Florida must abolish flawed death penalty

"Capital punishment: them without the capital get the punishment." Those were the last words of John Spenkelink, executed 30 years ago today in Starke for murdering traveling companion Joseph Szymankiewicz.

[Joseph K]

Excellent edtorial! I hope that if Governor Crist and Attorney General McCollum are serious about higher office, they will reject the death penalty. Otherwise, we will know they don't mind wasting our money on an error-ridden process so they can claim they are "tough on crime."

[avictory for civilization]

Joseph K wrote:

Excellent edtorial! I hope that if Governor Crist and Attorney General McCollum are serious about higher office, they will reject the death penalty. Otherwise, we will know they don't mind wasting our money on an error-ridden process so they can claim they are "tough on crime."

Welcome to this thread :

http://www.topix.net/forum/news/death-penalty...

[lawman11]

The Death Penalty is outmoded and unreliable...and a huge waste of crime-fighting money and time. Let's go after all those uncaught killers and lock them up. They are the ones getting away with murder.

[Bill]

lawman11 wrote:

The Death Penalty is outmoded and unreliable...and a huge waste of crime-fighting money and time. Let's go after all those uncaught killers and lock them up. They are the ones getting away with murder.

I only agree in one small part.

True, more money should be spent in getting the "uncaught killers." Unfortunately funds for that sort of thing are usually the first funds cut when the is any kind of budget discussion.

Look around and see how many jurisdictions have any kind of funded "cold case" squad. Most of the people working "cold cases" are retired/semi-retired volunteers *. Most "cold case" squads that exist are in name only, they do work between current cases.

* these volunteers have decreased since 9/11 because of all the paperwork involved.

[Sparky]

Ted Bundy, Timothy McVeigh, Danny Rolling...

Sorry, but the individuals were monsters and not humans. Scum like these deserve to be put down like a animal with rabies. They have no compassion or soul to classify them as humans.

[No Way]

Sparky wrote:

Ted Bundy, Timothy McVeigh, Danny Rolling...
Sorry, but the individuals were monsters and not humans. Scum like these deserve to be put down like a animal with rabies. They have no compassion or soul to classify them as humans.

Iran, Iraq, North Korea, China, Russia....
These are the kind of countries that have the death penalty. Great company we are keeping, huh? Let's try to act like the advanced enlightened nation we say we are.

[Bill]

Sparky wrote:

Ted Bundy, Timothy McVeigh, Danny Rolling...
Sorry, but the individuals were monsters and not humans. Scum like these deserve to be put down like a animal with rabies. They have no compassion or soul to classify them as humans.

Totally agree. Just because other countries do or do not do something is no reason why we should or should not.

[Born With A Brain]

Sparky wrote:

Ted Bundy, Timothy McVeigh, Danny Rolling...
Sorry, but the individuals were monsters and not humans. Scum like these deserve to be put down like a animal with rabies. They have no compassion or soul to classify them as humans.

David Keaton, Wilbert Lee, Freddie Pitts, Delbert Tibbs, Rudolph Holton, Frank Lee Smith....
Sorry, but these individuals were innocent, not killers. A system that would risk executing an innocent person, and those who support it, have no compassion or soul to classify them as civilized humans.

[Mark]

Born With A Brain wrote:

<quoted text>
David Keaton, Wilbert Lee, Freddie Pitts, Delbert Tibbs, Rudolph Holton, Frank Lee Smith....
Sorry, but these individuals were innocent, not killers. A system that would risk executing an innocent person, and those who support it, have no compassion or soul to classify them as civilized humans.

How about the Parents of Murdered Children. Are you going to damm them also?

[Bill]

Mark wrote:

<quoted text>How about the Parents of Murdered Children. Are you going to damm them also?

Are you a member? I have not gotten a newsletter since the 1st of the year.

[Mark]

Yes, one of my kids was a victim of Gaskins.

[Ann]

We are judged on the compassion we show to those who are repellant to us.

[Mark]

Ann wrote:

We are judged on the compassion we show to those who are repellant to us.

Not by my God. All I have to do is show justice. Compassion was not show to my child!

[Nautilus1]

Ann wrote:

We are judged on the compassion we show to those who are repellant to us.

By who?

[Bill]

Born With A Brain wrote:

<quoted text>
David Keaton, Wilbert Lee, Freddie Pitts, Delbert Tibbs, Rudolph Holton, Frank Lee Smith....
Sorry, but these individuals were innocent, not killers. A system that would risk executing an innocent person, and those who support it, have no compassion or soul to classify them as civilized humans.

Of the 6 you listed I agree with you on 3, maybe on another two, but "no" on a third.

Frank Lee Smith may not have done the murder he ended up with a death sentence for at that time, but he had 2 other homicides in his past, so he was a killer.

[Chicago Guy]

Mark wrote:

<quoted text>How about the Parents of Murdered Children. Are you going to damm them also?

If their children were murdered, they've been damned anyway.

Capital Punishment doesn't bring anyone back.

[Chicago Guy]

Mark wrote:

<quoted text>
Not by my God. All I have to do is show justice. Compassion was not show to my child!

That is truly horrific. My deepest condolences. As a parent I can't possibly imagine your suffering.

But still, I must respectfully disagree with you. Justice is important, but compassion is the central tenet of Christianity. You cannot follow Christ without it.

[Mark]

Chicago Guy wrote:

<quoted text>
That is truly horrific. My deepest condolences. As a parent I can't possibly imagine your suffering.
But still, I must respectfully disagree with you. Justice is important, but compassion is the central tenet of Christianity. You cannot follow Christ without it.

Who gives a damm about your kind of christianity, I know that I don't.

[avictory for civilization]

Bill wrote:

<quoted text>
Of the 6 you listed I agree with you on 3, maybe on another two, but "no" on a third.
Frank Lee Smith may not have done the murder he ended up with a death sentence for at that time, but he had 2 other homicides in his past, so he was a killer.

Frank Lee Smith was innocent of the murder he was given DP for. That is the tragedy.

Not that he had criminal acts ahead of this.

The point is that Frank Lee Smith was wrongfully convicted for a murder he did not do and that he had to spend years on death row in torturous surroundings, ill and in great pain, not getting the medical help he needed, and he had to die.

This is one of Floridas most cruel acts.

Dont try to run away from this.
Take responsibility for your acts and dont be a coward.

Sissel

[avictory for civilization]

Mark wrote:

Yes, one of my kids was a victim of Gaskins.

When was this?
And where do you live?

If you are honest, I am sorry for your loss.

Sissel