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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTexas executes man convicted of killing teenage girl
(Reuters) - Texas on Thursday executed a suspected serial killer convicted of stabbing a teenage girl to death, a day after a federal appeals court rejected his challenge over the drugs to be used in his lethal injection.
Tommy Lynn Sells, 49, was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m. CDT after receiving a lethal dose of drugs at a state prison in Huntsville, Texas, the state's Department of Criminal Justice said. He made no final statement.
Sells was the 15th person executed in the United States this year and the fifth in Texas, the state that executes more people than any other in the nation, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Attorneys for Sells had challenged the state's lack of disclosure about the supplier of the drugs to be used to kill him, winning a temporary stay from a federal judge in Houston that was overturned hours later by a federal appeals panel.
The appeals court said the case might be different if the state were using a drug never before used or unheard of, whose effectiveness was completely unknown, which was not the case.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-execution-texas-sells-20140403,0,6995231.story
Who will be the last person to be executed by the government in the US?
badtoworse
(5,957 posts)Raping and killing a 13 year old over drug money?
morningfog
(18,115 posts)The death penalty is wrong and will be ended one day.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)The system gets it wrong sometimes. For me, that fact alone means I can't support the death penalty. With any other penalty, a mistake can be redressed. Perhaps not in entirety (hard to compensate fully for decades in prison, for example), but some form of compensation for unearned punishment can happen. With capital punishment, there's no possible way to do this...no "do over" button.
Response to badtoworse (Reply #1)
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840high
(17,196 posts)Gman
(24,780 posts)Response to badtoworse (Reply #1)
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Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)davidn3600
(6,342 posts)Mrdrboi
(110 posts)What a savage brutal murder of a child. The guy deserved it.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Between South Africa and colonized India, that wasn't exactly some undiscovered country to him...
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)morningfog
(18,115 posts)mokawanis
(4,440 posts)Barbaric.
Jgarrick
(521 posts)Justice.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)Last edited Thu Apr 3, 2014, 11:10 PM - Edit history (1)
Different place, different time would change that.
Deep13
(39,154 posts)morningfog
(18,115 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)Because democracy.
Being lawful doesn't mean it's right, though...
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)It's lawful because the democratically elected government says it is.
There are strong arguments against the death penalty. Calling it murder is not one of them.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)legal because the government says so. The broader international community says it is illegal. In time, we will recognize that it is illegal.
Donald Ian Rankin
(13,598 posts)It doesn't mean "bad", it means "against the law of the land". So in most places in the first world, capital punishment is illegal, but in America it isn't; changing that is about making it illegal, not about recognising that it is.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)that our constitution prohibits it. It is already illegal, it just hasn't been recognized as such. It will be, but not soon enough.
Jgarrick
(521 posts)Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)It is becoming increasingly unusual.
When two laws are in conflict, even in the Constitution, the Court will determine which stands and which falls. The Clause you cite does not require the death penalty, but describes the only instances where life could be taken. It does not grant a right to the government that cannot be taken away.
Alternatively, capital does not need be defined as the death penalty, and deprivation of life need not be either. It could be understood as "life sentence."
Your question is not a problem with the Court's declaring the death penalty unconstitutional. Not at all. And, the Supreme Court will declare it unconstitutional. It is only a question of when.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)I find that ironic.
Inkfreak
(1,695 posts)I'm just curious. I never thought about how they list cause of death. I'm against the dp, btw.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)And I am against it too
treestar
(82,383 posts)An executioner does a homicide. But it is legal, state sanctioned.
A person who kills in self defense still commits a homicide. But is is legal, being justified.
A person who accidentally kills commits a homicide. It warrants a lesser penalty for being negligent.
A murder is also a homicide, punished because it it done with malice (legal malice).
riqster
(13,986 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)That is certainly my view of the matter, and I have been here a long time.
There is no question of the man's guilt; the crime was a heinous one; I have no objection to the state killing him for having done what he did, and no respect at all for the quibble over how the lethal compound is sourced.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Progressive of you!
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)Where there is genuine question regarding guilt, or whether there was competent counsel at trial, I will object to a death sentence being carried out before such questions are resolved, since their resolution could over-turn the guilty verdict.
I have no respect whatever for the 'the state just murdered a murderer' line. It is the law of a state which defines what killing is lawful and what killing is not: there is not and never has been any state which does not reserve the right to kill, for maintenance of it peace or its own existence. The chief distinguishing characteristic of whether a state exists is its ability to enforce a claim to be the sole entity which can legitimately employ violence, or determine if violence was legitimately done.
Logical
(22,457 posts)the countries who still embrace it. Which countries do you like better.
Not counting that no doubt mistakes have been made.
In about 50-100 years no country will execute people. Like no country's draw and quarter people anymore.
Sad you are so far behind.
And your legals bullshit matters not. Want to support all the legal shit that has happened in the past? The 1800s? I imagine so.
You like revenge, just admit it and stop trying to justify it.
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)Revenge is the root of much law regarding injury, whether the settlement of the account is in money or in blood. I fail to see why the commonplace observation a punishment for doing harm to another human being willfully and unlawfully is really revenge goes any distance to discrediting said punishment for doing harm willfully and unlawfully to another human being. Putting a man in a cell for the rest of his life, or for a term of years, is every bit as much revenge as any other punishment for the crime of doing harm willfully and unlawfully to another human being. That it may be more to your personal taste as a means of punishment does not alter that it partakes of, and is rooted in, vengeance, just as much any other form of punishment, including ones you find distasteful.
Logical
(22,457 posts)I will not even read.
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)"There you were, curled up into a little ball, just waiting to strike!"
Logical
(22,457 posts)The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)mokawanis
(4,440 posts)Innocent people who have spent years or decades in prison for crimes they did not commit, the victims of prosecutorial and police misconduct, false confessions and misleading or botched forensic evidence.
I don't trust the state to get it right.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)oldhippie
(3,249 posts)"I have no objection to the state killing him for having done what he did, and no respect at all for the quibble over how the lethal compound is sourced."
I'm also all for putting guys like this down. In fact, my major objection is how much time and money the state wastes in the process. A single .45 cal to that back of the head would suffice. I even sometimes think, in really atrocious crimes, the state could auction off the privilege of pulling the trigger and recover some costs.
Some people here will consider that to be not progressive. Damn, I'll fail the purity test again.
CFLDem
(2,083 posts)Deep13
(39,154 posts)Jgarrick
(521 posts)morningfog
(18,115 posts)U4ikLefty
(4,012 posts)Response to morningfog (Reply #17)
aikoaiko This message was self-deleted by its author.
linuxman
(2,337 posts)Don't want to be executed? Don't fucking stab children to death.
As far as where the drugs come from, I don't see the relevance. I know where they are going...
"Here's a rope. I bought it from Home Depot. Happy?"
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)They murdered so why shouldn't I?
linuxman
(2,337 posts)Look up that word. That's like saying "My aunt was recently murdered by cancer", or "My friend was murdered in a car accident". You can't just redefine words. I see this line of thought brought up time to time in these threads. Always sounded like picket line outside an abortion clinic to me. "Something I don't like! MURDER!".
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)He admitted to having murdered seventy people and helped the cops close a lot of murder cases.
Hangin's too good for this guy, but they don't let us perform Penkovski-style executions so it's what we have.
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)especially when the conviction is done with circumstantial and eyewitness testimony, however I am not bothered by the results in this case.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)I'm not okay when a murderer murders but I'm okay when I do.
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)I write a comment on an internet message board and that makes me a murderer?
What color is the sky in which you live?
Dr. Strange
(25,921 posts)That person is a kidnapper and a thief.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)the DP means we (at least those in the state that does it) are guilty of killing themselves. I guess that means that killing for a reason they deem acceptable is okay.
One problem with that definition is that "reason deemed acceptable" keeps changing and is simply a manner of justifying one's own crimes.
Another is that, you are not only harming the individual you justified killing but all of his/her loved ones that will now suffer just like the (supposedly, since we know innocent people are convicted) killer's, victim's families suffered. You have created more suffering, not less.
Add to that the DP is not applied fairly and therefore adds greatly to the unjustness of our already unjust system.
And finally, convicted people are sometimes found innocent later and one cannot make restitution to a dead person.
The DP is barbaric and I am ashamed that it is still perpetuated and allowed in our nation.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Jenoch
(7,720 posts)it depends on the circumstances.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Jenoch
(7,720 posts)There are murders that occur on video. If I see a video of a father drowning his child, I would not lose sleep over his execution. The same goes if somebody kills a cop and the killer is identified by the dashcam video.
I am opposed to the death penalty in most cases.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)Jenoch
(7,720 posts)oldhippie
(3,249 posts)Is that the criteria?
PeteSelman
(1,508 posts)I'm in favor of capital punishment. This guy was one of the worst people ever. He is the poster boy for the death penalty.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)Really? I would reserve that those that killed multitudes of people (young and old), some of whom are still walking freely.
How many did this guy kill? How many are you responsible for killing with your enthusiastic support for killing?
Add it up and we have even more culpability than him for allowing the DP. That it is applied unjustly should be without debate. That killing for revenge is morally wrong should also be.
PeteSelman
(1,508 posts)He killed a 13 year old girl because she woke up while he was raping her as revenge for her dad owning him drug money and cut the throat of a 10 year old.
Yeah, one of the worst.
Sorry, but you can't guilt me into not supporting this asshole's execution because they've gotten it wrong in other cases. They didn't get it wrong here.
I have high standards before capital punishment can be inflicted. He met those standards.
get the red out
(13,466 posts)Why guys like this seem to matter more to some people than the innocent victims they killed! I'm not speaking for or against the death penalty, I ride the fence on that one, but guys like this piss me off, and his family can just suck it up and realize that he killed innocent people, a 10 year old baby, and there are consequences. I do not mourn for his fucking family, but I am very torn up over what the victim's families have had to endure because of this guy.
Some of this just seems callous.
I also don't like it when the media just about demands that the victims' families forgive murderers.
Logical
(22,457 posts)oldhippie
(3,249 posts)Who cares what other countries execute people? I don't do guilt by association.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)you can have someone explain to you!
oldhippie
(3,249 posts).. and not the countries you don't? Is there an approved list?
Damn purity tests, anyway.
Logical
(22,457 posts)oldhippie
(3,249 posts)LOL, Logical, indeed.
Logical
(22,457 posts)oldhippie
(3,249 posts)Try again.
Logical
(22,457 posts)oldhippie
(3,249 posts)... I feel great. I just returned from a local community art show and have three new pieces from local artists for my collection.
What was it you were upset about, again?
Logical
(22,457 posts)Inkfreak
(1,695 posts)Dead men/women feel nothing.
Dorian Gray
(13,493 posts)that we, as a civilized society, have the death penalty.
But I am going to use this moment to reflect on his victim and the tragic loss of her life.
nomorenomore08
(13,324 posts)MO_Moderate
(377 posts)How he dies is of no concern.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)the person committed the crimes they were executing him for??
They haven't had the best record in recent years on that issue...
B2G
(9,766 posts)I remember this case. Slit the throat of the 10 year old in the house at the time as well.
Good ridance to this vermin.
"Sells was convicted of stabbing a 13-year-old girl to death and attempting to kill a 10-year-old girl on New Year's Eve of 1999 at the Del Rio home of a man who owed him drug money, according to court documents.
Sells went to the house to sexually assault the girl as pay-back for the drug debt. He broke in, found her sleeping on a bunk bed and began assaulting her. When she awoke, he stabbed her multiple times and slashed her throat, killing her, court documents showed.
Sells then slit the throat of a 10-year-old girl who was sleeping in the top bunk. After he fled, that girl walked to a nearby neighbor's house to get help, court documents showed.
According to various media reports, Sells confessed to as many as 70 murders, starting when he was 16 years old."
Iggo
(47,552 posts)Hip_Flask
(233 posts)... and good riddance...
B2G
(9,766 posts)it's this guy.
A link to his many 'exploits':
http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/tommy_sells/index.html
rdking647
(5,113 posts)except when the person is guilty beyond all doubt.
in this case the guy WAS guilty beyond all doubt.
i have no problem with him being executed.
and for those that claim im a murderer since i live in the state that executed him... doesnt bother me one bit what you choose to call me.
your as wrong as those who claim abortion is murder.
get the red out
(13,466 posts)He just got the easy way out.
dilby
(2,273 posts)However execution is better than chaining men up and keeping them in cages, that is what people did to slaves. I would rather die than be treated like a slave.
aikoaiko
(34,169 posts)Heinous crime + certainty of agency + no mitigating circumstance = death penalty.
Throd
(7,208 posts)Aerows
(39,961 posts)He was linked to 17 other killings besides murdering the teenager.
The terror they faced was far more than the terror this animal faced.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)I also see no need or value in making anyone face terror. Regardless of what a person has done, I don't get the retribution/revenge aspect. Especially when the revenge is killing.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)I'll try to find some sorrow for people wanting to execute you. And execute you as humanely as possible. Unlike their victims, that died in sorrow, screaming in pain, and in horror.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)99Forever
(14,524 posts)... but completely oppose government sanctioned killing of all types.
For this, I make no apology.