons are full of this mans type that we have been taking care of and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I think we better start bringing back public hangings or this country is gonna need a lot more institutions in the future.

Matthew 19:16-19

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

¹⁷ And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

¹⁸ He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

¹⁹ Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Yeah, just like there's hundreds of white on white crimes committed every second. CRIME IS CRIME no matter who it is...DUH?

It seemed to matter to you, cause you sure did a google to find out the races of each person. Less people like you should be the "new world order"!

New world order? Yeah, sorry to tell you but its still the same as ever with the powerful oppressing everyone else just like it has always been. Its just the specifics that change. Oh, and newworldordersucksrocks, if you think its helter skelter why don't you hide in your fallout shelter?

that race is in the bottom of the human creation, because was the first...

Reckon you would change your tune if YOUR relative was murdered...

The death sentence is to provide justice to the victims family. It has nothing to do with saving money or causing revenge. Remember the criminal made his choice and now has to live (die) with the consequences.

No it doesnt. God commands us to put evil away from us. Gods law trumps mans law and if you look closely its the only way to go!

Moreover, permanently removing monsters from the planet is a way of protecting society from said monsters. If done correctly, execution serves as a deterrent. If justice was not only sure but swift as well, the death penalty would send a strong message. It is the endless number of appeals, motions, petitions as nauseum that pulls the fangs from the death penalty. I

And what ids your alternative? Most of you anti death penalty people complain about it, but offer no better solution? And no sending them to jail for life is not a beter alternative, it costs the good citizens money that they dont have. Like I said to another poster, how about we dont kill them but send them to your house and you can rehabilitate them, oh and if they do something wrong or hurt anyone, we will hold you responsible. If your good with that, then I am too =)

The death penalty is wrong. Killing to save money, or for revenge, just makes "The State" the same as the murderers.

That's just stupid-talk.

hey freedom GTFU since when does a water-walker like you know anything anyway this animal killed a minister if he can do this to a man of the cloth what makes you think he wont do the same to your narrow a$$ its libtards like you that make the whole world laugh at you it wasn't a gun that killed him genius it was his bare hands that felon can easily rip out your throat and sit there and drink a beer and eat a steak dinner after he gets done with you this P.O.S after he done it bragged about it you are about dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to dealing with capitol murderers watch MSNBC extended stay with all the lifers who committed multiple homicides and started killing guards before you flap off at your gums this animal needed the death sentence.. so cry me a river

Madashell: "Reckon you would change your tune if YOUR relative was murdered..."

Actually no. My loved one was murdered--and murdering her murderer just never seemed that important to me. Justice yes. But murdering her murderer will never bring her back to me.

Just how I feel.

Gary: "And no sending them to jail for life is not a beter alternative, it costs the good citizens money that they dont have."

With respect, again WRONG! Costs MORE $ to execute a prisoner than to jail for life. Don't believe me. Look it up. IT'S TRUE!

So you are saying that if someone you loved deeply you would not want justice. And sometimes the punishment has to fit the crime and in this case it does. Don't forget he also beat a woman and left her to die. Should we just beat him and leave him to die.

Actually the death penalty is much more expensive. The cost of the necessary supreme court review, and with the state paying both lawyers, is amazing. A recent case near here cost the county $500,000 just for the cost of the trial. The Man die of old age long before the process could end. He was also from Texas a mass murder, rumor is there are 130 more bodies on his ranch in Texas. His wife kept a log with the name crossed through. The first death penalty case I saw went the the supreme court twice and had 3 trials. The jury did not give him the death penalty in the second case so it was not an issue in the third trial.

madashell ##### "Reckon you would change your tune if YOUR relative was murdered." ##### Perhaps you are right in some---maybe even most cases---but that is not always true. Senator Edward Kennedy (Whom, for other reasons, I dislike.) wrote to the governor of California, on behalf of, not only himself, but also with the knowledgement AND urging of his family, asking that Sirhan Sirhan NOT BE EXECUTED for the murder of Senator Robert Kennedy. In this letter, Senator Kennedy noted that a number of his family had been active previously in trying to get the death penalty eliminated and that it would be rank hypocrisy for them to advocate execution in this one case because the victim was one of their own.

Lisa, you said the death penalty is justice for the victim's family...what if the victim's family wishes is not to execute, do you think all judges will not give the offender the dealth penalty? The death penalty is not to satisfy the family it is to satisfy no one but the people who think a person deserves it. Not all families want the people that has cause a great loss to them, family to experience that pain because they know it is not going to bring their loved ones back and hopefully that person can sit in jail and think about all the pain he or she has inflicted on his or her family as well as the victim's.

I am very PRO Capital Punishment. Maxwell is correct in the costs of execution as compared to life imprisonment. With that said however, those costs include the 30+ years average of appeals, calling and compensating of witnesses, juries, and filings. Not to mention, and here is the real kick in the ass, during those appeals process there is also the increased possibility of some liberalism to permit parole, release, or the "exploitation" of a legal interpretation that may or may not apply a reversal of the conviction years later.

Here though is the crux of the issue, and one that strikes me as painfully odd given the nature of the crime committed against the victim. Given the basic tennent of human rights, the right to live essentially, that right has been unlawfully taken from the victim. The victim never received a repreave, or 30 years of hearings, trials, protests, or even an appointed mouthpiece (lawyer) to argue for thier right to live before the crime was committed, and certainly there is no restitution whatsoever to compensate the victim for the "loss". So why then do we reward the perpetrator with the legal wrangling, and the demands for them to be spared? Of course, some can point to those that have been wrongfully convicted, and it is a legitimate concern in some cases, but in others where the evidence is so overwhelming (i.e. caught on camera, DNA, confessions, and solid forensic evidence) it makes no sense in the waste of time, money and resources to basically have to drag the sentencing portion out so long.

There are serious issues in regards to safety as well in the lifetime incarcerations of murderers. Things like attacks on guards and prison staff, other inmates, and even the possibility of escape. The convict has already shown a disregard for the sanctity of life, through thier actions, and often times depending on the nature of the crime, dehumanizes the victim making it all the more easy to carry out thier offense. These types of people in my estimation should not be sheltered by the very same notion of the law they consciously disregarded in committing thier acts.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the cost for the drugs used in lethal injection is $86.08., however, the average costs to spend that $86 is 1.94 billion--Pre-Trial and Trial Costs, $925 million--Automatic Appeals and State Habeas Corpus Petitions, $775 million--Federal Habeas Corpus Appeals and roughly $1 billion--Costs of Incarceration, spanning the length of time from the 1st appeal to the day of execution covering the additional security, facilities, personnel, and other intanigibles. So what is the solution?

From my own perspective due process of the law does not have to take 30 years, nor should it. Streamlining the appeals process and cutting down on the time to handle appeals would significantly lighten the economic burden. Likewise, in cases where the evidence is so iron clad and even waivered by the accused, the appeals process should not be "automatic". The appeal should be based on TANGIBLE evidence to refute the conviction, and in most cases during the appeals process, the issue of the conviction IS NOT the basis for the appeal, but more concerning the "procedure" of the trial. THIS to me is assinine, when the guilt is not at question, and these types of appeals based on procedure account for 78% of the arguments raised during the appellate process. (Source - White Paper DOJ Capital Punishment Appeals Process)

Here are some additional facts for those of you who do not support capital punishment to consider.

The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that convicted criminals free on parole and probation . . . commit ‘at least’ 84,800 violent crimes every year, including 13,200 murders, 12,900 rapes, and 49,500 robberies." American Guardian, May 1997, pg. 26. Incredibly, this slaughter does not include violent
crimes committed by repeat offenders who are released and who are not on "supervision".

9-15% of those on death row committed, at least, one additional murder, prior to that murder (or those murders) which has currently put them on death row; 67% had a prior felony conviction; 42% had an active criminal justice status when they committed their capital offense; 14% of those sentenced to death from 1988-94, had received two or more death sentences ("Capital Punishment 1994", BJS 1995 & JFA).

For a criminal justice system to have credibility and deterrent value, two factors are required: (1) a high rate of arrest and (2) punishment which reflects the severity of the crime, the criminal’s record and the demand for justice. The U.S. system has neither. Of the 10.3 million violent crimes in 1993, only 100,000 of those victimizations, or 1%, resulted in an actual jail sentence. Only 6.2% of all violent crimes result in arrest. (Prof. John J. DiIulio, Jr., Princeton Univ. 1995, The State of Violent Crime in America, 1/96 and Criminal Victimization 1993 , BJS, 1995.) The human rights of victims and future victims are consistently ignored.

With no death penalty and only life without parole (LWOP), there is no deterrent for LWOP inmates killing others while in prison or after escape. Indeed, there is actually a positive incentive to murder if a criminal has committed a LWOP offense and had not yet been captured. Currently, there are a number of inmates who have killed numerous people in prison or after escape. Their punishment could not be increased because there is no death penalty in those states. Therefore, they will never be punished for those crimes. Never. Totally unacceptable, by any standard. Not surprisingly, death penalty opponents believe that LWOP is more severe than the death penalty. Hamilton, V., & Rakin, L.: "Interpreting the 8th Amendment", Bedau, H., & Pierce, C., ed., Capital Punishment in the United States, New York, AMS, 1976.

The most conclusive evidence that criminals fear the death penalty more than life without parole is provided by convicted capital murderers and their attorneys. 99.9% of all convicted capital murderers and their attorneys argue for life, not death, in the punishment phase of their trial. When the death penalty becomes real, murderers fear it the most. While it is obvious that the fear of execution did not deter those murderers from committing a capital crime, it is also clear that such fear is reduced because executions are neither swift nor sure in the U.S. However, as the probability of that punishment rises for those murderers, even they show a great fear of the death penalty. Although you will never deter all murderers, the effect of deterrence will rise as the probability of executions rise. Because, as the probability of executions rises, the fear of that punishment will also rise. And, that which we fear the most deters the most. Indeed, prisoners rate the death penalty as the most feared punishment, much more so than life without parole. Sehba, L. & Nathan, G., "Further Explorations in the Scale of Penalties", British Journal of
Criminology, 24:221-249, 1984.

and finally,

The individual deterrent effect is proven by many, perhaps thousands, of individual, fully documented cases where criminals have admitted that the death penalty was the specific threat which deterred them and/or others from committing murder. Indeed, one study showed that criminals, by a 5:1 ratio,
believed that capital punishment was a significant enough deterrent to prevent them and/or others from murdering their victims (People vs Love, 56 Cal 2d 720 (1961), McComb, J. dissenting. see also: (A) "Controversy Over Capital Punishment", Congressional Digest, Jan.,’73, p. 13; (B) L.A.P.D. study within
Aikens vs Ca., No. 68-5027, Oct. Term, 1971, U.S. Supreme Court; ( C ) Carol Vance, "The Death Penalty After Furman", The Prosecutor, vol. 9, no. 4 (1973), p. 703; (D) Carrington, F., Neither Cruel Nor Unusual, Pgs. 92-100(1978); (E) Don Hooloschultz, "Gunman Slain, Hostages O.K.", Washington Star News, 8/23/73, p.A-1; (F) Jim Landers, "4 Guilty in Holdup Sentence", Washington Post, 12/8/73,p.B-1; (G) Larry Derryberry, "It Is The Fear That Death May Be The Punishment That Deters", Police Digest, Spring/Summer 1973, p.27, col.2. ; (H) "Langley says Texas death penalty affected his actions during escape", by Stephen Martin, The Daily Democrat (Ft. Madison, Iowa), 1/8/97, pg 1. Indeed,
prisoners rate the death penalty as a much more severe penalty than they do life without parole (B.12).

While it is difficult to prove a negative, i.e. "How many murders does the death penalty cause not to occur?", there is absolute evidence that the individual deterrent effect of executions saves innocent lives. Extensive worldwide research on individual deterrence would, undoubtedly, reveal significant general deterrent effect..

My apologies for the long winded post. But I am hoping to educate and well as provide the facts and points of research to support my position.

Drugs.

BATH SALTS.

Bingo.

Crappy parenting has very real cosequences.

Yet there are about 3,000 people on death row in the U.S. alone. What have you taught them?

Musician666

There arent 9000 because of the death penalty =P Do you have a better alternative, and no putting them in prison for life isnt an answer either, that doesnt do anything but create more wasted money from our tax pool, I am tired of paying for idiot criminals to sit in jail and do nothing. How about if its so upsetting to you that we have the death penalty, we send all these animals to your house and you can rehabilitate them? NO? Didnt think so, people want to cry and moan about the death penalty because you dont ever have to deal with these animals, maybe if you did you might think differently.

Either those 3,000 didn't care, or weren't thinking about the consequences at the time.
Were the DP not in effect however, the murders that got those 3000 there would undoubtedly have been multiplied exponentionally.
Get a clue.

God made these people too.

"God made these people too."

And free will.

Uncle: "we kill people who kill people to teach people that killing people is wrong. hang this clown by sundown."

SERIOUSLY? Don't kill or I'll kill you! Yep! Sure! That sure teaches people that killing is wrong. hmmmm...

"Don't kill or I'll kill you!"

They keyword being "or"

Gary, I bet if Musician666 was locked in a room with a bunch of death-row inmates with nothing but a pistol and a handful of bullets, the only unfired rounds would be the ones he didn't get to shoot before they nailed him.

So if someone is trying to kill you, killing them is not the answer? Absolute comments are always bad. ;)

"Always remember; killing is never an answer"

Except when some murderous psychopath who is armed and dangerous goes around killing everyone. Then you HAVE to kill it, or let more innocent people die. Would you honestly let innocent people die? SHAME on you.

No basis for such a comment. The good of violence is short term it's evil is forever, to kind of uote Gandhi.

His defence lawyer were just out of law school, and clueless.

You all ass/u/me.

Was I saying I disagreed with the death penalty? Maybe.. maybe not... (I pulled a Romney on THAT one)..

after all look at my final statement, "Go Texas with your express lane death penalty." does that NOT support the opposite of what you ass/u/me?

And killing is NEVER an answer. That's my stand and I hold to it. If someone were pointing a gun at me; I would be dead. I refuse to extinguish a human life for ANY reason.

Call me crazy...

Lol.

None of my guns murdered anyone yesterday, how about yours, Arizona?

I'm sure if the pastor had a gun, he would still be alive.

Jesus will provide all the help that soon-to-be dead soul will ever need.

Gun are illegal in church.