March 7 OKLAHOMA----new death sentence Jury Recommends Death Penalty For Convicted Killer In Tulsa, a jury has recommended the death penalty for a man who was convicted of murdering a bank teller during a robbery. Jurors had found Jeremy Williams guilty of 1st-degree murder for the death of Amber Rogers, 26. Prosecutors said Williams, armed with a .45-caliber revolver, and Alvin "Tony" Jordan, who had a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, were the masked gunmen who held up the First Fidelity Bank on June 22, 2004. Bank President Mark Poole and customer Howard Smith survived life-threatening gunshot wounds. Deborah Mizell, Amber Rogers' mother, said she thinks Williams "got what he deserved." "I think Jeremy Williams is a continuing threat to all of society," she said. During closing arguments, First Assistant District Attorney Doug Drummond said the bank "looked like a war zone" after the robbery. "You had 3 people left for dead -- left in pools of blood. You had every other employee terrorized," Drummond said. Harris said Williams and Jordan "didn't try to leave one corpse there; they tried to leave 3 corpses." Defense attorney Carla Mullins Root urged jurors to spare Williams' life, saying he would end up in prison for the rest of his life. Williams denied any involvement in the fatal robbery. Trials have not yet been held for Alvin Jordan and his cousin, Chris Jordan, who allegedly drove the getaway car. (source: Associated Press) *************** Death Penalty for Repeat Child Molesters Wins Approval in OK Senate---SB 1747 Could Be Signed into Law in Matter of Days A bill aimed at creating a safer Oklahoma by giving juries in Oklahoma the option of sentencing repeat child molesters to life without parole or the death penalty received approval of the full Senate today. The bills author, Senator Jay Paul Gumm, a Democrat from Durant, explained Senate Bill 1747 passed with a bi-partisan majority vote with the title on; meaning the bill could be signed into law as early as next week if the House agrees to fast track the measure. "By keeping the title on the bill, we are sending it to the House in hopes of getting the bill to the Governors desk with rapid speed," Gumm said. "We as a Legislature should leave no stone unturned in our effort to protect the children of Oklahoma." The Senator said government has to greater moral obligation than to ensure the safety and well being of its citizens. "Those who repeatedly prey on our children in this unspeakable manner should face the most severe penalties allowed under our justice system," said Gumm, who also serves as Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate. Senate Bill 1747 would make repeat child molesters subject to the death penalty or life without parole. That, Gumm said, would let the justice system better protect children from those sex offenders who never will be rehabilitated. "There are too many stories of child molesters who are set free only to shatter the life of another innocent child," he said. "I want to make certain that in Oklahoma we are doing everything we can to ensure that never happens here in our state." Gumms bill expands on the new Oklahoma law making the most heinous repeat offenders subject to the death penalty. The lawmaker noted that child sexual abuse has lifelong ramifications. "We allow the death penalty for those who kill the body," he said. "Why wouldnt we have the same penalty for someone who kills a soul?" Gumm said as a parent and lawmaker, he wants the strongest laws possible on the books to protect Oklahomas children. He thanked Senator Jonathan Nichols for working with him to ensure the bill that passed off the Senate floor today was the strongest bill possible to protect the lives of Oklahoma children. "By sending a message to those who repeatedly prey on our children that Oklahoma will not tolerate this sort of horrible crime, we are doing our part to create a safer Oklahoma for all our citizens." Gumm concluded. (source: KTEN news) TEXAS: S.A. man asks jury for sentence of death In another surprise move, capital murder defendant Joe Michael Luna took the witness stand Monday and asked jurors to sentence him to death. "One reason I believe a death sentence would be appropriate is because prison does not rehabilitate a person. If I go to death row, I will be able to get right with God. I'm not afraid of death. "In fact, I kind of want it. I'm tired of hurting people because of my addiction," said Luna, who is in the sentencing phase of his trial after pleading guilty last week to capital murder. His testimony came during a 25-minute soliloquy in which he admitted to breaking into the Potranco Road apartment of Michael Paul Andrade, 21, on the morning of Feb. 17, 2005, robbing him at gunpoint and then strangling the St. Mary's University student. Among other revelations: - He committed the 4 home invasion-style robberies in which the victims testified earlier in trial that the defendant terrorized them. - He committed statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl living in his neighborhood in June 2004. - He asked his sister, Brandy Luna, to arrange an alibi for him with a cousin, leading the grand jury to indict her on a charge of witness tampering. - It was his dream to rob a bank and he was plotting such a robbery when he was arrested Feb. 21, 2005, on a tip from Crime Stoppers. The chilling admissions paled in comparison to Luna's detailed description of Andrade's robbery and death, under cross-examination by prosecutor Mary Green. During the testimony, the victim's sister, Stephanie Andrade, cried softly, along with Luna's mother, Josie Luna, on the other side of the courtroom. "A lot of the things he said in there were a real dark secret to his mother and me," said Josie Luna's fiance, Robert Belle, who added, "From the bottom of our hearts, we are very sorry for any and all of the events that have taken place, and especially for the family of Michael Paul Andrade." Luna testified he lived with his girlfriend, Maria Solis, in the same apartment building as Andrade, and he gained access to his apartment through the attic common to both units. After dropping into Andrade's bedroom closet, Luna said, he listened for a few minutes to determine if there was anyone in the apartment. Then he opened the closet door and found Andrade still in bed, awake and staring at him. Luna said Andrade was cooperative from the moment he was ordered at gunpoint to lie face down on the bed. Luna said he then tied up Andrade's hands and feet with sheets and went about the task of emptying the apartment of all its valuables, including a computer. When it was all packed away in one of Luna's vehicles, he said he kept worrying that police would be able to tie him to the crime through his girlfriend's apartment on the other side of the 2-story building. "Something in me said, 'You gotta do it. You gotta do it.' (God) allowed me to be given over to Satan," Luna testified, explaining he wasn't in his right mind when he decided he had to kill Andrade to cover his tracks. "I told him to take 10 deep breaths, and when he got to the seventh or eighth breath, that was when I put my arm around his neck. He didn't struggle. He just went weak. When I thought he was dead, I let go," Luna testified. Even after that, Luna said, he feared leaving a trail that would lead police to his girlfriend's apartment and her toddler son, whom Luna said he loved. So he vacuumed Andrade's apartment to rid it of attic insulation, wiped away his fingerprints and set fire to it in three places, including Andrade's bed. Testimony continues today. (source: San Antonio Express-News) ************************* A killer's death: Faith in 'God's justice' comforts victim's family My cell phone rang just as I walked into the office Monday and it was my old high school friend, Tracey, with some stunning and emotional news. The man who was on Texas death row for the 1988 murder of her father, a federal agent, had died over the weekend of natural causes. Anibal Rousseau's execution date was nearing before his premature death at age 65. Reporters were calling my friend, who is skeptical of media types. It was from a Houston Chronicle reporter that she learned of the killer's death. I looked on The Associated Press wire and found one of the stories. And that made it all the more real. Tracey and I talked briefly several times over the course of the day, as she processed the whole ordeal in a way I found truly remarkable. "It's over," she said. "God is the final authority and final justice, and it's in his hands." As you can imagine, my friend and I had previously discussed many times the issue of capital punishment, her father's slaying when she was 19, and what lies ahead. She had even asked me to accompany her to the upcoming execution, which had not yet been scheduled but was expected within the next year or so. Her father, former federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent David Delitta, had just switched over to the Environmental Protection Agency at the age of 38 for a safer job environment before being gunned down by Rousseau in a Houston robbery. Losing her father to such an act of violence was heartbreaking. But Tracey at least took comfort in the fact that the killer was quickly apprehended, convicted and sent to death row. For many years now she has waited for the one who took her father's life to face justice. Numerous appeals and court proceedings took place and questions were later raised about the murder weapon. The process was stressful, emotionally draining and drawn out for way too long. After all, her father's killer had been on death row since 1989. During that time, Tracey grew up, got married and had 4 children. But it was a burden and pain she carried all along. For her to say "it's over," surely had to be a great relief and comfort. It blessed my heart. But the irony of the man dying while waiting for lethal injection is still difficult to swallow. It makes me wonder, too, how effective is capital punishment when we have people on death row for 17 or more years, growing old and in some cases waiting around just for natural causes to claim their lives. Does it bring some closure to victims' families once the murderer is dead? I asked my friend and was in awe with her reply, as she explained her philosophy on justice. "It's not about revenge, which is delivered by emotions like hate and bitterness," she said. "Justice is driven by a sense of fairness and God's system." Now the judgment is where it best belongs. And that is in the hands of Almighty God. (source: Midland Reporter-Telegram) OREGON: Judge sends serial killer back to death row A judge confirmed Tuesday that Dayton Leroy Rogers should die for killing 8 women. Judge Ronald Thom heard testimony from families of some of the victims. Then he sent Rogers back to death row. It may be a decade before Rogers is executed. There's anautomatic appeals process that takes years. Rogers is Oregon's most prolific serial killer. He was convicted of torturing and raping 8 women in 1987. He's been sentenced to death twice before, and the Supreme Court has overturned the sentences. He's been in prison 18 years and claims he's a changed man. The decision by the jury last week and the judge Tuesday rejects that claim. (source: Associated Press) ******************* Anybody know where to get a gavel fast?----Want a job where you can sit around in a robe all day? Act fast. Longtime Multnomah County Circuit Judge David Gernant announced his intention to step down from the bench late last week, leaving would-be replacements only a few days to file before todays deadline. Gernant, 62, has found his role diminished since May 2004, after he accused prosecutors of "inexcusable neglect" while throwing out a death penalty case against a man believed to be a serial killer. Multnomah County District Attorney Michael Schrunk began refusing to hear criminal felonies in front of Gernant, saying he was unfair. Last year, the Oregon Supreme Court sided with Schrunk, saying Gernant goofed in his ruling. Gernant did not return a call from Sources Say by press time. (source: Portland Tribune) NORTH CAROLINA: Clemency hearing held in Thomasville case A man set to be executed next week should be spared because there are questions about his mental capacity and the lighter sentence given to his girlfriend for the 1994 killing of her husband in Thomasville, defense attorneys told Gov. Mike Easley during a clemency hearing Tuesday. Attorneys for Patrick Moody, 39, have also filed an appeal in federal court arguing the state uses an inhumane method of lethal injection. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider in a Florida case if the drugs used during injection executions resulted in unconstitutionally cruel punishment, but a California judge has agreed to review that state's death penalty system after no doctor or nurse would administer a fatal dose of barbiturate. A favorable decision from Easley or the courts could block the execution scheduled for 2 a.m. on March 17 at Central Prison in Raleigh. "We're very concerned about the degree of the punishment," Charlotte Blake, an attorney for Moody, said after the closed-door hearing. "You have a little less confidence in a death sentence when you don't go to trial." Moody was sent to death row in 1995 after interrupting his murder trial to plead guilty in the Sept. 16, 1994, slaying of Donnie Robbins in Thomasville. Moody had been having an affair for several months with Robbins' wife, Wanda. She persuaded Moody to shoot her husband so they could have proceeds of a $5,000 insurance policy. Wanda Robbins was sentenced to life plus 65 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and insurance fraud. Blake has said that while Moody pulled the trigger, Wanda Robbins devised the scheme to kill her husband and even called the insurance company seeking a payment at 5:30 a.m. the day after her husband was killed. Moody has "very limited skills," Blake said. Davidson County District Attorney Garry Frank said after Tuesday's hearing that any question about Moody's possible retardation "was fully litigated" and lacks merit. He also said Moody's case was different than that of Wanda Robbins because Moody had a criminal record in Florida, had pulled the trigger to kill Donnie Robbins and sought monetary gain from the crime. "It seems to be a purely solid capital case," said Frank, who didn't prosecute Moody. In Florida, Moody attempted a similar crime - killing a person for a woman - and was sentenced to five years in prison for attempted murder and conspiracy. Blake argues that Moody was susceptible to manipulation by women because of his marginal intelligence. Evidence at his trial showed he had an IQ of 81, but he had scored in the mid-60s on previous tests, low enough to qualify for exemption from the death penalty, she said. An abusive father once hit him in the face with a shovel, Blake said. She argues that Wanda Robbins used Moody's aversion to physical abuse to lure him into her scheme by telling him her husband hit her. She painted fake bruises on her body and tore her clothes to help persuade him. Blake also says Moody didn't have decent legal help and waited 6 months in jail before meeting with a defense lawyer. (source: Associated Press) TENNESSEE: Wrongfully Convicted: Seventeen Years on Death Row Juan Melendez who spent seventeen years on Floridas death row will speak on Wednesday, March 8, at 7:00 pm in the Bishops Common large lounge in Sewanee. He will talk about his wrongful conviction, the torturous years on death row awaiting execution, the trauma of re-adjusting to life in the "free" world, and his crusade to abolish capital punishment. Melendez was sentenced to death in 1974. At the time of his trial, it was known by at least four people, including the prosecutor and his own defense attorney that the real killer had confessed. Melendez was released in January of 2002, when a tape-recorded confession by the real killer surfaced. The judge who overturned his conviction sited the prosecuting attorney at his original trial with 4 Brady violations for withholding evidence that would have proved his innocence. Melendezs presentation is being jointly sponsored by the Cumberland Center for Justice and Peace and the School of Theology. A panel discussion addressing the question "Death Penalty: Yes or No?" will be held on Thursday, March 9, at 7:00 pm in the Bishops Common large lounge. Panelists include Regina Hockett whose 12-old-daughter was gunned down in the parking lot of a Nashville area mall; Juan Melendez who spent 17 years, 8 months and 1 day on Florida's death row before being proved innocent; Michael Taylor, District Attorney General for the Tennessee 12th Judicial District; Rev. Bill Carroll, theologian, essayist, and School of Theology faculty member; and Randy Tatel, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing. A showing of the video The Empty Chair will precede the panel. The compelling, yet disturbing, documentary features four murder victim families, who have widely diverse opinion on the death penalty, some staunchly opposed to and others adamantly pro capital punishment. The event is being jointly sponsored by the Cumberland Center for Justice and Peace and the School of Theology. For more information phone 931-967-6594. (source: University of the South Campus; Sewanee, TN) WISCONSIN: Green Campaign: Calls for Wisconsin to Add Death Penalty Option----Gubernatorial hopeful wants death penalty for vicious murderers. In Green Bay, Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Congressman Mark Green renewed his long-standing call for adding capital punishment to Wisconsin law. Green believes juries in Wisconsin should have this option available to them when sentencing murderers convicted of a "vicious," 1st-degree intentional homicide, provided that conviction is backed up by DNA evidence. "I believe that in certain rare occasions, the only just punishment for the barbarian and inhumane actions of a murderer is the death penalty," Green said. "As I traveled the state the past few days, time and again I was asked the same question: when is Wisconsin going to allow the death penalty as an option? I think that time has clearly come." Green has been a long-time supporter of capital punishment for crimes such as the intentional murder of a child or police officer. As governor, Green said he would push the Legislature to take up and pass legislation putting in place the death penalty for those crimes, along with those involving aggravated sexual-assault, torture or other "vicious circumstances." Noting he respects all points of view on this sensitive issue, Green said that by requiring DNA evidence for capital punishment to be considered, "we can be certain that the convicted person is indeed guilty." 38 states and the federal government currently allow for capital punishment. "While I believe the death penalty should rarely be used, there are certain evil-doers whose sadistic actions demand the ultimate punishment," said Green. "In those most unthinkable, senseless cases, I think most Wisconsinites would agree that those killers dont deserve anything but the fate they imposed on their victim." Green has been a leader on criminal justice issues in both the State Assembly and then in Congress. His accomplishments include authoring state and federal "Two Strikes and You're Out" for child sex offenders laws, and he was the lead author of the legislation to reauthorize the federal Violence Against Women Act. (source: Wisconsin Politics) GEORGIA: Think hard on how, whether you could use deadly force The state Senate recently passed a NRA bill that would expand the law that now allows Georgians to use deadly force in their homes and vehicles. This will spawn a lot of debate; some by people who take the time to look up some facts, but mostly from people dealing strictly from emotion and personal belief. Sen. Regina Thomas of Savannah was quoted as saying the bill would increase the number of crimes in Georgia. Crimes committed on the street in this area have already risen. Pedestrian robberies are up. The bad guys already have guns. Theyre using them to commit the robberies and in some cases, even when the victim complies, they shoot them. The proposed legislation is a clear indication that violent crimes are up and your chances of being caught in the middle are better than they were a few years ago. "Wrong place at the wrong time" can play a major role in a situation of deadly force. In such a situation, (such as on a sidewalk or parking lot, as the bill allows) having a weapon would give you the opportunity to save your own life. Your fate would not completely be in the hands of the bad guy. There are some things that you need to accept. First, crime happens. It happens to good people who step into a bad situation. Secondly, it happens more than it used to. Thirdly, it doesnt just happen in the urban, inner city areas. It happens in the suburbs. The more population, the more crime. You need to know that guns and violence are not as they are on TV. Everything is different from what you may think. Bad guys don't spin around a few times and then fall over. Bullets are designed to enter the body and then tumble around to maximize the damage to the organs before exiting. Its not pretty and there are no commercials. The other thing most people dont realize: Targets, even close targets, are difficult to hit in traumatic, deadly force situations. It's not easy to shoot something when your body and your brain are in life-preserve mode. Bullets, shot from guns, go somewhere and dont stop until the energy moving them has totally expended or they hit something. A fairly accurate assumption is that given a situation where the victim is put in the position of defending himself or her, and shots are fired; the first few will most likely miss. Dont be fooled into thinking that just because you have a gun in your possession that youre safe. The bad guy still has the advantage of surprise. Your life depends on how you respond. If the cards arent in your favor, dont play Wild West with a quick draw. Remember, you dont want to be the guy who finishes second in a gunfight. Be smart and do your homework. You have a great opportunity to control your fate by thinking about what youre doing ahead of time. For example, I still see people walking up to ATM machines at midnight and never even look around. A lot of folks, targeted for robbery in this area, are approached while getting into or out of a car in a parking lot of an apartment complex or a large commercial lot. Look and see whats around when you pull in. Check for people just sitting in cars or loitering around. In other words, dont put your prevention options on the shelf. Be familiar with what you have. If you own a weapon, practice with it. Most police-related shootings are at close range, say 7-10 feet. We practice all the time from 15 feet in and you have to constantly work on centering your accuracy at hitting targets that arent shooting back. Clean the weapon and use it at the range. Speak to someone, for example, a shooting instructor, and pick up some tips on shooting; things that you would not normally assume, so that your aim is more consistently accurate. Sounds like a doomsday plan right? In some respects it is. Depending on how you think, it either makes sense or disgusts you. There are 2 situations that I know of where I was targeted for a crime. Once was in a parking lot downtown, about 9 p.m. A man walked up to me while we were leaving the circus at the Omni. He just walked up, looked around, and started asking why we left the circus so early? I wanted to thank him for looking around because it very quickly tipped me off that he was up to no good and it allowed me time to react. I can still remember the look on his face when he turned back around and met my agent, Mr. Beretta. Mr. Beretta, who represented me for a few years, said we were too busy to be robbed that night, but thank you anyway. Mr. Beretta asked the man to run very fast in the opposite direction. The man ran and then jumped over the wall at the edge of the parking deck. As we drove out, I realized we were on the third floor of the parking deck. He was pretty young so he probably had some bounce in him. The 2nd time was in the car. Long story short, I had no doubt that I was being car-jacked. Again, Mr. Beretta mediated a short, 2-second meeting and the young man changed his plans. Here is a question for you: Given this situation and the crime progressed, what would you do? You have to determine if or not the person was a threat. All that first guy needed to do was look around and I knew he was looking for witnesses. If thats not your interpretation in that two-second time frame, he may have had a gun on you before you could react. The game is over at that point. Hopefully hell take your wallet and be gone. Its not an easy situation and it will, trust me, happen much faster that you think. Ive worked cases where the victim had access to the weapon but failed to use it because of a lack of clarity or commitment. In that case the gun was, and could be, used against the victim. In traumatic situations, when ones adrenalin goes into hyper-mode, some people have total clarity of mind and others turn to Jell-O. If youre a Jell-O person, owning a gun may not be in your best interest. You need to feel out what your personal decisions would be about using deadly force. Its only on paper that we say you can do something but its you, all alone, when the decision has to be made. Does this deter crime? Lets say you shoot someone who pulled a gun or knife on you. Did you deter him or her? I think yes. Criminal will tell you; they tell me when I see them at our class reunions, that there is an effective sub-culture and communication among them. From what I can tell, they dont like to get shot. This is evident by a temporary drop in crime stats in the area where a bad guy gets shot. Can this legislation be abused? Definitely. There is no open season on shooting crooks. We dont have a fleeing-felon law, yet Im sure there are some who look at this as a good opportunity or even worse, an excuse to go to Dodge City. Its a defensive action meant to allow you the chance to save your own life or the life of your family or whoever is in immediate danger of being injured or killed. It does not mean you can snipe someone stealing your mail. Believe me, there are people out there who need to have this explained to them. I think it's sad that we have arrived at this type of legislation but I also think it's sad to see victims and families of victims. I'm amazed at how we like to focus on bad people who did bad things and totally disregard the impact they had on others. If I'm on death row, I'll be the next Mister. Rogers to avoid the ultimate end. I'll write anything I can. (By the way, if I'm looking for celebrity representation, I plan to do better than Mike Farrell. Im thinking Walter Cronkite or that guy who hosts "America's Funniest Videos.") There's nothing really good about any of this - but guess what? We don't live in Mayberry, folks. Crime is a major factor in any large city and its surrounding areas. We live in one. There is no easy answer to any of this. Even if we OK using Bradley Infantry Vehicles as a means of protection, don't forget the best weapon is between your ears. Learn and read and ask and find out ways to be effective in staying out of trouble. Know when you're vulnerable and have a plan. (source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
