[Vision2020] Fwd: Claude Dalllas to be released tomorrow

[Tom Hansen]

Voluntary Manslaughter??????????

What was the prosecution looking for?  A quick and easy conviction?

Last time I checked the books, the killing of a law enforcement officer
qualified as "special circumstances" which does allow for capital
punishment.

The sentence of 30 years for killing two officers amounts to cheapening the
costs.  I am certain that the family and friends of Idaho Fish and Game
officers Conley Elms and Bill Pogue agree and will never forget.  Thirty
years may be a long time to some.  Forever is infinitely longer.

Take care, Idaho.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"What is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they
are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say
about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."

-- Robert F. Kennedy



-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Warren Hayman
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 2:13 PM
To: Dan Carscallen
Cc: 'vision2020'; 'Bill London'; 'Pat Kraut'
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Fwd: Claude Dalllas to be released tomorrow

I agree with the spirit of DC's post. The analogy of running red lights 
and killing is flawed. To rectify it somewhat, the poaching amounts to 
the running of the light. Killing the official who tries to arrest you 
for it (with or without a drawn gun) is a different scenario, and more 
closely approximates the situation.

In response to the original two posts by PK and TH:

I admit I start from opposition to the death penalty. PK in the post 
and TH in the response seem to favor it. "That
anyone could outright kill two people of any employment and get out of 
the death penalty is incredable." "I totally agree with Ms. Kraut." So 
at least my bias is also out front as well.

But beyond that, the tenor of those texts seems to point a finger at 
Dallas for walking. A convicted killer served the time mandated by the 
courts, and was released. This reifies a justice system. Rather than 
impugn an entire system, perhaps we can blame the jury and prosecuting 
and defense attorneys for their relative strengths and weaknesses. 
Dallas committed the crime. He did not determine the charges against 
him. He did not determine his incarceration length. The judge sentenced 
according to guidelines already set; I see no precedent established 
back in 1982.

Perhaps the argument is that 30 years is too lenient for voluntary 
manslaughter; I don't know the statutes. Capital punishment is not 
within the venue, though. I do know that 30 years (the original 
sentence) is a long time. Long enough to forgive? Maybe. Time enough to 
remember those who died? I hope so.

Warren Hayman