Louisiana Legislator Introduces Bill to Abolish the Death Penalty
Abolishing Death Penalty a Goal for One Louisiana Legislator
That caught my attention and with a thud, I hit my chair and yelled; "You have got to be joking"!
Now, why would I say such a thing? Well for starters there is one inmate sitting on Death Row in Angola State Prison (Louisiana) whose execution I have been waiting to witness for about 13 + years now. This particular inmate murdered my Aunt in 1994 and has been resting on Death Row since he was convicted and sentenced to Death by Lethal Injection. His first appeal (to the Louisiana Court of Appeals) has been denied. His execution date has been pushed forward and he is supposed to be going before the US Supreme Court for an appeal. The problem preventing the hearing of this last appeal is that there are problems finding an attorney that wants to take a non-winnable appeal before the Supreme Court. This murder confessed that he murdered (along with 8 others) my Aunt.
Now, if this Bill is passed by the Louisiana Legislature, which is now in session, that would mean that Fredrick Gradley would be freed from Death Row at Angola State Penitentiary and be placed in with the general prison population to live out the rest of his natural life.
I for one, can't not even imagine what this world would be like if the Death Penalty was Abolished and not allowed as a punishment for any crime what so ever in the State of Louisiana. Does anyone believe that heinous crimes of murder and rape would end without the threat of such a punishment as Death by Lethal Injection. How can anyone say that death by lethal injection is much to Cruel and Harsh punishment for someone who deliberately planned out and intentionally carried out the unprovoked beating (with fists), beating (with pipe), kicking, punching, stabbing, and ultimately murdering an 82 year old small, and fragile female in the sanctuary of her own home.
My aunt was so brutally murdered that she was totally unrecognizable. She suffered a horrible, very painful death at the hands of nine people who broke into her home in order to carry out the murder that they had planned out in advance.
If someone could convince me that Death by Lethal Injection is more cruel and inhumane than what my Aunt endured then maybe I might could accept the abolishment of the Death Penalty. I don't believe that anyone, no one from the Governor of our State on down to just a commoner could declare that Lethal Injection is more cruel and painful than the way my Aunt was murdered.
How can the legislature of my home state even consider such an unfair bill. There are many family members of murder victims (and rape victims) who should be appalled at this and they should all write their State Representatives and demand they vote against this Bill (House Bill #323). Don't let your loved one's death/pain be for nothing. Stand up and fight to stop this Bill from passing the House of Representatives. If we don't stand up for our murdered family members, who is going to????? Surely not the government.
Published by monme`re
I am a wife of 36 years, mother of three, grandmother of 7. I like to sew,crochet, and do craft projects. I teach kindergarten religion classes at my Church, and I love my volunteer work as a CASA (Court Ap... View profile
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- The History and Future of the Death Penalty
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- Louisiana Legislature to consider Abolishment of the Death Penalty
- Stand up for your murdered/raped family member's rights
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How can lethal Injection be more harsh and crueler than bludegoning, beating, and stabbing a victim.
Who says that Lethal Injection is very painful and a cruel way to die.
5 Comments
Post a CommentVery powerful story, and I agree with you 100 percent. Most anti-death penalty people rightly worry about the system getting it right--that is--not sentencing innocent people to death. But there are cases in which guilt is so clear, and the torture inflicted on victims so hideous, that they do not deserve the relative luxury of a life sentence. I just wrote about one such case on AC: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5858424/defense_rests_in_petit_murders.html?cat=17
I'm very sorry for the loss of your aunt. I can imagine her terror as she begged for her life. The death penalty is the only way of speaking for her and other victims.
(This response is also on my article about the death penalty.) Your PM to me asked me if I was in a situation where someone close to me died, would I want them to get the death penalty. And my response: When I wrote my death penalty article, I was fully aware of that experience. Throughout my younger years, I had two cousins who were shot and stabbed to death, and a listless amount of friends who were gunned down due to gang violence. With that said, I'm still 100% against the death penalty. While there are definitely plenty of people locked up who deserve to be punished for their crimes, there are still too many people who are locked up unnecessarily and are innocent. Without knowing 100% who is guilty and who is not, I can't be in support of the death penalty, plus from the folks who killed those close to me, I'd rather they spend the rest of their lives in prison. Death is the easy way out.
Let me assure you that your comment did not upset me at all; everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
I can tell you that the prisoner that sits on Death Row in this case, Fredrick D. Gradley, was guilty of murder. He confessed on his own to the crime he committed. This is why an appeal to the Supreme Court has not happened yet.
As far as, "Life in prison is just as horrific", I don't believe that it is nearly as horrific as the beating/bludgenoning/stabbing death that my Aunt endured before she breathed her last breath. Unlike "Sean Bell" that you speak about in one of your articles, my Aunt was in her own home, minding her own business, when she was ganged up on by the persons who murdered her. Not one of the nine denied being in her home at the time. They all gave varying versions of how the murder actually happened but none denied being there when she was beaten/stabbed.
While some people believe that the Death Penalty is cruel and unjust..... answer me one question.
Regardless, my condolences to you for the situation with your aunt. That's a shame that something so dreadful happened to her. However, with my skepticism of the legal system and police corruption, I can't support the death penalty. If the government worked more to bring jobs into the community, less people would commit crimes like robbing, stealing, and murdering. Instead, more prisons are put up and nothing is still being done about the economy. I'm not supporting the people/person who killed your aunt though. I'm speaking in general.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to really piss you off with my comment, but I'm against the death penalty. There have been too many times, such as the Governor Ryan issue in Illinois, where inmates have been beaten into testifying that they did things that they were not guilty of. Too many people have been put in prison for crimes that they did not commit, and then when they are realized, they don't get so much as an apology. Maybe your aunt is the exception. I was not at the scene of the crime, so I'm not willing to completely agree that any of the nine killed your aunt. I'm not saying you're lying. I'm just saying I wasn't there. However, I don't feel like any human being should have the right to play God (if there really is one). I hope the death penalty is rejected in all states. Life in prison is just as horrific, in my mind.