Current Events > So you're saying this piece of shit should be spared from the death penalty...?

(+) Yeah! (+)

You know I love you guys, though we may disagree on things like this, the death penalty. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it myself now-a-days anymore.
But this guy...this guy...friends, I'd do it myself.

https://youtu.be/i5p8UipZ02I

https://youtu.be/NnmNIxY8oJw

https://triblive.com/local/penn-hills/prosecutors-to-seek-death-penalty-against-man-accused-of-killing-uber-driver-in-monroeville

Prosecutors to seek death penalty against man accused of killing Uber driver in Monroeville

The Allegheny County District Attorneys Office filed notice Thursday that it will seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing an Uber driver after she picked him up for a fare.

Calvin Crew, 23, of Pitcairn, is accused of shooting Christi Spicuzza, 38, in a wooded area off Rosecrest Drive in Monroeville about 75 minutes after she picked him up on the night of Feb. 10.

In the minutes leading up to the shooting, video recorded by Spicuzzas dashboard camera showed her asking Crew repeatedly, Why are you doing this?

That man, who police later identified as Crew, held a gun to Spicuzzas head with one hand and held her ponytail in the other, demanding that the mother of four from Turtle Creek keep driving.
The video ended at 9:34 p.m., with the man reaching forward and yanking the camera off the dashboard.

Spicuzzas car was found on Fourth Avenue in Pitcairn on the morning of Feb. 12. About four hours later, her body was found by a delivery driver in the area.

The dashboard camera was found along a Penn Hills street, and her cellphone was recovered below the Triboro Expressway.

In the notice it filed, the DAs office cited two aggravating factors supporting its decision to seek the death penalty. It said the killing occurred during the perpetration of an alleged felony in this case, robbery and that Crew has a significant history of committing felonies involving the use or threat of violence.

Although Crew has not been convicted of any felonies in the past, if a jury finds him guilty of the ones charged in the Spicuzza case, those charges would apply as a possible aggravating factor for the death penalty thereby giving him a history of felony convictions involving the use of threat or violence.

To obtain a death sentence, the prosecution must prove at least one aggravating factor and convince the jury that it outweighs any mitigating evidence presented by the defendant, which could include medical or mental health history, a traumatic childhood and other life circumstances.

The DAs office also filed notice on April 14 indicating that it planned to seek the death penalty against DeAngelo Savion Zieglar, who is accused of killing Rachel Dowden on Jan. 19 at a Bellevue bus stop.

Police said Dowden, 28, had previously been in a relationship with Zieglar and had a history of being abused by him. She obtained a protection-from-abuse order that was to remain in effect for three years and also legally bought a handgun for protection. Police said Zieglar took the gun from Dowden several days before the killing and then used it to kill her near the intersection of Lincoln and Sheridan avenues.

Prosecutors listed five aggravating factors in that case, including that Zieglar, 25, killed Dowden during the perpetration of another felony (illegal gun possession), she witnessed another crime committed by Zieglar and he was the subject of a court order protecting Dowden from him. Zieglar has previously been convicted of gun charges and robbery.

The DAs office also filed notice earlier this month that it would seek the death penalty against Isaac Christopher Smith, 26, who is charged with killing Karli Short, 26, and her unborn baby on Sept. 13 in a McKeesport alley.

In addition to those three cases, there are four other capital prosecutions pending in Allegheny County.

No one in Pennsylvania has been executed since 1999, and there have been only three people put to death since capital punishment was reinstated in 1978.

The most recent person sentenced to death in Allegheny County was Richard Poplawski, who killed three Pittsburgh police officers in 2009.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued a moratorium on capital punishment in Pennsylvania in 2015. A report issued three years later called into question how the state handles the death penalty, but it did not call for a repeal of the death penalty.

100%.

Being against the death penalty isnt about 'protecting criminals' but more to ensure no one innocent runs foul of corrupt/lazy/incompetent people in the justice system.

Innocent people have been killed and even one is too many. Unless you are prepared to die for a crime you didnt commit, or for an innocent loved one to be killed, then why are you okay for other innocents to die?

In b4

My stance against the death penalty stems from two points: innocent people have been put to death for crimes they were accused of, convicted of, but did not commit; and the costs associated with keeping somebody on death row. They get as many appeals as they want up until they get the needle, which is extra resources that could be spent somewhere else. Conversely, life sentences without parole get a small smattering of, if at all. No, fast tracking executions doesn't work. We shouldn't be rushing to kill people convicted of violent crimes.

abolish the death penalty

FunkyCat posted...

100%.

Being against the death penalty isnt about 'protecting criminals' but more to ensure no one innocent runs foul of corrupt/lazy/incompetent people in the justice system.

Innocent people have been killed and even one is too many. Unless you are prepared to die for a crime you didnt commit, or for an innocent loved one to be killed, then why are you okay for other innocents to die?

Why i feel it should be extremely limited cases. Cases where there is zero doubt.

Abolish the death penalty.

I find this topic bizarre. Is the concept of not killing someone so alien to you that literally no other punishment can exist?

Sufferedphoneix posted...

Why i feel it should be extremely limited cases. Cases where there is zero doubt.

See, I would support this.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

Why i feel it should be extremely limited cases. Cases where there is zero doubt.

That simply isn't possible.

Evidence can be faked, has been faked and people can and have lied.

All your exception allows is for people to push to abuse it. Which they will, as they already do.

We dont live in a perfect society where things will always be 100% certain so it is pointless to pretend it can be.

abolish the death penalty

The Death Penalty shouldn't exist and this is before you factor in things like police forcing false confessions or wrongful convictions.

So you're saying this piece of shit should be spared from the death penalty...?

Yes. Everyone should be spares from the death penalty

Not for it but not gonna cry over this dude frying either

It's not about them.

It's about us.

Prison should be about reform, if they are deemed worthy of a life sentence than it means society doesn't believe they can be reformed. In that case then they should be put to death, not waste resources with a life sentence. Streamline executions, abolish life sentencing.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

Why i feel it should be extremely limited cases. Cases where there is zero doubt.

What is gained from having this exception of limited cases? Why not just remind the option completely

I'd rather he sit in a cell for the rest of his life, death penalty is almost like giving him the easy way out

I'm not for killing innocent people either. I think for a death penalty sentence you have to introduce what would probably be a new legal term: "irrefutable proof". If there is irrefutable proof the offender took one or more lives, and is up for murder one, then it makes the offender eligible for the death penalty. Not just a confession, a witness, or preponderance of the evidence, but irrefutable proof, like a freaking video, like this animal.
Anyone else would simply not be eligible for the death penalty.

And no fast tracking. they're still entitled to a defense, appeals, all that shit.

DipDipDiver posted...

I'd rather he sit in a cell for the rest of his life, death penalty is almost like giving him the easy way out

Yeah, that's kind of true, but then that kind of makes anti death penalty people's stance look a bit...uhh...inhumane?

If it were canada he'd just feign a "psychotic episode" and be released in 18 months. Happens a lot. We have a 5x murderer walking the streets unsupervised, worst murderer in my citys history. Father is a police chief and speculation is the perp was coached

Sometimes, death is too good for these people. They should be turned into slaves and sold to another country that still uses them.

I'd keep a 1000 criminals alive if it meant one innocent person gets to live

Naysaspace posted...

If it were canada he'd just feign a "psychotic episode" and be released in 18 months. Happens a lot. We have a 5x muderer walking the streets unsupervised, worst murderer in my citys history. Father is a police chief and speculation is the perp was coached

In Iceland the worst you can be sentenced to for any crime no matter how severe is 17 years.

Unless you do something stupid like claim a "psychotic episode" in which case you can be kept as an involuntary psychiatric inpatient indefinitely.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

Why i feel it should be extremely limited cases. Cases where there is zero doubt.

Zero doubt is already the standard for our Justice system

Tyranthraxus posted...

In Iceland the worst you can be sentenced to for any crime no matter how severe is 17 years.

Unless you do something stupid like claim a "psychotic episode" in which case you can be kept as an involuntary psychiatric inpatient indefinitely.

Here it is 25 but multiple successive terms exist. Robert picton for example

Is TC saying convicted person should be killed to give TC warm fuzzies?

None of us (at least not me) grew up being told how precious we are to the future of the world. It is really hard to comprehend the potential each and every person has.

None the less humans have gotten it together in the past and we may beat global warming, tsunamis, nuclear armageddon.

So yeah we have to spare human garbage.

CobraGT posted...

Is TC saying convicted person should be killed to give TC warm fuzzies?

Uh, the victim's family?

None of us (at least not me) grew up being told how precious we our to the future of the world. It is really hard to comprehend the potential each and every person has.

Yeah we already know the perp's potential, nothing worth saving.

I oppose the death penalty because the courts are incredibly corrupt, but if anyone deserves it it's this pos.

TheGoldenEel posted...

Zero doubt is already the standard for our Justice system

No. "Reasonable doubt" is the standard for our justice system. This was critical in the prosecutor's arguments during the Chauvin trial.

Cocytus posted...

Yeah, that's kind of true, but then that kind of makes anti death penalty people's stance look a bit...uhh...inhumane?

To me death penalty isn't about punishment its about removing a dangerous person from the equation.they are still dangerous in prison. To other inmates prison staff and possibility of escaping. Remember seeing a case of a guy in prison for murder and he killed more people in prison than he did on the streets. One guy he killed because they guy threatened to rape him. So he waited till dude went to bed and stabbed him in his sleep

CE would defend a murderer.

As long as there's even a slight chance of innocent people being executed (and there will always be a chance of that), then the death penalty is morally unconscionable.

Nah. Shoot him.

CobraGT posted...

TC saying convicted person should be killed to give TC warm fuzzies

Duh, are you new to the internet? This is outrage nation

Sufferedphoneix posted...

To me death penalty isn't about punishment its about removing a dangerous person from the equation.they are still dangerous in prison. To other inmates prison staff and possibility of escaping. Remember seeing a case of a guy in prison for murder and he killed more people in prison than he did on the streets. One guy he killed because they guy threatened to rape him. So he waited till dude went to bed and stabbed him in his sleep

Absolutely, good point.

Does no one else here think that life in jail is or could easily be much worse than the death penalty? I know prison has gotten much better for people in the past few years, but maybe instead of the death penalty, life in the hardest, strictest legal confinement possible?

I understand the push for the death penalty for cases where it's 100% vlear and on camera for death, but innocent people still might die. Also, I know most of ce isn't religious, but wouldn't you want this guy to pay his penance in life just incase he'd go to a decent or good afterlife?

Tyranthraxus posted...

No. "Reasonable doubt" is the standard for our justice system. This was critical in the prosecutor's arguments during the Chauvin trial.

Its actually beyond reasonable doubt, and the jury decision must be unanimous

in theory, this means there is functionally zero doubt that the person did the crime (I know this is not the case irl)

CobraGT posted...

Is TC saying convicted person should be killed to give TC warm fuzzies?

No, son. If anything, I wish that lady would have gotten to go home to her four kids and partner that night, and that young man find a different way in life. Nobody wins in this.

Cocytus posted...

I'm not for killing innocent people either. I think for a death penalty sentence you have to introduce what would probably be a new legal term: "irrefutable proof". If there is irrefutable proof the offender took one or more lives, and is up for murder one, then it makes the offender eligible for the death penalty. Not just a confession, a witness, or preponderance of the evidence, but irrefutable proof, like a freaking video, like this animal.
Anyone else would simply not be eligible for the death penalty.

And no fast tracking. they're still entitled to a defense, appeals, all that shit.

I thought this was the basic minimum for anyone who agrees with the death penalty.

Violent murdering psychopaths should die painfully.

itachi15243 posted...

hardest, strictest legal confinement possible

Unfortunately solitary confinement for life isn't an option. It's inhumane and known to drive people crazy.

LordMarshal posted...

CE would defend a murderer.

Against what? The desire to kill him?

So your mindset is that people who agree with the death penalty revel in killing people?

No its to give them a taste of their own medicine, its their just desserts and will protect society from them ever hurting anyone ever again.

dioxxys posted...

So your mindset is that people who agree with the death penalty revel in killing people?

No its to give them a taste of their own medicine, its their just desserts

"It's not vindictive, it's just I want vengeance."

Crimson_Corsair posted...

Prison should be about reform, if they are deemed worthy of a life sentence than it means society doesn't believe they can be reformed. In that case then they should be put to death, not waste resources with a life sentence. Streamline executions, abolish life sentencing.

but the issue here is that people are paroled after life sentences, thus showing society was wrong about reform.

so if anything an argument could be made to reduce sentencing length as much as one can be made to skip straight to the execution.

DrizztLink posted...

"It's not vindictive, it's just I want vengeance."

How does this even begin to make sense?

I have no personal involvement here.

dioxxys posted...

So your mindset is that people who agree with the death penalty revel in killing people?

No its to give them a taste of their own medicine, its their just desserts and will protect society from them ever hurting anyone ever again.

The bolded sentence fragment is not said by someone who does not get pleasure out of seeing criminals die.

Had you just said "it's about making sure they can't hurt anyone ever again", you would have been more believable.

Not saying I would have actually believed you, mind, but on a scale.

We do, as a society, get pleasure from punishing perceived wrongdoers. There are people in prison who have long since lost physical capacity to injury and/or age, couldn't hurt a fly. But we want them to suffer for life, because they did something bad to a child 50 years ago.

And we are right to want them to suffer.

life without possibility of parole is essentially a death sentence anyway. making it illegal is better than accidentally executing an innocent person.

Guide posted...

We do, as a society, get pleasure from punishing perceived wrongdoers. There are people in prison who have long since lost physical capacity to injury and/or age, couldn't hurt a fly. But we want them to suffer for life, because they did something bad to a child 50 years ago.

And we are right to want them to suffer.

I remember seeing a article about a 78 year old being released on the premise he was harmless now and he ended up killing again.

CyricZ posted...

The bolded sentence fragment is not said by someone who does not get pleasure out of seeing criminals die.

Had you just said "it's about making sure they can't hurt anyone ever again", you would have been more believable.

But...I am not seeing anyone die.

Theres never even been an individual who got the death penalty and then deoxxys sat there self-satisfied, nodded and said "ah yes pleasure consumes me".

But yes lets just keep running with this train of thought.