[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----MO., KAN., COLO., CALIF., USA

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 7


MISSOURI:

Missouri making no progress in human rights


Last week, I took an easy walk from my downtown apartment to Culinaria for 
groceries. I walked past sculptures, fountains and green spaces - an amazing 
transformation since I last lived in St. Louis 15 years ago. It's a thrill to 
see so many improvements to the region.

A start-up economy has developed with groups like Accelerate St. Louis helping 
connect people and resources. The region's highly regarded biomedical field 
continues to attract talent and opportunity. These things make Missouri stand 
out as a great place to live.

Unfortunately, we also stand out for lack of progress in human rights, 
particularly our record on race and gender equality. Economic disparity and the 
resulting community tension and anger have marked us with the stain of 
persistent racism.

And it's not just about Ferguson. Our Legislature's ill-concealed racism and 
hostility to fundamental democratic rights is clear in efforts like the 
intentionally misleading Amendment 6. It sought to severely limit early voting, 
giving working people fewer opportunities to get to the polls. Fortunately, 
Missouri voters rejected it.

Missouri is also widely known for its official disregard for women's rights and 
well-being through discriminatory social and economic policies that hurt 
families and communities across the state. With the recent passage of the 
72-hour waiting period for women seeking abortion, the state is sacrificing the 
care and safety of women and families to join the ranks of states with the 
greatest barriers to reproductive rights.

The consequences reach far beyond bodily autonomy. For women, being able to 
control when and whether to have a child is essential to establishing a stable 
family life. The 2011 Missouri Women's Report provides significant data on 
unintended pregnancies in our state and demonstrates how control of fertility 
affects women's ability to work, take care of their children, flee an abusive 
relationship, pay the rent and feed their families. Teen mothers in particular 
are more likely to drop out of school, live in poverty and need public 
assistance to care for their families.

These matters are central to women's lives, yet no progress here. For this we 
can thank a Legislature that does not answer to the majority of Missourians. No 
fewer than 40 members of the Missouri Legislature have ties and apparent 
indebtedness to the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council. This 
infamous right-wing "bill mill" pushes out legislation that serves corporate 
greed and control at the expense of women and families, racial and ethnic 
minorities, the environment, public schools, workers and unions, and basic 
democratic rights. It's not surprising that working people tend to be better 
off economically in states with greater gender and race equality than in states 
with legislatures dominated by outside interests and narrow-minded minorities. 
Missouri increasingly looks like a throwback to the eras of Jim Crow and 
keeping women barefoot and pregnant.

With roughly 1/2 of states decriminalizing marijuana to some extent in recent 
years, Missouri spends nearly $50 million per year enforcing marijuana 
possession laws. While our neighbor Illinois and other states have abolished 
the death penalty, with 78 people killed, Missouri ranks 5th nationally in 
number of executions since 1976.

Our failure to keep pace with the rest of the country on issues of justice and 
equality has earned Missouri an undesirable place in the national spotlight.

We do not have to accept a corporate-driven race to the bottom. Civic 
engagement in Ferguson has generated unprecedented levels of collaboration 
among advocates on an array of justice issues. Together we are building 
community power to change Missouri for the better. We can all play a part by 
voting, by insisting that anyone running for office puts the interests of 
Missourians over those of outsiders, and by joining the vibrant movement for 
change in Missouri.

Our state will become a more just and equitable place to live only when people 
demand change. Our vote is a powerful tool in achieving the promise of liberty 
and justice for all, but we must also vote with our feet, our voices and our 
dollars.

(source: Deborah Jacobs is a social justice advocate and former ACLU executive 
director in Missouri and New Jersey. She lives in St. Louis, consults on issues 
concerning race and gender and plays an active role in the local Don't Shoot 
Coalition----St. Louis Today)






KANSAS----female may face death penalty

Death penalty kept as option in southeast Kansas killings----Kisha Schaberg, 
36, is charged in the November 2013 deaths


Prosecutors say they may seek death penalty against a California woman accused 
in the slayings of her biological son's adoptive parents in southeast Kansas.

Kisha Schaberg, 36, of San Diego, along with her biological son and his 2 
friends, is charged in the November 2013 deaths of Roger and Melissa Bluml. The 
couple were found shot to death in their car outside their home in rural Valley 
Center. Investigators allege the couple were shot as part of a plot to collect 
insurance money.

During Schaberg's arraignment Wednesday, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc 
Bennett said he wanted the option of seeking the death penalty, The Wichita 
Eagle reported (http://bit.ly/1uBWnm4). The judge didn't immediately rule on 
the request, and her attorney noted that a jury may not hear the case for at 
least a year because of the severity of the charges.

Schaberg's 19-year-old biological son, Anthony Bluml, and his former high 
school classmates Andrew Ellington and Braden Smith, also both 19, are charged 
with capital murder. The 4 suspects also face charges of aggravated robbery, 
burglary and theft, and are each being held in jail on $2 million bond.

Melissa Bluml, 53, died at a Wichita hospital the day after she and her 
48-year-old husband were found shot in the head. Roger Bluml died about 5 weeks 
later.

Smith testified in July that Schaberg pulled the trigger. He said the shootings 
stemmed from resentment and were part of a plan to gain life insurance money. 
He said Bluml moved in with him after he was kicked out of his house for using 
marijuana, and that they later drove to San Diego so Bluml could reconnect with 
Schaberg.

Smith struck a plea deal with prosecutors that will reduce his charges in 
exchange for testifying against the other suspects.

Smith, Bluml and Schaberg have pleaded not guilty. Ellington is scheduled for 
arraignment Nov. 20.

Schaberg's next court date is Jan. 13.

(source: Capital Journal Online)






COLORADO:

Hickenlooper's stance on death penalty will likely not affect Holmes trial ---- 
Death penalty controversy raises questions about Holmes case


The death penalty was a focal point of Colorado's gubernatorial race and though 
most Coloradans support the death penalty, Gov. John Hickenlooper's stance 
against it did not wind up costing him re-election.

Hickenlooper granted an indefinite reprieve to death row inmate Nathan Dunlap 
last year. Dunlap was convicted in the 1993 Chuck E. Cheese massacre in Aurora. 
Hickenlooper has said he has no plans to revisit his decision.

But it raises questions about the impact on future death penalty cases, 
particularly the Aurora theater shooting case set to begin jury selection in 
January.

Retired political science professor Bob Loevy told KRDO NewsChannel 13 he does 
not believe Hickenlooper will impact the James Holmes trial because 
Hickenlooper only has one term left in office.

"I think Gov. Hickenlooper will probably stay right where he wants to be on the 
death penalty," Loevy said. "That it will not be enforced while he is 
governor."

Criminal defense attorney Josh Tolini agreed that Hickenlooper would likely not 
have an effect on Holmes' fate. Tolini said it generally takes three or four 
years to get through the trial phase of a typical death penalty case then 
another 10 to 15 years in appeals.

Tolini also said that neither prosecutors nor the defense could argue 
Hickenlooper's stance against the penalty when making a case.

"When you have a juror actually making the decision whether or not they're 
actually going to participate in killing somebody, it's been my experience that 
they take that very very seriously," Tolini said. "They would hopefully try. 
Now, is that humanly possible? Probably not. But I think for the most part they 
would try to do that."

Including Dunlap, Colorado has 3 inmates currently on death row. The state has 
executed just 1 inmate since 1997.

(source: KRDO news)






CALIFORNIA:

Victims group sues over slow California executions, wants state to adopt 
single-drug method


A victims' rights organization sued California state officials on Thursday as 
it seeks to speed up executions that have been on hold since 2006.

Sacramento-based Criminal Justice Legal Foundation filed a petition in 
Sacramento County Superior Court asking a judge to order state corrections 
officials to adopt procedures for a single-drug, barbiturate-only method of 
execution.

State policy currently calls for using a series of 3 drugs to put condemned 
inmates to death.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is drafting new lethal 
injection regulations after Gov. Jerry Brown said in April 2012 that the state 
would switch to a single-drug lethal injection.

However, department spokeswoman Deborah Hoffman said that a nationwide shortage 
of execution drugs is slowing progress. She declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The foundation says the department is taking too long to adopt the new 
regulations. No executions can occur until the new rules are adopted.

It is asking the judge to order the state to adopt temporary regulations within 
30 days and take immediate steps to adopt permanent regulations.

The foundation sought the court order on behalf of Kermit Alexander, whose 
mother, sister and 2 nephews were murdered in 1984, and Bradley Winchell, whose 
sister was raped and murdered in 1983, contending that as relatives of the 
victims they are affected by the continued delays.

Alexander and Winchell said in nearly identical letters to Corrections 
Secretary Jeffrey Beard in September that the murders of their relatives took 
place 30 years ago, yet there is "no end in sight" for the convicted killers 
solely because of the department's failure to adopt the new regulations.

Executions in California have also been halted by a series of legal challenges 
over the last 8 years, most recently when a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled 
in July that carrying out the death penalty takes so long that it amounts to 
unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment. Attorney General Kamala Harris 
is appealing that ruling.

The judge noted that more than 900 people have been sentenced to death in 
California since the current death penalty system was adopted 35 years ago. But 
only 13 have been executed, leaving most condemned inmates to die of natural 
causes before their executions are carried out.

(source: Associated Press)






USA:

Death penalty decision in Carlile muder plot to come in February


A federal judge has given prosecutors until Feb. 10 to determine whether they 
will seek the death penalty for 5 of 6 men implicated in an alleged 
murder-for-hire plot tied to North Dakota oil fields that left a South Hill 
businessman shot to death in his home last year.

U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza set the deadline for the government 
to make its decision at a court hearing earlier this week. James Henrikson, 
Timothy Suckow, Robert Delao, Todd Bates, Lazaro Pesina and Robby Wahrer were 
indicted in September for their alleged roles in the shooting death of Douglas 
Carlile, who was found dead of gunshots by Spokane Police on Dec. 15. Federal 
prosecutors have said they may pursue a capital case against all defendants 
except Bates, who faces conspiracy charges for his alleged role in targeting 
another business partner of Henrikson's.

Suckow and Henrikson were also indicted for their alleged role in the slaying 
of Kristopher "K.C." Clake, an employee of Henrikson's on the Bakken shale oil 
fields who went missing in 2012. His body has not been found.

Prosecutors say representatives from the U.S. Justice Department in Washington 
D.C. have traveled to Spokane in recent weeks to review the case and determine 
if a capital sentence is warranted.

62 federal inmates are currently on death row, according to nonprofit group the 
Death Penalty Information Center. Last month, Henrikson's attorney filed a 
motion with research indicating federal capital cases, when pursued, usually 
take 3 years from indictment to a jury's decision.

(source: Spokesman-Review)

**********************

Is there a religiously correct opinion to hold on the death penalty?


Leave the door open for repentance

When it comes to examining the death penalty from a religious perspective, we 
need to ask why it exists in the first place. If it is being used for 
retribution, then it is very much based on the Old Testament perspective of "an 
eye for an eye." I believe that this is a very shortsighted and outdated 
perspective.

If it is being used to keep society safe from further harm, it certainly fits 
into the perspective of the Common Good, but I believe that there are very few 
instances where this is actually necessary.

Ultimately, I believe that the most important factor we can consider when 
examining the death penalty is that of repentance.

When we decide to execute a convicted criminal, we are eliminating any 
possibility of repentance for that person. Even if we don't believe this is 
likely, we should still allow the person the opportunity.

God gives all of us the chance to repent and to be reconciled with him, and 
it's not for us to decide who does or doesn't get that chance.

Ultimately, all of us will have to answer to God for our sins. God gave each of 
us life, and we are called to respect all life, even the lives of convicted 
criminals.

While the teaching of the Catholic Church doesn't exclude recourse to the death 
penalty, there are certainly better ways to ensure the safety of the public in 
this day and age.

- Bryan Lowe, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Anniston

----

Biblical standard should be our standard

The phrase "politically correct" has become worn out. By trying to be 
"politically correct," we have freed murderers to murder again, and we have 
executed many who were innocent.

The language, policies and ideas that should be used to address crimes 
committed against human beings should be the same as those that were given to 
us by our Creator, Yahweh Almighty.

How should we view the death penalty? First of all, we must remember that 
Yahweh instituted the death penalty in His Word (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13; 
Exodus 21:12). It is presumptuous of us to think we could institute a higher 
standard.

Yahweh has, and is, the highest standard of any being. He is perfect. His 
standard applies not only to us, but to Himself as well. He is love, He loves 
to the infinite degree and He also shows mercy to the infinite degree.

What most "politically correct" humans don't understand, however, is that He 
also has wrath to the infinite degree, but everything is maintained in a 
perfect balance.

Secondly, let us not forget that Yahweh has given the government the authority 
to determine when capital punishment is due (Genesis 9:6; Romans 13:1-7).

Those who want to be "politically correct" claim that Yahweh opposes the death 
penalty in all instances, and neither is it "politically correct" to rejoice 
when the death penalty is employed.

Yahweh's people should never fight against the government's right to execute 
the perpetrators of the most violent of crimes.

Finally, if you just want to be "politically correct," every sin that we commit 
should result in the death penalty, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 
6:23). Thankfully, and I mean very thankfully, Yahweh demonstrated His love for 
us, and while we were yet sinners His Son died for us (Romans 5:8).

-- Bob McClain, Living By Faith Ministry, Oxford

(source: Letters to the Editor, Anniston (Ala.) Star)