Stay Needed - INNOCENT MAN ABOUT TO BE EXECUTED

[Shells2]

http://helpfindthemissing.org/forum/...ead.php?t=9827

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:...lnk&cd=2&gl=us


Please read the links and sign the petition

http://stopexecutions.blogspot.com/2...innocence.html

[kitty1182]

Thanks, I signed......

[Good_Gawd]

You sure he's not guilty?

Does he have a website?

[LisaM22]

if there is any doubt, the man should not be put to death and it is sounding like there is imo

I'd like to suggest that anyone considering signing this petition do your on research about this man and this case on a website whose sole intention is not to eliminate the DP (for anyone). Such as the ones listed above. Not going to post the links because I would seem fond of the DP. However this man has been found guilty by a jury and all appeals have been denied. He was sentenced to death by law due to his deliberate,gruesome crime. He was a violent felon before this murder and will always be a violent felon. Why should anyone want to risk him killing again? There is no doubt of his guilt in my mind or by the laws of Texas. If this had been one of the RARE times the legal system got it wrong, it would have been found out by now. 11 years he's had to get new evidence in, if there had been any. Now it's the last 10 days and as in all such cases, the anti-DP folks are panicking. His sentence should be carried out,for the victim (s) and for justice.

[Good_Gawd]

I have seen a lot of people go to the death chamber saying they were innocent.
This guy being an ex-con means nothing to me.
The other leg of the panty hose that strangled her found in HIS garbage while the other was by HER body in the woods is a red flag to me. I can't explain that away. IMO-He's Guilty.

Sorry!

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by catdoc

I'd like to suggest that anyone considering signing this petition do your on research about this man and this case on a website whose sole intention is not to eliminate the DP (for anyone). Such as the ones listed above. Not going to post the links because I would seem fond of the DP. However this man has been found guilty by a jury and all appeals have been denied. He was sentenced to death by law due to his deliberate,gruesome crime. He was a violent felon before this murder and will always be a violent felon. Why should anyone want to risk him killing again? There is no doubt of his guilt in my mind or by the laws of Texas. If this had been one of the RARE times the legal system got it wrong, it would have been found out by now. 11 years he's had to get new evidence in, if there had been any. Now it's the last 10 days and as in all such cases, the anti-DP folks are panicking. His sentence should be carried out,for the victim (s) and for justice.

we can never be 100% sure, the DP should be abolished for this very reason, if we kill a innocent unarmed man, what does that make us as a society?

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Good_Gawd

I have seen a lot of people go to the death chamber saying they were innocent.
This guy being an ex-con means nothing to me.
The other leg of the panty hose that strangled her found in HIS garbage while the other was by HER body in the woods is a red flag to me. I can't explain that away. IMO-He's Guilty.

Sorry!

I have seen people found guilty and the jury want them killed, sometimes by more then one jury and yet STILL be innocent

sometimes the inmates on death row have no victims, sometimes they are the victims...

http://www.forejustice.org/wc/ray_krone_JD_vol2_i9.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/25/dna.prisonrelease.ap/

[LisaM22]

one big problem with the death penalty is that we have to ask the jury if they can kill the defendant before they have decided if the defendant is even guilty - don't mater what the crime is I would rather have a normal jury then a death enabled one

pro death juries tend to lean towards guilt more often then not

[Kared]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

one big problem with the death penalty is that we have to ask the jury if they can kill the defendant before they have decided if the defendant is even guilty - don't mater what the crime is I would rather have a normal jury then a death enabled one

pro death juries tend to lean towards guilt more often then not

Have you ever had a loved one murdered? I have. If you did you may feel different.

[Streetdreamer]

Originally Posted by Kared

Have you ever had a loved one murdered? I have. If you did you may feel different.

Is that a fair argument? People in that position are quick to pre-judge and subject the accused to even harsher treatment than morally acceptable practices.

What would even be a more compelling argument is, would you feel that way if you have an innocent loved one on death row. If you did you may feel different.

[James_A]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

one big problem with the death penalty is that we have to ask the jury if they can kill the defendant before they have decided if the defendant is even guilty - don't mater what the crime is I would rather have a normal jury then a death enabled one

pro death juries tend to lean towards guilt more often then not

I dont even know where to start with this one without going off on a tangent. When a person goes down to the courthouse to be interviewed for jury duty. They are asked questions to be sure that they can serve on the jury for a certin trial. In Illinois......there are 3 trials within the main trial to determine if the person will face the death penality. the first is to determine if the person is innocent or guilty, the second part (if the person is found guilty) is to determine if his crime according to state laws, is eligable for the death penality, and the third is based on the evidence that is heard in court does the jury recomend the death penality. I dont believe that most jurors that belive in the death penality are lax on their duty.......Its just my opinion

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Poster Guy2

Why do you continue to spout this nonsense? Can you point to one case where an innocent person has been put to death? People who want the DP abolished do not operate with facts, it is typically histrionic speculation.

I can point to many cases where people were put on death row that were innocent, and only by luck latter found to truly be innocent, I think that in and of itself proves that some innocents have been put to death

it is common sense that pro death juries tend to lean towards guilt more often then not, I would not want a pro-death jury if I was innocent, how about you?

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Kared

Have you ever had a loved one murdered? I have. If you did you may feel different.

the loved one is already dead, that is sad but can not be changed, now if you had a living loved one that was falsely accused on death row, that can be changed unless you decide to kill them, then how would you feel about that murder, state sanctioned murder of a innocent man\women - lwop without parole still punishes the guilty, there is no reason for the state to kill people that might be innocent

[JD1974]

He recieved a reprieve. I think it is odd that these panty hose were found in his trash AFTER detecives had searched twice before. I don't think I have ever seen 6 scientists agree on a time of death during a trial, yet the defense has them including the original pathologist and other pathologists employed by the state? How often do you ever hear of that...never.

I read what the scientists stated and from what even laypersons know about decomposition there is no way she was out there for 25 days.

[JD1974]

Originally Posted by Poster Guy2

Why do you continue to spout this nonsense? Can you point to one case where an innocent person has been put to death? People who want the DP abolished do not operate with facts, it is typically histrionic speculation.

Honestly how would we ever know if an innocent person was executed, considering they are dead and the police stopped investigating after they found their man/woman? I don't base my opinion on histrionics I base it on the premise that one dead innocent person is too many.
Why is it that people who want to keep the death penalty resport to the tired old lie that it is costs too much to keep a person locked up with LWOP, now along with abolishing the DP I do think LWOP should mean LWOP. I also think we need to revamp some of the laws on actual innocence claims.

[Marcia3]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

I can point to many cases where people were put on death row that were innocent, and only by luck latter found to truly be innocent, I think that in and of itself proves that some innocents have been put to death

it is common sense that pro death juries tend to lean towards guilt more often then not, I would not want a pro-death jury if I was innocent, how about you?

Could you provide the cases for us? You said you could point to many, and Poster Guy only asked for one. But you didn't specify any at all. Can we assume that means you have none? TIA.

[JD1974]

Originally Posted by Marcia3

Could you provide the cases for us? You said you could point to many, and Poster Guy only asked for one. But you didn't specify any at all. Can we assume that means you have none? TIA.

I can

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/77.php Rolando Cruz, IL

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/176.php Alejandro Hernandez, IL

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/184.php Verneal Jameson, IL

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/190.php Ronald Jones, IL

Want more?

[fairlaw]

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/inno...reed-death-row

And, truely, only God knows how many didn't get out, and were killed by our government.

[fairlaw]

Also, I never sign any petitions without researching every detail. I have not signed this one, yet.

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Marcia3

Could you provide the cases for us? You said you could point to many, and Poster Guy only asked for one. But you didn't specify any at all. Can we assume that means you have none? TIA.

just a couple

http://www.forejustice.org/wc/ray_krone_JD_vol2_i9.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/25/dna.prisonrelease.ap/

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by fairlaw

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/inno...reed-death-row

And, truely, only God knows how many didn't get out, and were killed by our government.

exactly, all you have to do is look at the ones found not guilty because of dna and then think, what if that dna was not found or damaged - they would of been killed, not everyone that is innocent is lucky enough to have dna to prove their innocents - they just get murdered by the system

[Marcia3]

Originally Posted by JD1974

I can

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/77.php Rolando Cruz, IL

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/176.php Alejandro Hernandez, IL

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/184.php Verneal Jameson, IL

http://innocenceproject.org/Content/190.php Ronald Jones, IL

Want more?

Nope, that'll do.

[Marcia3]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

just a couple

http://www.forejustice.org/wc/ray_krone_JD_vol2_i9.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/25/dna.prisonrelease.ap/

Thanks. Appreciate the info.

I'm not a DP supporter per se, but there are some crimes that seem to cry out for it.

I would not want anyone to die at the hands of the state unless there was irrefutable proof (DNA for starters) or a confession, at the very least.

I just can't get 100% behind no DP at all, ever. IMO, the penalty for a crime should fit the crime. JMO, and I totally respect the views of those who oppose the DP.

[JD1974]

Originally Posted by Marcia3

Thanks. Appreciate the info.

I'm not a DP supporter per se, but there are some crimes that seem to cry out for it.

I would not want anyone to die at the hands of the state unless there was irrefutable proof (DNA for starters) or a confession, at the very least.

I just can't get 100% behind no DP at all, ever. IMO, the penalty for a crime should fit the crime. JMO, and I totally respect the views of those who oppose the DP.

I really agree with your position. There are some crimes for me that just have DP written all over them! My problem is the law should be fair all the way around, some states have the DP and some don't so that is one instance of unfairness. My other problem is it is VERY hard to get any hearing based on actual innocence, they will give you a hearing for ineffectual counsel before they will if you are trying to claim actual innocence...so strange to me. My main problem of course though if that imo there are innocent people on death row, inmates who do not have DNA that can free them....if we kill one innocent person that makes us just as bad, if not worse than the true criminals who deserve the DP because it was a state sanctioned murder.

I read the judges order on the stay for this guy on the petition. The judge has doubts as to whether this man is guilty but said by law he cannot decide any cases based on actual innocence... I cannot get over the fact that this man has 6 different scientists saying it is impossible for the victims body to have been dropped off during anytime than when the defendant was in jail! Even the original pathologist who testified during the trial has signed a statement saying she was wrong, she said the state left out some details in the report and if she had known those details she would of ruled TOD differently. That to me is scary.

[Marcia3]

Originally Posted by JD1974

I really agree with your position. There are some crimes for me that just have DP written all over them! My problem is the law should be fair all the way around, some states have the DP and some don't so that is one instance of unfairness. My other problem is it is VERY hard to get any hearing based on actual innocence, they will give you a hearing for ineffectual counsel before they will if you are trying to claim actual innocence...so strange to me. My main problem of course though if that imo there are innocent people on death row, inmates who do not have DNA that can free them....if we kill one innocent person that makes us just as bad, if not worse than the true criminals who deserve the DP because it was a state sanctioned murder.

I read the judges order on the stay for this guy on the petition. The judge has doubts as to whether this man is guilty but said by law he cannot decide any cases based on actual innocence... I cannot get over the fact that this man has 6 different scientists saying it is impossible for the victims body to have been dropped off during anytime than when the defendant was in jail! Even the original pathologist who testified during the trial has signed a statement saying she was wrong, she said the state left out some details in the report and if she had known those details she would of ruled TOD differently. That to me is scary.

Our criminal justice system is confusing for those of us not well-versed in the law, and I guess most of the time, it works. But for those times that it does not and an innocent person is convicted and sent to prison (or put on death row), then IMO, the system becomes a weight around the necks of those wrongly convicted.

A stay of execution is most definitely needed in this case. If there is even one ounce of doubt, no one should be executed. I am not entirely convinced of this man's innocence, but my opinion doesn't mean anything here. He needs a new trial, IMO, and if the evidence is not sufficient to convict him, then that is as it should be.

All JMO.

[texasgal]

The twelve people who were chosen as jury .. sat through this trial .. heard all the evidence .. convicted this creep. Melissa's family sat through this trial and had to hear all the evidence.

Please read ALL the evidence and not just the stuff spouted on the anti-death penalty websites. It's been 10 years, they are counting on people not remembering the facts. Where were all these "experts" 10 years ago ..

Melissa's family has to relive the brutal way she died and look at that creep's pictures every time he wins another stay and gets his photo in the local paper. It's sickening.

It's not bad enough that he killed their daughter, let's make HIM out to be the victim .. PUKE!

He is so guilty, GUILTY, GUILTY!

[Streetdreamer]

Originally Posted by texasgal

The twelve people who were chosen as jury .. sat through this trial .. heard all the evidence .. convicted this creep. Melissa's family sat through this trial and had to hear all the evidence.

Please read ALL the evidence and not just the stuff spouted on the anti-death penalty websites. It's been 10 years, they are counting on people not remembering the facts. Where were all these "experts" 10 years ago ..

Melissa's family has to relive the brutal way she died and look at that creep's pictures every time he wins another stay and gets his photo in the local paper. It's sickening.

It's not bad enough that he killed their daughter, let's make HIM out to be the victim .. PUKE!

He is so guilty, GUILTY, GUILTY!

LOL, Texas. An express lane for the death penalty.

I would fully support the death penalty but I cant get my head around the fact the prosecutors and state officials unethically fight tooth and nail to prevent people from proving their innocence. Its the defiance of the law in attempts to hide and destroy exculpatory evidence, paid informants, absence of penalties for prosecutorial misconduct and an absolute objection to new trials despite evidence.

[JD1974]

Originally Posted by texasgal

The twelve people who were chosen as jury .. sat through this trial .. heard all the evidence .. convicted this creep. Melissa's family sat through this trial and had to hear all the evidence.

Please read ALL the evidence and not just the stuff spouted on the anti-death penalty websites. It's been 10 years, they are counting on people not remembering the facts. Where were all these "experts" 10 years ago ..

Melissa's family has to relive the brutal way she died and look at that creep's pictures every time he wins another stay and gets his photo in the local paper. It's sickening.

It's not bad enough that he killed their daughter, let's make HIM out to be the victim .. PUKE!

He is so guilty, GUILTY, GUILTY!

What else is just as sickening is that those 12 jurors who heard "all" the evidence DIDN'T hear ALL the evidence! The state withheld critical information from the pathologist who testified as to time of death. That pathologist who now has all the information has changed the time of death, so how dd the jury hear all the evidence? It has been 10 years and science has came a long way since then, so where were those experts? Since some of the science they are relying on was considered junk science back then they were probably trying to prove it wasn't. You can't have it both ways, you want to use new or improved science to convict but not to exonerate.

Also what if this guy isn't guilty, the so called "puke" then IS a victim just as much as Melissa and her family. How would her family feel if he was put to death and then they found the person who had actually committed the crime?

[Casspian]

Should I NOT be able to serve on a jury because I oppose the death penalty?

[Casspian]

Originally Posted by Poster Guy2

Why do you continue to spout this nonsense? Can you point to one case where an innocent person has been put to death? People who want the DP abolished do not operate with facts, it is typically histrionic speculation.

In the last 35 years, 130 people have been released from death row due to evidence of their wrongful convictions

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty

Number of wrongful convictions estimated at almost 87,000 from 1989-2003

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/arch...nvictions.html

Originally Posted by Casspian

Should I NOT be able to serve on a jury because I oppose the death penalty?

If you live in a DP state, you can serve on any jury you're called for, provided it's not a DP case.

If it is, then no you can't serve because you're unwilling to follow the law, if I understand the question correctly.

There is a solution, move to a state that doesn't have the DP. It works really well for me since I'm not totally opposed to the death penalty. But the realities of prosecutorial misconduct, improper investigations, cost to take a case from trial to sentence, the imbalance of justice based on race/religion/wealth etc are all serious issues for me.

I don't understand why it isn't more widely understood it costs less to confine an inmate for life w/o parole than it does to actually carry out a death sentence. I think, if more people understood that, we'd see more and more states eliminate their DP statutes.

[JD1974]

Originally Posted by interested

If you live in a DP state, you can serve on any jury you're called for, provided it's not a DP case.

If it is, then no you can't serve because you're unwilling to follow the law, if I understand the question correctly.

There is a solution, move to a state that doesn't have the DP. It works really well for me since I'm not totally opposed to the death penalty. But the realities of prosecutorial misconduct, improper investigations, cost to take a case from trial to sentence, the imbalance of justice based on race/religion/wealth etc are all serious issues for me.

I don't understand why it isn't more widely understood it costs less to confine an inmate for life w/o parole than it does to actually carry out a death sentence. I think, if more people understood that, we'd see more and more states eliminate their DP statutes.

Bolding by me...that is something I do not understand either. Almost everyone I talk to that is for the dp says something about cost. It is the exact opposite, it is cheaper to keep someone in prison for the rest of their lives than to kill them.

Originally Posted by JD1974

Bolding by me...that is something I do not understand either. Almost everyone I talk to that is for the dp says something about cost. It is the exact opposite, it is cheaper to keep someone in prison for the rest of their lives than to kill them.

I think the fear on the part of the masses is that if it's not a Death Sentence they'll eventually be set free. Let's face it, those that end up being sentenced to death stand convicted of the most heinous of crimes. Crimes that strike fear into the heart of Marines and give women and children night mares.

Guilty or innocent isn't really their motivation, total fear for their lives and their children is their motivation. They want a conviction & they're not really thinking rationally when they call for the DP. They're screaming emotionally & good decisions are rarely made on an emotional level.

We need consistent truth in sentencing in this country. Life w/o parole must mean life w/o parole, not 20 years. 20 years must mean 20 years, not 5 with good time and a soft parole board.

I'm pretty sure it took Willie Horton to bring truth in sentencing to Massachusetts, it needs to be nation wide to allow the common citizen to have faith in the system. A death sentence is not the only solution to keeping society safe & when it's an unjust conviction for any of the many reasons they happen, it makes society worse than those convicted.

But nothing will ever change the fact that is costs much more to actually carry out a DP than it does to keep an inmate incarcerated for life, because of the super defense & appeals the condemned must be afforded by law before it can be carried out.

[Marcia3]

Originally Posted by Casspian

In the last 35 years, 130 people have been released from death row due to evidence of their wrongful convictions

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty

Number of wrongful convictions estimated at almost 87,000 from 1989-2003

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/arch...nvictions.html

But are there any cases where a DP was carried out and then irrefutable evidence was found that would have exonerated the person who was executed? Just curious...

[JD1974]

Originally Posted by interested

I think the fear on the part of the masses is that if it's not a Death Sentence they'll eventually be set free. Let's face it, those that end up being sentenced to death stand convicted of the most heinous of crimes. Crimes that strike fear into the heart of Marines and give women and children night mares.

Guilty or innocent isn't really their motivation, total fear for their lives and their children is their motivation. They want a conviction & they're not really thinking rationally when they call for the DP. They're screaming emotionally & good decisions are rarely made on an emotional level.

We need consistent truth in sentencing in this country. Life w/o parole must mean life w/o parole, not 20 years. 20 years must mean 20 years, not 5 with good time and a soft parole board.

I'm pretty sure it took Willie Horton to bring truth in sentencing to Massachusetts, it needs to be nation wide to allow the common citizen to have faith in the system. A death sentence is not the only solution to keeping society safe & when it's an unjust conviction for any of the many reasons they happen, it makes society worse than those convicted.

But nothing will ever change the fact that is costs much more to actually carry out a DP than it does to keep an inmate incarcerated for life, because of the super defense & appeals the condemned must be afforded by law before it can be carried out.

ITA I think life should mean life period. We need to change sentencing guidelines, I want there to be no cap on how many years someone can receive for a horrific crime. Give someone 1,000 years, if they are innocent hopefully it will come out, if they are dead the chances of that happening are zero.

Originally Posted by JD1974

ITA I think life should mean life period. We need to change sentencing guidelines, I want there to be no cap on how many years someone can receive for a horrific crime. Give someone 1,000 years, if they are innocent hopefully it will come out, if they are dead the chances of that happening are zero.

Great article from AP, 8 states consider abolishing the DP, because it costs 10X the amount to execute an inmate rather than imprison them for life. Not because they don't believe in the DP, not because they're concerned they could execute an innocent man, but because of the economic situation. The article explains why it costs so much more:

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news...ve.to.Execute/

Maryland has spent 37.2 million dollars for each of the five executions they've carried out since it was reestablished in 1972.

California with the highest death row population in the country spends $90,000 more per year per inmate on death row as opposed to those not on death row. That's 60 million dollars a year in increased cost just to house them pending execution because they're sequestered in private cells under more rigid security and everything from meals to toilet paper must be brought to them by guards.

[n/t]

I goggled to find out about this guy's case and came across this interview.

An interview with death row inmate Larry Swearingen

http://www.courttv.com/facing_death/...tv.html?page=1


First impression, he comes across as very arrogant to me. Off to read some more about his case.

[n/t]

Wow......

The bizarre letter from jail, the overwhelming evidence against him including his wife's hair being found at the crime scene, his past history of violence against women.

Sounds like the jury made the right decision. Oh and the boo hoo that OJ, Blake got a good defense team and Scott Peterson didn't and that's why he's on death row says alot about him.

Based on what I read, the jury made the right decision and his sentencing was appropriate for the heinous crime he committed.

[texasgal]

Originally Posted by FallenAngel

oh i have NO doubt in my mind Larry Ray Swearingen's guilty.

Neither do I ..

for Melissa ..

We'll never forget you ...