“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
— The Continental Congress, July 4, 1776
“The task of statesmanship has always been the re-definition of these rights in terms of a changing and growing social order.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt (Commonwealth Club Address, 1932)
“Roosevelt was wrong! The principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence are the principles of individual liberty. Our unalienable rights, given to us by God are given to us as individuals. Our rights do not come from society or the government, and they cannot be redefined by politicians. The nature of these rights carries with it the implication of individual responsibility, without which we surrender them.”
— Perri Nelson, November 6, 2008
Drunkard Supreme Court Justice overturns murderer's death penalty
Published Thu, Nov 30 2006 7:01 PM
Technorati Tags: News and Politics, Courts
If someone in your family is raped, robbed, and then stabbed to death in Washington, don't expect justice. At least not from Justice Bobbe Bridge (you know the one, the hit-and-run-drunk-driving supreme court justice) and her cohorts on the Washington Supreme Court. Especially if the prosecutor suggests that life in prison for the rapist, robber, and murderer is too lenient.
Aggravated murder is a capital crime and it should carry a mandatory death sentence. Allen Eugene Gregory certainly didn't show any leniency to Geneine Ann Harshfield on the night he raped, robbed and killed her ten years ago.
The state Supreme Court overturned a convicted murderer's death penalty today, saying evidence from his rescinded rape convictions and a prosecutor's misconduct require a new sentence.
The 8-1 ruling came in the consolidated case of Allen Eugene Gregory, who appealed his convictions for rape in 2000 and his aggravated murder conviction from 2001.
The majority, led by Justice Bobbe Bridge, overturned the rape convictions, saying the trial judge should have considered evidence that may have helped Gregory's defense.
The justices then threw out Gregory's death sentence, saying evidence of the rapes influenced his sentencing for murder. The court also said it would have overturned the death sentence anyway, because the prosecutor committed misconduct by improperly suggesting life in prison was too lenient for Gregory.
...
Justices Richard Sanders and Mary Fairhurst agreed with the Supreme Court's result, but said they differed on the reasoning. Justice Jim Johnson dissented from the ruling, writing that the ruling "comes in total disregard of Washington's victims of crimes rights."
Source: The Seattle Times: Local News: Wash. Supreme Court overturns murderer's death penalty
Cross posted at NWBloggers.com
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