Jury recommends death penalty for Wash. sniper

Jerrek · 24-11-2003, 23:41

This ******* got what was coming to him.

Jurors recommend death for Muhammad

Quote:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (CNN) -- Jurors on Monday recommended John Allen Muhammad be sentenced to death for orchestrating last year's sniper shootings in the Washington area.

The seven-woman, five-man panel recommended death for two of the four counts Muhammad was convicted of last week in last year's shooting death of Dean Harold Meyers: terrorism and capital murder.

(snip)

Quote:

Judge LeRoy Millette set a formal sentencing date of February 12. Under Virginia law, Millette has the final word and can reduce the jury's recommended sentence, but it is rare for a judge to do so. The Virginia Supreme Court would automatically review death sentence.

Xaccers · 24-11-2003, 23:55

The american system intreagues me.
Over here the jury just find the defendant guilty or not guilty, and the judge who knows the law passes sentence.
Over there what exactly does the judge do other than keep the lawyers in check?

Jerrek · 25-11-2003, 00:05

The judge does the final sentencing. He can either follow the jury's recommendation, or give his own sentence.

In general, that is. States have their own judicial system.

In Canada, the jury can only find a person guilty or not guilty. The only exception to this case is second degree murder, when the jury can give a recommendation.

I'd much rather have the jury pass the sentence since society more often than not has more common sense than the politically motivated judge. (The guy that defended his family in England comes to mind. He is now serving time because some judge took pity on the criminal.)

Xaccers · 25-11-2003, 00:19

Juries tend to be more politically motivated, they read what's in the paper and take it as fact.
I've been on a jury and I have to say some of the attitudes of the other jurers were somewhat worrying!
Seeing how the judge conducted himself was fantastic, he was totally profesional even when the accused showed no respect for the members of the court.

25-11-2003, 09:09

I dont think a jury should have the powers to recomend a death sentance.

I also find it odd, is it because of the profile of the case, or is it because of his name that this is happening?
There have been far worse attrocities in the states where no death penalty was given.
To me this whole saga stinks.

Ramrod · 25-11-2003, 10:25

If they did it they should be executed.....

Jerrek · 25-11-2003, 17:27

Quote:

I dont think a jury should have the powers to recomend a death sentance.

I beg to differ. If I'm on the jury panel I want that option.

Quote:

There have been far worse attrocities in the states where no death penalty was given.

Really? Like what? We're talking Virginia here, so lets stick to the State of Virginia. What crimes in Virginia, what attrocities as you put it, were committed that didn't get the death penalty?

Jerrek · 26-11-2003, 01:32

To my joys I just discovered the reputation thing. (Yes I'm slow.) Among the numerous creative but anonymous responses is this little gem:

Quote:

Thou shalt not kill, bloody hypocritical christians

Incorrect. Exodus 20 states, "Thou shalt not murder." It says nothing about killing. So, whomever you are, you may want to improve your Hebrew skills and study the Bible a bit more.

Xaccers · 26-11-2003, 02:20

The idea behind the death penalty putting people off crime was fine when people believed you'd spend eternity in hell with the devil pushing a red hot pitch fork up your backside, but these days that doesn't enter people's minds, so if you kill someone for murder, well you're saving the tax payer, but you aren't really punishing that person (if you see what I mean).
They're just dead.
Live in isolation, now there's a punishment

Jerrek · 26-11-2003, 02:32

I'd hate to be executed. That is punishment in my mind. You may disagree if you wish, but this is really a matter of opinion then.

For me it is also a factor of getting someone out of society that should not be there. A little cleaning up.

Xaccers · 26-11-2003, 02:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerrek

I'd hate to be executed. That is punishment in my mind. You may disagree if you wish, but this is really a matter of opinion then.

For me it is also a factor of getting someone out of society that should not be there. A little cleaning up.

But what's the chance of you murdering someone? (looks up the FBI number just in case)
And do you believe in life after death? Going to heaven if you deserve it, and hell if you don't?

Jerrek · 26-11-2003, 03:44

I really don't see what my personal beliefs in life after death has to do with capital punishment.

If you're worried about sentencing an innocent man to death, you should also be concerned about sentencing an innocent man to life in prison. Both are completely unacceptable. In either case, you've now shown that there may be issues with the judicial process, not capital punishment.

Xaccers · 26-11-2003, 04:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerrek

I really don't see what my personal beliefs in life after death has to do with capital punishment.

You said you'd hate to be executed, ok so would most people, but there's worse things than death you know.

I was expressing the history of capital punishment as a detterant, nowadays it's the loss of life that deters, in the past, it was also the "going to hell" bit that detered.

PS You also haven't said there's no chance of you murdering someone.... *moves away slowly*

Lord Nikon · 26-11-2003, 06:00

my suggestion?

The Jury have recommended the death sentence, the families of the victims should now have the option to commute the sentence to life imprisonment or to let the death sentence stand.

Though my preference would be to let the families of the victims into a room with him for 15 minutes with him restrained and them with baseball bats. Punish whatever is left.

There was no excuse for what he did, and in the current legal system life so rarely means life. I for one would be happier to KNOW that he will never be released to commit further atrocities.

Jerrek · 26-11-2003, 06:36

Quote:

You said you'd hate to be executed, ok so would most people, but there's worse things than death you know.

Well, I'm not really interested in whatever is worse than death. There is a certain satisfaction that I get when someone like that gets executed. The punishment fits the crime perfectly, for me, in my opinion. That is what counts if I'm on the jury bench: my opinion. I want that option available to me, because I know if I'm a family member of a victim, that is what I would want and nothing more. The "worse than death" sentence isn't really appealing to me.

Quote:

I was expressing the history of capital punishment as a detterant, nowadays it's the loss of life that deters, in the past, it was also the "going to hell" bit that detered.

We can argue for years about this. Is capital punishment a deterrant? That really depends. Scandinavia has low homicide rate and there are no capital punishment laws. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia too has low homicide rates and there are public executions. I do believe that capital punishment acts as a deterrent at least in a small fasion. How big, I don't know.

Quote:

The Jury have recommended the death sentence, the families of the victims should now have the option to commute the sentence to life imprisonment or to let the death sentence stand.

Well, the legal system does not allow for that. Regardless, I do not want the families to have such an over powering ruling vote over the jury and judge. As a member of my community, I would want the death penalty in this case. That is why the jury is from the community, and those affected by the crime do not serve on the panel.