Florida killer scheduled to die Wednesday (Danny Rolling)

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Danny Harold Rolling, Florida's most notorious serial killer since Ted Bundy, was "remarkably calm" as he awaited his execution for the grisly 1990 slayings of five college students in Gainesville, his attorney said Tuesday.

Mr. Rolling's attorneys filed papers with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking a stay of execution. The Florida attorney general asked the court to reject Mr. Rolling's application.

Mr. Rolling, 52, is scheduled to die at 6 p.m. Wednesday for a reign of terror that paralyzed Gainesville as the University of Florida's fall semester was beginning."

<snip>

"Mr. Rolling's remaining appeal contends that the chemicals used in Florida's execution process can cause severe pain. It is before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has turned down the same arguments in two other Florida executions this fall."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/102506dnnatrolling.2b94caf.html

[Poppyseedman]

1. The SOB is getting off easy

Lethal injection is the easiest way to go.

I can think of several other ways that would be more fitting for murdering in cold blood five innocent college students.

Why are these serial killers the most pathetic whiners? Die like a man

[Demeter]

2. Someone Incapable or Unwilling to Live Like a Man Can't Be Expected to Die Like One

Like One, And animals do whine when they are threatened.

[geek tragedy]

26. Most animals have far more dignity and value

than this piece of shit.

[MnFats]

58. Capitol punishment is murder. period.

we sink to the level of barbarians.

[Poppyseedman]

65. Silly argument

people who think it's a good idea that the state rids us of walking fecal matter who really is a barbarian and that makes me a barbarian, equal to someone who murders, rapes, decapitate, slaughter innocent people ?

That dog doesn't hunt.

Sometimes the state is sanctioned by the peoples will to rid us of the human trash that sometimes eeks it way to the gene pool.

He slaughtered five innocent people, He is sane. Danny Rollings deserves no mercy.

[mitchum]

70. It is indeed silly, but I wouldn't dignify it by calling it an argument

It's a simplistic and ridiculous attempt to engender guilt in those who have no reason to feel so

[cyr330]

76. Many of us don't argue about what one "deserves"

I'm vehemently anti death penalty and am for a number of different reasons. The most important reason, for me, is the possibility of executing the wrong person.

However, Danny Rollings did plead guilty, and there is DNA evidence proving his guilt. Nonetheless,I strongly believe that the state/nation shouldn't be in the business of killing its citizens, regardless of what they're accused of. If we're going to talk about "fair" punishment, being locked up for life is a much more appropriate penalty, as the guilty person has the rest of his/her life to reflect on what he/she did. I have heard from countless death penalty supporters that prisoners lead "pampered lives" with "air conditioning & color televisions." I don't know what planet they're coming from, because obviously they're not familiar with our state penitentiaries where inmates are kept locked up for approximately 23 hours/day. From a purely material point of view, it actually costs more money to execute someone than it does to keep that same person in prison for life. Feel free to double check my facts on this.

Look at who typically receives the death penalty. . . Poor African Americans are much, much more likely to be executed than a caucausian who commits the same crime. Factor in the question of money, and you'll see that the rich are almost never executed. Should a rich person's life be worth more than a poor one's? Should a caucasian life be more valuable than an African American's? These aren't facts I'm pulling out of my ass.

I really can't argue about whether Mr. Rollings "deserves it", but having the death penalty on the books and using it repeatedly will only increase the absolute likelihood of executing an innocent person. That alone, without the other reasons, is enough to make me anti-death penalty.

[Mike Daniels]

93. Good arguments but I would quibble with the concept that Rolling

ever really reflects about what he did to these students. I could see him relfecting on the fact that being arrested for an unrelated crime led to him being charged with these murders but that's about it.

His quotes in the article re-emphasize that even now it's about him and not his victims.

[Taverner]

96. I agree n/t

[wicket]

99. Very eloquently put

:thumbsup:

[LafayetteTGR]

101. Good Post!

I used to be very much in favor of the death penalty, however, after reading Sister Helen Prejean's book, "Dead Man Walking," it really made me realize how flawed the system is in this country. She talks about the shady back room dealings here in Louisiana, where parents of murderers on death row can get a pardon by paying the "right people" for a pardon from the Governor. What's left to be executed are very poor people, most of whom needed intervention a long time before they ever murdered. No matter how you stand on the issue, I believe this book does a great job in showing the death penalty for what it really is: revenge. That said, I still find it hard to feel bad that our convicted serial killer here in south Louisiana will probably be executed.

[sam sarrha]

3. th only problem i have with th Death Penalty is its never been proved to be

any sort of punishment what so ever..there has never been any research, they make it as painless as possible, if they say they are removing the SOB from the face of the earth.. that is fine, but there is no proof the death penalty is punishment.. hell all they are doing is sending him to Jesus and to his fathers heaven.

now if you want punishment.. chain him to the floor and let my wife's cats lick him to death.. but don't call it punishment.. there is no proof of any kind that death is a punishment.. only conjecture and belief in a dogma that has a back door loophole to heaven.

the DP doesn't work, it has never reduced capital crime, it only raises it because the criminal kills all the witnesses to prevent it..

the scariest thing about the DP is that politicians use it to promise a Human Blood Sacrifice if elected for his voters.. the only thing it works for is promising a hate crime if elected.

[flvegan]

4. The Death Penalty isn't punishment of any kind.

It's revenge.

I hear they don't even have enough seats for the families of the victims to watch him be executed. I suppose watching his execution might help bring closure (how more so than just knowing he's dead, I don't know) to those poor folks.

Rolling is also the 3rd to be executed in 5 weeks here in the Sunshine State.

[warrens]

12. Yup, and warranted in this case

My opposition to the DP is that a stupid kid who kills someone in a botched robbery gets the same punishment as an animal like Rolling. It should be reserved for the truly heinous crime, which this is.

[sam sarrha]

19. but they will certify a 14 year old mentally ill child and evecute them for votes

if they could.. it isnt a punishment, no proof it is so it is cruel and unusal,..if there is no proof it is a punishment.. it is a blood sacrafice for votes...Period.. the death penalty does not prevent crime.. never has.. to kill someone for justice is How weird.. when you are sending them to jesus .. they will all accept jesus and go to heaven so why does anyone think it is a punishment..??!!

[cobalt1999]

22. No such thing as Jesus or heaven.

I bet a lot of the folks on death row view depriving them of their lives as a punishment...they sure seem to try and get out of it.

[warrens]

28. It's the worst punishment I can imagine

Think about being in a cell, knowing that in 13 hours, you will cease to exist. 12 hours and 59 minutes. Put on a TV show. Tomorrow, people will be watching reruns, but you won't. The DP is horrid, horrid torture. And should only be used in cases like this.

[Katzenjammer]

30. I'm opposed to the DP because of the possibility of mistake

...but people who really do kill others like this guy (apparently) did generally don't have the emotional repertoire that allows them to fear their own impending end. If they did have, they wouldn't kill to begin with except maybe once in the heat of passion or something, and then they'd come apart at the seams.

[sam sarrha]

31. Illinois discovered they were killing 17% Innocent people and stopped the DP

[badgerpup]

41. Read a story about this kind of thing...

Guy is on trial for really nasty murder, but is watching his trial on video from a separate room; this is SOP court procedure in the story.
Jury goes out, comes back...and he's acquitted. YAY!
He can leave the room. Gets up to open the door...and ZAP he's electrocuted. Dies instantly.

Turns out that the jury had actually convicted him and gave him the death penalty, but it was considered kinder this way, not to leave the guy anticipating the countdown. They'd recorded a film of the jury coming back with an innocent verdict and that's what he saw.
:scared:


edit: spellcheck is my friend

[Parche]

69. zap

That is a Twilight Zone episode

[sam sarrha]

17. its an election year. lots of blood sacrifices for votes, it isnt productive to feed one negative

emotion with another.. the problem with an eye for an eye is pretty soon everybody is blind

[rwinkler]

37. Is it only revenge?

For those untrusting of the govt to keep dangerous prisoners out of the population its a clear way of ensuring that they will not get out or in anyway pollute our culture with their ramblings in any way.

[flvegan]

39. Yes, it is.

Those that are untrusting should also be untrusting of the government to properly prosecute/defend these same people. Also, untrusting of the courts, judges and juries. Untrusting of the media that told them all about the alleged crimes. Untrusting of the police and detectives that gathered evidence.

An inmate like this isn't "getting out" or polluting our culture. Our culture is polluted by the mindset that it is simply okay to lavish in someone else's death.

It's revenge, and that is driven by emotion. As is convenience, which is what you're talking about.

[rwinkler]

59. My other reason

and far more compelling reason to oppose the death penalty is the possibility that the individual may be innocent and how far too often individuals are railroaded by lazy or prejudiced police detectives. That is the main reason I oppose the death penalty.

[mitchum]

84. But that's certainly not a problem in Rolling's case, is it?

[Tight_rope]

51. "Rolling is also the 3rd to be executed in 5 weeks here in the Sunshine State."

IS ANYONE CONNECTING THE DOTS THAT LEAD TO "POLITICS"!

[samsingh]

25. give me a break - the monster deserves this and more. period

[cobalt1999]

5. Good riddance.

I know some here don't like the death penalty or don't view it as punishment, but if it prevents Rolling from having one halfway good day in prison then fry the SOB because he doesn't deserve to enjoy even one minute of his life. Unfortunately they don't use the electric chair anymore.

[Mike Daniels]

6. Rolling: "I don't want to die, but it looks like I'm going to die."

Wow...Even at the end this bastard is only thinking of himself vs. his victims

News flash, Rolling. I'm sure your victims didn't want to die either you evil, waste-of-carbon based life SOB.

Maybe you'll pause on that thought before your life is nullified in a more gentle manner than you actually deserve.

[smirkymonkey]

9. Exactly...

"Mr. Rolling's remaining appeal contends that the chemicals used in Florida's execution process can cause severe pain."

I suppose he didn't think about the "severe pain" he caused his victims and their families.

I generally don't believe in the death penalty, but for scum like this, I consider it a waste of time to spend one minute aruguing against it. I could really give a shit about HIS rights.

[geek tragedy]

7. I don't support the death penalty, but I'm not going

to hold a candle-light vigil for this pile of excrement either.

[msanthrope]

13. Yep--that's my take on it. I'll save my candles. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Danny Rolling who sings and wanted to be a star.

[Guaranteed]

10. Ya wanna talk about HYPOCRISY....

Well, THIS, folks, is the ultimate example.

They have him locked up. He is a threat to no one. Yet, they are going to kill him. That's called murder.

[Lochloosa]

11. ...

:toast:

[cobalt1999]

14. What hypocrisy?

First, I'm not against the death penalty in cases like this. Second, the guy helped co-write a book based on his crimes...think that doesn't hurt the victims families any more? He doesn't deserve to even go to bed a night once thinking..."today was a pretty good day", or "wow, that was a good dessert a dinner tonight". Let him fry.

[wicket]

16. It's pretty simple for me:

Murder is wrong, the death penalty makes murderers of us all.

[cobalt1999]

18. You have your opinion. I have mine.

The world is never as black & white as your statement. The death penalty is perfectly appropriate in some cases. This is one of those cases. End of story.

[wicket]

27. Yes, you have your opinion and I have mine

The death penalty is never appropriate. End of story.

[cobalt1999]

34. Well, we definitely view the world differently.

At 6:01pm today you can shed a few tears for Danny Rolling, but I'm going to pour a glass of wine and happily toast the fact that there is one less sadistic murderer drawing oxygen in this world.

[wicket]

36. We do indeed view the world differently

I hope that wine helps you lighten up :hi:

At 6:01pm we become sadistic murderers just like him.

[Tansy_Gold]

44. I'm with you, wicket

I have no idea where this post is going to end up in the thread, but I wanted you to know, wicket, that I agree completely.

The death penalty, imho, is NEVER warranted. No matter how heinous the crime, no matter how unrepentant the criminal. Never. Period.

Yes, our government sets for the justifications for murder/execution, but so did the 9/11 "terrorists" and those who kill women who accidentally look at another man and those who killed Nick Berg and the Blackwater "contractors" and so on and on and on and on and on. As long as there's a justification for killing, there will be killing.

BF and I have gone around and around on this, and I keep telling him there are NO circumstances under which I would approve of the death penalty. Not for the Nazi war criminals, not even for our own current war criminals. Never. end of story.

Tansy Gold

[wicket]

79. Thank-you

:hi:

[mitchum]

47. Well, then I take it that you agree with that loony bumpersticker which...

reads "Abortion Is Murder"? Murder is a LEGAL term. That's why both anti-choice and anti-death penalty advocates are wrong. Neither abortion or capital punishment is murder.

[Guaranteed]

56. Capital punishment is the deliberate killing of another human being

with malice aforethought, and not in self-defense. Yes- even when it's done in the name of the state, after due process has been carried out. I.E., it's state-sponsored murder.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/murder

And please don't equate what I'm saying with people who say a mother removing a fetus from her womb is murder. The fetus isn't a person, and *even if it was a person* the act is analogous to removing someone from life support. It's not even close to the same thing.

[mitchum]

62. Every court in the land disagrees with you (and your intepretation)...

you could argue that capital punishment is a form of homicide, but it is NOT murder.

[Guaranteed]

64. You didn't see the dictionary link?

Whether the dictionary's definition is the "legal" rule or not, no one said that we are using the term in the legal sense. My usage of the term here merely fits its common usage, in everyday language.

[mitchum]

67. But common usage is just so...well...common...

All flippancy aside, since we are discussing jurisprudence, maybe it's just a wee bit important that we do adhere to the legal definition of the term "murder"

[wicket]

78. No, I do not

A fetus is not LEGALLY considered a human being. *Some* people may consider it to be murder, but in a legal sense it is not murder. Just as the DP is not murder in the legal sense, but as I stated before, it is my opinion that it is.

[mitchum]

83. But in those loonys' OPINION a fetus is a human being....

just as in your OPINION, the DP is murder.
See the trouble we run into when we start replacing legalities with QPINIONS?

[wicket]

85. I never said I was stating any thing more than my OPINION

Hence why I said "It's pretty simple for ME". If MURDER is not a proper term for me to use for your standards then let me rephrase it: KILLING another human being is WRONG.

[brentspeak]

89. Normally, it's wrong to hold someone against their will, too

By the logic you're using, it was "wrong" for society to hold Rolling in jail against his will.

[Name removed]

92. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[brentspeak]

94. I can tell you yourself realize you have a weak argument

Resorting to knee-jerk ad hominem gives it away.

[Name removed]

95. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[brentspeak]

88. First, you have to convince me that the DP is "murder"

This monster is receiving his due penalty.

The unfortunate thing here is that Rolling should have been executed the nanosecond his appeal was turned down. Instead, he got to live several more years.

[wicket]

91. I don't have to convice you of anything

Life in prison w/o parole would have been due penalty. The death penalty has some very righteous supporters:

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-facts-eng

During 2005, at least 2,148 people were executed in 22 countries and at least 5.186 people were sentenced to death in 53 countries. These were only minimum figures; the true figures were certainly higher.

In 2005, 94 per cent of all known executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the USA.

Based on public reports available, Amnesty International estimated that at least 1,770 people were executed in China during the year, although the true figures were believed to be much higher. A Chinese legal expert was recently quoted as stating the figure for executions is approximately 8,000 based on information from local officials and judges, but official national statistics on the application of the death penalty remained classified as a state secret.

Iran executed at least 94 people, and Saudi Arabia at least 86. There were 60 executions in the USA.

China, Iran & Saudi Arabia - that's some pleasant company there.

[Mike Daniels]

15. Re: not being a threat to anyone while in prison

I think Jeffrey Dahmer (if he hadn't been killed by a fellow inmate) would argue with you on the idea that once one is in prison they don't pose a threat to anyone.

[mitchum]

46. Don't expect a reply from any anti-DP fanatics on that point...

they always conveniently ignore those who continue to kill while in prison.

[Guaranteed]

57. We should execute more of them, lest they kill each other.

Isn't that a lot like the RW arguments for killing Iraqis?

[mitchum]

63. You're comparing apples and orange jumpsuits...

I can't believe you take exception to my anti-choice/anti-DP analogy, yet you proffer that weak argument.
So, you have no problem with a murderous sociopath killing a property thief or victim of the drug war while they are incarcerated together? Some murderers DO continue to kill after they are incarcerated. If your solution to that problem is to lock them up in a cage with no human contact for possibly decades, well my friend, you are the sadist, not me. I merely advocate terminating their existence.

[Guaranteed]

68. I'm just recognizing that capital punishment is murder.

You can justify it on hypothetical situations and what-if's, if you want to, but I have to disagree on the grounds that the concept of personal integrity categorically prohibits deliberate, preventative killing without a clear and immediate threat. Morally, you can't kill someone to prevent another killing when you aren't confronted with a sufficient likelihood that what you are trying to prevent will actually occur. That's still murder. It's just what capital punishment is.

I also will say that, if there is a problem with security in prison, maybe that should be dealt with in itself instead of just knocking off the prisoners when they become inconvenient. Probably, we shouldn't be putting cold-blooded killers in the same rooms with common thieves. That's just common sense.

[mitchum]

71. I agree wholeheatedly with your last paragraph...

I support both capital punishment AND prison reform.

peace,
mitchum

[Polesitter]

72. I wish that were true. But in Maryland recently , two inmates, already

in prison for murder, stand acused of murdering a guard, 42 year old David McGuinn. Please convince his widow and three kids that killers pose no danger if locked up in prison for life. Murders of other prisoners are far more frequent than guards and don't receive nearly the press coverage.

Had they been executed for their earlier murders, they wouldn't have been around to murder Officer McGuinn. Their executions may not have deterred anyone else, but they damn sure would have deterred them. I understand that the prosceutor will be seeking the death penalty, this time.

http://www.ri-brotherhood.com/articlesdescription.php?recordID=281

[sam sarrha]

20. death hasnt been proved a punishment in any way, jsut sending them to jusus

[darkism]

23. Thank you. I'm surprised how many capitalpunishment nuts come out sometimes

Every civilized nation in the world has, if not in legislation then at least in practice - retreated from this absurd eye-for-an-eye "justice" except the U.S.

This guy is safely behind bars. Wasting tax money to kill him isn't going to bring anyone back.
When is the cycle of violence going to end in this country?

What ever happened to forgiveness?
For such a "Christian nation," Americans sure are vengeful.

[wicket]

29. Amen, well said

Thank-you.

[mitchum]

49. Well, I'm not a christian, so I have NO problem with executing murderous...

sociopaths like Rolling.

Did you know that liberal humanist pioneer John Stuart Mill was a passionate advocate of capital punishment? And for the proper reasons.
If you don't know who Mill was, look him up. Then let me know if you consider him a nut.

[Anakin Skywalker]

75. I'm With You, My Brother

[toopers]

42. Let him fry if he doesn't like the injection . . .

he is infringing on my rights anyway.

[bleedingheart]

21. I think rotting in a cell for the rest of his life would be a better punishment

cuz death is an easy way out and I don't think it deters future criminals.

[Mike Daniels]

24. I'd take him rotting in solitary w/ one hour of exercise a day

and no outside contact with anyone except a lawyer...but even that's too harsh according to some people here on DU.

[Katzenjammer]

32. Understand, though, that for people like this, 'rotting in a cell'

would be fine and not perceived as 'rotting' at all. Serial killers are not sophisticated individuals with rich emotional lives. If he had a complex emotional life, he'd never had killed those women. It's the fact that he's emotionally flatlined that allowed him to kill in the first place.

[Lyric]

33. The death penalty is wrong. Period.

I would rather see a thousand truly guilty murderers get the "merciful" option of life in prison (no chance of parole) than to risk having a SINGLE innocent person executed. Ever.

There is no justification for murder, much less state-sponsored institutionalized murder. Giving the government the right to execute citizens is frightening and unwise. A police officer shooting someone who's reaching for a gun is one thing. A ceremonial execution is quite another.

The arguments about "Victim's rights" and "Oh, it makes the families feel better!" mean very little to me. My father was murdered brutally in June of 1995--beaten to death by some drunken animal with a history of violence. I *AM* one of those "Victim's Family Members", and having my father horrifically murdered doesn't change my opinion on the matter. Any person who could "feel better" after watching someone else's execution is a SICK individual who doesn't have an empathetic bone in his or her body, and doesn't deserve to have their violent revenge-fantasy funded by our tax dollars. To read about my Dad's murder, Google "James Heinze" and "Rodney Doman".

My son's paternal grandmother was imprisoned for 16 years for a double-murder, only to have her conviction overturned and get released from prison when suppressed and doctored evidence came to light. Her husband was convicted of the same murder, but he was sentenced to die, in Florida's electric chair. They killed him horrifically (his head caught on fire and they had to pull the switch three times). Unfortunately, by the time Sonia's conviction was overturned, Jesse was already dead. For more details, feel free to Google "Sonia Jacobs" and "Jesse Tafero".

The death penalty is WRONG. Until we, as a nation, can dispense absolutely error-proof perfect judgements, we have NO right to be dispensing death as a penalty.

[saigon68]

35. Lots of love on this thread

make that lots of christian love

[Lyric]

38. This is one of those issues where the grey area

is mostly non-existant. It's either okay to kill people as punishment, or it isn't. I belong to the group of people who believe that "insanity" can be defined as murdering people in order to demonstrate to society that murder is wrong. In the end, that's what the death penalty *really* is--the ultimate scare tactic. Because our government believes that without a few brutal executions every year, we'll all go around slaying our fellow citizens with impunity.

In a country where our Constitutional rights seem to be interpreted more thinly every year, prisons are overflowing, and the number of poor people rising dramatically, it's too damned risky to trust the government with the authority to kill. Right now they only kill murderers and traitors. It's anyone's guess how long it is until the definition of "murderer" and "traitor" become broader and less clearly defined.

[saigon68]

40. Guess its either like being pregnant

Either you ARE or you ARE NOT

[mitchum]

50. But the Tafero case can also be viewed as an indictment of...

plea bargaining as much as an indictment of capital punishment. I didn't have to Google it; I am familiar with the case, and believe it was indeed a travesty. However, to compare the Rolling and Tafero cases is disingenuous at best. Rolling was not convicted on the untrue testimony of a Rhodes.

[jmowreader]

43. We need to be damn sure of guilt before we execute someone

There's DNA evidence tying him to the slayings.

He pled guilty to all of them.

And he went on to co-write a book based on the murders.

This individual falls into the "damn sure" category.

I can solve the "severe pain" problem. Just shoot the fucker.

[KansDem]

45. Read about it here...

Crime Library

[mitchum]

48. Fuck that sociopath...he certainly earned the death penalty

[cobalt1999]

52. Just a few minutes to go...hope he's scared shitless. n/t

[Puglover]

53. Supporting the death penalty is one thing.

I don't FYI. Slavering with orgasmic revenge which some of our "progressive" :sarcasm: DUers do is quite another

[bronxiteforever]

54. If this Serial killer gets loose from jail he will kill other defenseless ...

women and teens-Remember Ted Bundy-

But in December 1977 Bundy escaped again, this time by cutting a hole in the ceiling of his cell with a hacksaw blade and this time he would not be caught so easily.
On the run

Bundy fled east and by mid-January was in sunny Florida, 1,500 miles from chilly Colorado. By now he was another different figure. Bundy was no longer the dapper, mild-mannered Republican who could charm the birds from the trees. He was an unkempt fugitive from justice, living on food stolen from supermarkets, whose murderous urges were out of control.

On 15 January he broke into a sorority house on a university campus in Tallahassee, Florida. He strangled 21-year-old art history student Margaret Bowman and beat to death Lisa Levy, 20, after assaulting her. Two other girls who lived in the house were also beaten with a wooden club, but they survived.

A month later Bundy claimed what would be his final victim, 12-year-old Kim Leach. She was abducted from a high school gym, sexually assaulted and strangled. Bundy's days as a free man were, however, numbered.

Bundy was finally arrested in the early hours of 15 February 1978 as he drove a stolen car towards Pensaco.-From the BBC

[cobalt1999]

55. now confirmed dead.

Best use of my Florida tax dollars this year.

Some of you will now feel sorry for him, as for me, I'm going to have a glass of wine and enjoy there is one less POS in the world.

[MnFats]

60. we sink further into the morass. at least we have good company on this...

...China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran -- hey, most of the Axis of Evil is there!
...I feel much better now.
lock 'em up in super max...they don't escape from there.

while you're at it, read the new Grisham nonfiction about a man who came within five days of being executed for a murder he didn't commit.
"The Innocent Man." It took Barry Sheck and the Innocence Project to save his INNOCENT ass when the wheels of justice were hurtling toward his execution.

[Puglover]

61. Get a grip.

I doubt many, if any of the people who don't believe in the DP on this board feel sorry for this loser. Framing it this way is intellectual dishonesty at it's best. It's like the Republicans saying the Democrats are soft on terrorists. It's patent bullshit. Enjoy your wine.

[mitchum]

66. And framing those who support the death penalty as bloodthirsty...

revenge seeking savages is just as intellectually dishonest. Like John Stuart Mill, I support the death penalty, but I would never stand outside the prison gates chanting "Fry! Fry! Fry!" or something equally repugnant. But try telling that to many of the anti-DP hysterics on DU...

[Puglover]

73. Yeah of course.

You are very respectful of the gravity of the death penalty.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2579115&mesg_id=2580268

:eyes:

[mitchum]

74. You deny that he is a sociopath? Or that he earned the death penalty?

"Fuck that..." is generally accepted as a dismissive sentiment. Where in the hell did I say I would celebrate...blah, blah, blah...his death? I am very respectful of the gravity of capital punishment. I have no respect for Rolling. Any fool should be able to see that distinction. Well, just about any...
Y'know, if you're going to be disingenuous, you need to get a lot better at it. Rank amateur. Keep trying, my friend.

[Puglover]

77. Y'know.

No, I don't deny it. The guy was a sociopath. And no he didn't deserve the death penalty. I. DO. NOT. SUPPORT. IT. Normally on DU I don't have to spell it out quite so loudly for folks.

Speaking of disingenuous pal, show me where I said YOU would "celebrate...blah blah blah...his death?" I said that some folks on DU would. The guy who was going to go drink wine comes to mind.

And if "Fuck that..." is generally accepted as a dismissive sentiment, just how can you be so goddamn respectful of the gravity of capitol punishment?

"Any fool" "Rank amateur? Very clever. Ad homonyms and straw dogs normally how you bully your way around DU?

edit excess snarkage.

[mitchum]

82. And a snarky little link to someone's post is the height of reasoned...

debate? Roll over Benjamin Disraeli and tell Henry Clay the news...


Apparently I must repeat myself- "Fuck that sociopath...he earned the death penalty" Notice I said "earned" not "deserved" You may not care for my words, but I choose them carefully. Under the current laws of Florida, Rolling certainly earned his fate.
Yes, I am dismissive of Rolling. However, I don't understand how my contempt for him translates into my not appreciating the gravity of the situation. Would you care to elaborate?

Food for thought: * will be asked to join Mensa before an anti-death penalty Democrat will occupy the White House. You (and possibly I) may not like that, but that's a fact, Jack

[Puglover]

104. It was snarky. But I was pissed and frustrated. So lets try again.

I agree 1000 percent with your last sentence. It's a sad fact.

As to why I don't support the DP.

A. It is administered way to hap hazardly.
B. With our current judicial appeals process it's much more expensive the simply locking them up with no parole.
C. It's murder no matter how you cut it.

Actually some would see me as more heartless than a DP supporter. I always think lethal injection must be like anesthesia. Simple oblivion. I think it much more fitting for a sack of shit like Rolling to rot in a jail cell for good. No hope of parole. 23 hours a day one hour for exercise. Alone. No TV. No radio. A book every now and then. A shower every 3 days or so. No visitors except for immediate family and no "pen pals." And no book deals. Feed the fucker 3 square meals a day. And let him rot. Till he dies. Isn't that more cruel than a quick painless death?

Furthermore if we're going to have the death penalty I say let's have it. Publicly. The clinical sterilized nature of lethal injection is such a fucking disconnect. Shoot them. I always thought the guillotine was quite cool. Hang them. Let the victims family pick the method if they wish. Let people see what the state is doing.

Anyway that's how I feel about it. And I hope I'm being more clear. Sorry to be an asshole yesterday.

[mitchum]

105. Hey, I also apologize for the way I expressed myself

Truth be told, I was probably the bigger asshole.

peace,
mitchum

[LeftyMom]

80. You're celebrating a man's death.

Enjoy your wine.

[BreweryYardRat]

81. Said "man" is one of the nastier murderers in my state's history...

...and there's no doubt whatsoever of his guilt. If there was reasonable doubt, I'd be willing to consider life in prison. As it is, no. The son of a bitch killed five people, and mutilated three of them. I don't know whether or not they were alive during the initial mutilations-given that one girl had her nipples cut off and was sliced from crotch to sternum, I hope not.

He was also suspected of a triple murder in Louisiana which included an eight year old boy, although I'm not sure if he ever pled to that or not.

[LeftyMom]

86. Oh, no doubt he was a sorry son of a bitch and general waste of skin

I'm just saying that there are places the human mind shouldn't go if we wish to stay on the nice side of sanity, and cheering the death of another human being is one of those places.

[Umbram]

100. reasonable doubt

"If there was reasonable doubt, I'd be willing to consider life in prison."

If there was a reasonable doubt you should be arguing he be released.

[cobalt1999]

87. celebrating is putting it too strongly...

but, yes, I'm glad he is dead. I felt the same way when Ted Bundy was executed too.

If you think that is bad, so be it. I don't. I'm not going out and cheering like some did for Bundy, BUT justice was carried out today.

In my opinion, for the horrific crimes he committed, Rolling deserved to die. There was absolutely no doubt he was guilty. He was given every legal opportunity to appeal his sentence. Justice was carried out based on the laws of our state which are based on the will of the people.

So I'm not buying your "I'm a better liberal than thou" attitude or your attempts to induce guilt.

BTW, it was a nice Franciscan Merlot and I did enjoy it.

[LordLovesAWorkingMan]

90. F that man

My .02

[Phillycat]

107. Not a man.

Doesn't deserve to be classified as human. Bye bye Danny! Enjoy hell!

[Taverner]

97. I'm against the DP simply because I don't trust the government

with the ability to take life away.

The guy may deserve it, and he might have even admitted to the crime - but that is a powerful right to give the government. Once they have that right, it can be abused - as it has in the past (see Sacco and Venzetti)

[cigsandcoffee]

98. Why show this person any compassion?

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/10/25/rolling.execution.ap/index.html

The bodies of his victims were found over three days in late August, just as the University of Florida's fall semester was beginning.

All had been killed with a hunting knife. Some had been mutilated, sexually assaulted and put in shocking poses. One girl's severed head had been placed on a shelf, her body posed as if seated.

If that doesn't deserve a death penalty, then I really don't know what punishment would be fitting.

[LanternWaste]

102. how many witches we've burned at the stake.

One of the parcels of the DP that greatly disturbs me is that maybe, just maybe in 100 years or 500 years or 1000 years, humanity discovers/uncovers that individuals who are prone to violent behavior do so because they are indeed ill. A faulty synapse, a chemical imbalance, or even a birth defect.

Then, at that point we look back and realize how many witches we've burned at the stake.

Sure, what the guy did was brutal and I hate his actions, but I hate just as much the reactions our culture demands.

All hypotheticals aside, we *must* ask ourselves what is the purpose of our system of crime v. punishment. Is it to reduce the amount of crime? Vengeance on the accused? Rehabilitation for the accused? A combination of the three plus others that I may not see at this time?

[MrSlayer]

103. Bye asshole.

Too bad it took so long.

[Scurrilous]

106. Rolling reportedly admitted Louisiana murders

<snip>

"Shortly before his execution, serial killer Danny Rolling gave a minister a note about three 1989 Shreveport murders, police said.

Police spokesman Kacee Hargrave would not say whether Rolling admitted stabbing William T. Grissom, 55, his 24-year-old daughter, Julie, and his 8-year-old grandson, Sean, in Shreveport's Southern Hills neighborhood. KTBS-TV reported that the note was a confession.

Rolling was executed Wednesday for killing five college students in Gainesville. The minister, who was with Rolling in the hours before his execution, and the police department scheduled a news conference today to reveal what was in the note.

Rolling was the prime suspect in the Grissoms' murders. Because he pleaded guilty in Florida and his execution was expected, Louisiana authorities saw little reason to try him."

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15864108.htm