Oregon Gov Commutes Sentences of Death Row Inmates

[candycorn]

Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of all 17 people on Oregon’s death row

Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday afternoon that she will commute the sentences of all 17 people on Oregon's death row to life in prison.

www.oregonlive.com

I am staunchly against the death penalty. I don't think it is a deterrent. That being said, if we executed people 90 days after their sentence, I think the deterrent factor would skyrocket. If I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times...we need to completely overhaul our criminal justice system.

As for this ruling, I have mixed emotions. At the end of the day, I think it's a good thing to do. However, I do not like that the jury was empaneled, listened to testimony, rendered a verdict, then (likely) rendered a sentence. Then...later on a governor, overturns it? Don't get me wrong, stop all executions going forward but I don't like it when the jury system is usurped by the chief executive.

 

[JGalt]

View attachment 738468

Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of all 17 people on Oregon’s death row

Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday afternoon that she will commute the sentences of all 17 people on Oregon's death row to life in prison.

www.oregonlive.com

I am staunchly against the death penalty. I don't think it is a deterrent. That being said, if we executed people 90 days after their sentence, I think the deterrent factor would skyrocket. If I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times...we need to completely overhaul our criminal justice system.

As for this ruling, I have mixed emotions. At the end of the day, I think it's a good thing to do. However, I do not like that the jury was empaneled, listened to testimony, rendered a verdict, then (likely) rendered a sentence. Then...later on a governor, overturns it? Don't get me wrong, stop all executions going forward but I don't like it when the jury system is usurped by the chief executive.

This is good news. Perhaps those cons will also get a release so they can finally get to chance to put to good use all those worthwhile skills they learned in the slammer.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

A judge will be found that will let them out, one by one. With the reduction in the police, it will be a much different Oregon.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

View attachment 738468

Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of all 17 people on Oregon’s death row

Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday afternoon that she will commute the sentences of all 17 people on Oregon's death row to life in prison.

www.oregonlive.com

I am staunchly against the death penalty. I don't think it is a deterrent. That being said, if we executed people 90 days after their sentence, I think the deterrent factor would skyrocket. If I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times...we need to completely overhaul our criminal justice system.

As for this ruling, I have mixed emotions. At the end of the day, I think it's a good thing to do. However, I do not like that the jury was empaneled, listened to testimony, rendered a verdict, then (likely) rendered a sentence. Then...later on a governor, overturns it? Don't get me wrong, stop all executions going forward but I don't like it when the jury system is usurped by the chief executive.

The governor is acting within her capacity as chief executive, she has the lawful authority to commute sentences – nothing is being usurped.

And executing people 90 days after being sentenced would be un-Constitutional, the condemned not being afforded comprehensive due process.

There are aspects of our judicial system in need of reform, but this isn’t it.

 

[candycorn]

The governor is acting within her capacity as chief executive, she has the lawful authority to commute sentences – nothing is being usurped.

Yeah I know. I just don't like it.

And executing people 90 days after being sentenced would be un-Constitutional, the condemned not being afforded comprehensive due process.

There are aspects of our judicial system in need of reform, but this isn’t it.

Again, that is the reform I'm talking about (at least one of them anyway).

Have a special appeals court just for capital cases. Once a death sentence is handed down, they are enlisted to hear the appeals.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Have a special appeals court just for capital cases. Once a death sentence is handed down, they are enlisted to hear the appeals.

…which will take as long as it takes; to arbitrarily end the appeals process after 90 days would be un-Constitutional.

Indeed, a special appeals court would be likewise un-Constitutional, certainly a violation of the 14th Amendment right to due process and equal protection of the law.

 

[candycorn]

…which will take as long as it takes; to arbitrarily end the appeals process after 90 days would be un-Constitutional.

Well certainly, like in all cases, the court (this is all of my envisioning) could grant stays as needed. But lets make it 180 days. Or hell, even 365 days. Not any more like this:

Brent Brewer in Texas...

Committed murder on 4/26/1990. Sentenced in 1991. Been on death row for 31 years.

Indeed, a special appeals court would be likewise un-Constitutional, certainly a violation of the 14th Amendment right to due process and equal protection of the law.

I wouldn't think a different path of an appeals court would be unconstitutional. Not having an appeal would be but having a court set up to hear capital case appeals, if anything, satisfies the constitutional requirement to a speedy trial--so it seems to me anyway.

I'd prefer we just get rid of the death penalty all together myself. But if we're going to have the death penalty, make it quick, violent and a true deterrent.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Well certainly, like in all cases, the court (this is all of my envisioning) could grant stays as needed. But lets make it 180 days. Or hell, even 365 days. Not any more like this:

Brent Brewer in Texas...
View attachment 738472

Committed murder on 4/26/1990. Sentenced in 1991. Been on death row for 31 years.


I wouldn't think a different path of an appeals court would be unconstitutional. Not having an appeal would be but having a court set up to hear capital case appeals, if anything, satisfies the constitutional requirement to a speedy trial--so it seems to me anyway.

I'd prefer we just get rid of the death penalty all together myself. But if we're going to have the death penalty, make it quick, violent and a true deterrent.

A different path of an appeals court would be un-Constitutional, a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, because it would deny criminal defendants access to the same appellate process as other criminal defendants for no other reason than being subject to the death penalty.

It would be akin creating a ‘special’ marriage license for same-sex couples separate and apart from a ‘regular’ marriage license afforded only to opposite-sex couples.

It’s understood that death row convicts whose appeals span years, decades, seems like the system is broken, but it’s actually an indication that a human life will not be taken by the state capriciously, that when the state does take a human life, it’s done so as lawfully as possible.

 

[BluesLegend]

Oregon is a liberal shithole full of freaks who invaded from California so not surprising.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Committed murder on 4/26/1990. Sentenced in 1991. Been on death row for 31 years.

The solution to this – as you’ve correctly noted – is to do away with the death penalty.

Problem solved.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Oregon is a liberal shithole full of freaks who invaded from California so not surprising.

And this is conservatism in a nutshell – contributing nothing; exhibiting only ignorance and stupidity.

 

[BluesLegend]

This is good news. Perhaps those cons will also get a release so they can finally get to chance to put to good use all those worthwhile skills they learned in the slammer.

Yeah, maybe the governor can give them all high paying taxpayer mooch jobs in state government. Government is the biggest employer in the state. Wait I know, pay them to ride around on the umpteen billion dollar light rail train nobody rides. Massive traffic jams daily because dumb ass libs wasted all the money trying to be like Europe and building light rail to nowhere. A once great state has been completely wrecked by idiot liberals who invaded from California.

 

[BluesLegend]

And this is conservatism in a nutshell – contributing nothing; exhibiting only ignorance and stupidity.

I stated facts. Born here, 5 generations of my family were born here. Now shut your pie hole. Go defund some Oregon police you know you want to.

 

[candycorn]

A different path of an appeals court would be un-Constitutional, a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, because it would deny criminal defendants access to the same appellate process as other criminal defendants for no other reason than being subject to the death penalty.

I'm not so sure the "same appellate process" is currently enjoyed by all criminal defendants myself.

It would be akin creating a ‘special’ marriage license for same-sex couples separate and apart from a ‘regular’ marriage license afforded only to opposite-sex couples.

I don't see the relevance but okay.

It’s understood that death row convicts whose appeals span years, decades, seems like the system is broken, but it’s actually an indication that a human life will not be taken by the state capriciously, that when the state does take a human life, it’s done so as lawfully as possible.

I disagree. It's a sign that the system is completely broken. Many (if not most) of those who justice is supposed to serve are no longer around.

 

[pknopp]

Great. I'm happy to see this.

 

[Harry Dresden]

A different path of an appeals court would be un-Constitutional, a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, because it would deny criminal defendants access to the same appellate process as other criminal defendants for no other reason than being subject to the death penalty.

It would be akin creating a ‘special’ marriage license for same-sex couples separate and apart from a ‘regular’ marriage license afforded only to opposite-sex couples.

It’s understood that death row convicts whose appeals span years, decades, seems like the system is broken, but it’s actually an indication that a human life will not be taken by the state capriciously, that when the state does take a human life, it’s done so as lawfully as possible.

if they are guilty without a doubt of murder, they should be given 5 years to prove they dont deserve to die.....if they cant do that....kill the mother fuckers....this shit were they appeal for 20-25 years is bullshit....

 

[candycorn]

Great. I'm happy to see this.

At the end of the day, so am I.

I just hate seeing a jury's work get overturned by executive fiat.

 

[pknopp]

At the end of the day, so am I.

I just hate seeing a jury's work get overturned by executive fiat.

I understand that but then I don't have a lot of sympathy for those who voted to kill someone.

 

[JoeB131]

I am staunchly against the death penalty. I don't think it is a deterrent. That being said, if we executed people 90 days after their sentence, I think the deterrent factor would skyrocket. If I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times...we need to completely overhaul our criminal justice system.

As for this ruling, I have mixed emotions. At the end of the day, I think it's a good thing to do. However, I do not like that the jury was empaneled, listened to testimony, rendered a verdict, then (likely) rendered a sentence. Then...later on a governor, overturns it? Don't get me wrong, stop all executions going forward but I don't like it when the jury system is usurped by the chief executive.

In Illinois, we overturned all the death penalty sentences because we were exonerating more people from Death Row than we were executing. The governor decided that he couldn't really make a case by case judgement, so he commuted all the sentences, except for four guys he let out completely because the Chicago cops beat confessions out of them.

My problem with the death penalty that it is final. If you find out you made a mistake, you can't undo it.

 

[Harry Dresden]

In Illinois, we overturned all the death penalty sentences because we were exonerating more people from Death Row than we were executing. The governor decided that he couldn't really make a case by case judgement, so he commuted all the sentences, except for four guys he let out completely because the Chicago cops beat confessions out of them.

My problem with the death penalty that it is final. If you find out you made a mistake, you can't undo it.

thats why it should only be for those who have been proven without a doubt they did the killing....