James Byrd killer scheduled to be executed this week

Good news. Thank you, Texas!

If you’re against the death penalty, you’re against it.

I know, r2. That's why I'm struggling.

I am against the death penalty. But I think the killing of James Byrd was especially heartbreaking. IIRC, the murderers offered Byrd a ride home (he had been walking), then dragged Byrd from a truck. It's really hard to feel sorry for the people who did that to him.

So only the killers you find personally offensive should be killed? Thanks for proving why the death penalty is wrong and why its supporters are morons who make decisions based on emotions and not on logic. Freepers begone.

Not saying I'm against the death penalty only for certain people. Just saying that it's hard to feel sorry for the people who killed James Byrd. I am against the death penalty across the board.

Texas has been slacking a bit lately. I'm not sure why. But yay to this.

let him die.

R7 probably voted for Dubya and Rick Perry

I am pro death penalty. However, if the family of the victim calls for a life sentence over the dp, then I agree with them.

Okay, so people should be sentenced based on the whims of the victims family?

No, but they're opinion matters.

Ugh *their.

I wish his death could be more violent and painful.

R14 posting from the Spanish Inquisition there.

I am glad this person will die. The details of this murder are horrific. The victim body just ripped apart. His head was torn from his body. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering he went through. I think of myself as a forgiving person but when you can treat another human being in this manner you have no business to live while this man died in the most gruesome manner

R16, killing another person won't change what happened. Republicans aren't big on logic.

Animal abuse should be treated the same way. Execution.

I hate this world, but some monsters will only respond to the harshest punishments.

[Quote] killing another person won't change what happened.

Neither will keeping the fucker alive. So what's the difference?

R15

You didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition, did you?

Deterrence, social retribution. Worth it.

CoreCivic and the GEO Group oppose the death penalty. Why reduce the number of prisoners, even by just a few? Do you know how much each are worth over their lifetimes?

It's a shame it has taken this long to murder this killer. IMO killers get to live far to long. It's to bad his death will be humane as opposed to what they did to James Byrd.

[quote] Okay, so people should be sentenced based on the whims of the victims family?

The victim's family's positions on the death penalty vs. life sentence does factor into a sentence.

R24, which just shows you why the death penalty is wrong - it's unfairly applied. People who commit the same crime should get the same punishment.

Most Americans favor IT

We all have a death sentence but life in prison is punishment. Why don't good men or black prisoners punish these motherfuckers every day?

R26, most Americans were against interracial marriage and gay marriage

I agree r4. However, I'm against the death penalty because I don't think the state should have the power to execute citizens (Hello China! Hello Saudi Arabia!), not because I find those on death row particularly sympathetic.

Maybe Trump can pardon him

Also, it always amused me how Republicans are generally pro-death penalty. I mean, the are so suspicious of the government in other ways (Don't take my guns!!! No single-payer healthcare!!!) and yet they're comfortable with the government having the power to execute citizens?

Yeah ...

1988??? The question is, why is he even still still alive?

R31, you are right, freepers are so hypocritical

It was 1998, r32

This depraved monster brutally killed someone in a horrific way just for kicks...and he just takes a mild sedative and goes to sleep forever?

He should have been burned at the stake in the town square 20 years ago.

[quote]He should have been burned at the stake in the town square 20 years ago.

Yes, because let's fight lynching with lynching.

Thank you, R34.

1998?? Why is the fucker still sucking on the taxpayer teat? What gives, Texas?

R37, it costs more to execute people, but conservatives aren't big on facts.

I truly believe there are people who need to be dead, but too many people who are innocent are on death row.

This fuck should be dragged behind a truck.

If death penalty advocates were dragged behind a truck, the number of Republicans in our society would be greatly reduced

OP If you oppose the death penalty, why the dramatic handwriting, snowflake? Attention? Ok you got it. I posted on your thread.

I oppose the death penalty too. Death is to good and easy for these people IMO.

r41, try making a coherent point.

Think r42.

No trump pardon for a fellow white nationalist?

This asshole should be punished and it should hurt. Since this is illegal, I’ll settle for a death penalty. What they did to Byrd is beyond murder, they should fry in Hell forever.

R45 thinks hell exists, which shows you the kind of level most Republicans are operating on.

They should be made to do menial work in black neighborhoods for the rest of their lives. Every single day. The death penalty is too quick.

"most Americans were against interracial marriage and gay marriage" - Great analogy !

Justice will finally be served. I wish they’d let me stick the needle in this motherfucker’s arm, I’d do it with a smile.

R49 is another Rick Perry supporter.

R48 is too dumb to understand that "most Americans" can be wrong

I can’t believe it took 20 years. This piece of shit should’ve BEEN executed!

[QUOTE]However, if the family of the victim calls for a life sentence over the dp, then I agree with them.

Only SOME of his family did. And they’re wrong.

R52, Republicans are wrong.

Why can't we try Wall Street for mass murder? The French had a good invention for it...

Flippant snarkiness aside, the death penalty is ethically & morally wrong. Who cares about the 8th Amendment until you have to face it? Hell, our whole prison system in the USA is fucked... a pipeline for cheap labor or at worse a way for folks to make money off of people being locked up.

[QUOTE]Republicans are wrong.

Are you some sort of troll? Who says that only Republicans support the death penalty?

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

I remember this story when the news first broke. I was just horrified. My soul ached for the horror and pain that Mr. Byrd felt in his dying moments... knowing that he was being brutally murdered.

I'm glad the killer will die soon. The brutality of this murder justifies the death penalty. I won't cheer or smile, I will just feel like true justice was served.

Good.. This isn't some poor schmuck that got railroaded by society because some aspect of his identity (economics, religion, disability, sexuality, race, nationality, etc) made it easy to frame or over charge him for a crime. He committed an incredibly sadistic crime and needs to be put down for it.

I support the death penalty for particularly heinous crimes; for example, mass shooters; mass murderers; serial killers; repeat offending pedophiles; and perpetrators of uniquely sadistic crimes. No, I'm not a republican or even right-leaning, and I couldn't give less of a fuck about not being considered 'enlightened' on this issue like Europeans. Some people cannot be reformed. Some crimes cause too much damage to society.

I believe child murderers and people who commit heinous crimes should be executed. No it does not change anything but neither life without parole. However, it does ensure the murderer never harm another person.

I support the death penalty so no hand-wringing from me about who to kill or when. If a crime meets the criteria for 1st degree murder conviction it should be open season.

Personally I think we should do it like Japan who informs the condemned like a day before that they are being executed.

Update: he is dead.

He died and I'm just fine with that. It's long overdue. This is the second perpetrator who has been executed. The third cooperated with the authorities and was sentenced to life and will be eligible for parole in 2038

The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution specifically authorized the death penalty.

No person shall "be 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 of 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, liberty, or property, without due process of law."

I really, REALLY wish I didn't read the details of James Byrd's murder.

He was alive and conscious through most of the dragging, and only died about halfway through when he was beheaded by a culvert.

I’m glad he’s dead, and I hope during the 12 minutes it took from the injection to his last breath he experienced the most vivid, horrifying hallucinations imaginable.

I watched a video about him on yt and ended up bingeing death row videos for about two hours.

IMO, the premeditated murder of ANYONE is a heinous crime.

The death penalty shouldn't exclude justice for any victims because they don't fit into a "special" category.

Did anyone collect the body?

I'm OK with the death penalty where the evidence is overwhelming, e.g., video from multiple independent cameras. Otherwise life w/o parole is fine.

That’s really fucked up what happened to Mr. Byrd.

Very sad.

Some people need to be put down like rabid animals.

R58 insists he isn't a Republican but recites right-wing talking points. You should move you Iran or Saudi Arabia if you love the death penalty so much. I guess you want America to be like a third world country.