What the f*ck?

[PapaBear]

<p>I'm not 100% behind the death penalty, but if you're going to have it, why doesn't this guy get it?</p><p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/01/18/truck.bodies.ap/">Truck Driver Spared the Death Penalty</a></p><p>Was the jury thinking, &quot;they were only illegal immigrants&quot;? This is one reason why I don't like the death penalty. Who gets it and who doesn't is almost arbitrary.</p>

[FezPaul]

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prosecutors said Williams earned a death sentence because he intentionally caused the immigrants' deaths<strong> by not freeing them when he knew their lives were in danger</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><font face="courier new,courier" size="2">It takes less than 5 seconds to open a trailer door.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font face="Courier New" size="2">Scumbag.</font></strong></p>

[sailor]

<strong>FezPaul</strong> wrote:<br /><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prosecutors said Williams earned a death sentence because he intentionally caused the immigrants' deaths<strong> by not freeing them when he knew their lives were in danger</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><font face="courier new,courier" size="2">It takes less than 5 seconds to open a trailer door.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font face="Courier New" size="2">Scumbag.</font></strong></p><p>&nbsp;<font size="2">BUT, that's the prosecution saying he knew they were dying.&nbsp; he says he didn't.<br /></font></p>

[lleeder]

<font size="3">Was he smuggling them into the country of their free will or were they kidnapped? If they willingly got into the back of that truck then I don't think he can be given the death penalty.Smuggling people is wrong but I don't think any guy working in a smuggling ring wants to kill what he is smuggling. Its not good business.</font>

[PapaBear]

Even a moron knows, if you leave people in the back of a trailer in the heat, they will die. There was no excuse for what he did.

[lleeder]

<font size="3">If a moron knows that then don't all the people in the trailer qualify as morons. He wasnt the main guy in all of this, there has to be accountability all around is all that I'm saying. This parallels the radio water drinking story. Sure the station and staff should have known there was a danger. The woman drinking the water should be eqaully aware of this danger.</font>

[Jujubees2]

<p><font size="2">How about being put to death on hearsay evidence and coerced testimony?&nbsp; </font><font size="2">The White House wants to make it so.&nbsp;</font></p><p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16691101/from/RS.3/"><font size="2">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16691101/from/RS.3/</font></a></p>

[FezPaul]

<strong>sailor</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>FezPaul</strong> wrote:<br /><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prosecutors said Williams earned a death sentence because he intentionally caused the immigrants' deaths<strong> by not freeing them when he knew their lives were in danger</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><font face="courier new,courier" size="2">It takes less than 5 seconds to open a trailer door.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font face="Courier New" size="2">Scumbag.</font></strong></p><p>&nbsp;<font size="2">BUT, that's the prosecution saying he knew they were dying.&nbsp; he says he didn't.<br /></font></p><p><strong><font face="courier new,courier" size="2">I'm a truck driver. I'm legally responsible for what's in my trailer. Period.</font></strong></p>

[PapaBear]

<strong>lleeder</strong> wrote:<br /><font size="3">If a moron knows that then don't all the people in the trailer qualify as morons. He wasnt the main guy in all of this, there has to be accountability all around is all that I'm saying. This parallels the radio water drinking story. Sure the station and staff should have known there was a danger. The woman drinking the water should be eqaully aware of this danger.</font> <p>The illegals should be held responsible for trying to get into the country, but they went into that truck with the understanding that someone would eventually let them out. You can get&nbsp;death for causing the death of someone who helps you commit a robbery. You should get the same thing for what this truck driver did... or just get rid of the death penalty all together.</p>

[lleeder]

<strong>PapaBear</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>lleeder</strong> wrote:<br /><font size="3">If a moron knows that then don't all the people in the trailer qualify as morons. He wasnt the main guy in all of this, there has to be accountability all around is all that I'm saying. This parallels the radio water drinking story. Sure the station and staff should have known there was a danger. The woman drinking the water should be eqaully aware of this danger.</font> <p>The illegals should be held responsible for trying to get into the country, but they went into that truck with the understanding that someone would eventually let them out. You can get&nbsp;death for causing the death of someone who helps you commit a robbery. You should get the same thing for what this truck driver did... or just get rid of the death penalty all together.</p><p><font size="3">I agree but do you think the guy intentionally tried to kill these people or was it an honest mistake?</font></p>

[PapaBear]

I think the guy knew the risk of them dying, but didn't care.

[johnniewalker]

<p>&quot;Williams, who lived in Schenectady, New York, was the only one of 14 people charged in the case who faced the death penalty.&quot;</p><p>It later talks about the jury being confused about his exact role. It is so rare for a case to be clear cut. If there is 14 people involved, why should he shoulder all of the blame. I haven't read the case, but i'd imagine that's probably the rationale of the jury. Papabear i think your anger could be pointed at many areas of the law like the insanity plea. Perhaps the jurisdiction wants to leave a lot of discretion with the death penalty instead of drawing firm guidelines. </p>

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by johnniewalker on 1-18-07 @ 5:50 PM</span>

[phixion]

<p>im just throwing out a hypothetical: if an architect built a building and two weeks after opening the building collapses and everyone inside die, should the architect be given the death pnealty if it was his fault?</p><p>as far as this goes, i agree with the sentence, for me to sign off on the death penalty then the murder has to be personal. this was business. and in alot of ways life in prison is worse than death, just think about the ass rape. </p>

[lintpit]

<font size="2">Fezpaul is absolutely correct in his stance about load responsibility. The state of Texas is notorious in their rabid and swift use of the death penalty.immigrant,cow or head of lettuce, if he had A brain in his head he would have taken steps to protect his load.Not that I think for a minute that a human being should be considered a 'load'.He should have to give up his right to live. They gave up their right in the pursuit of $$ and jobs, He did what he did in pursuit of $$. There shouldn't have even been an arguement.</font>

[TheVHD]

Good debate... I feel like this.&nbsp; If your into drugs... and you want some drugs and it takes you into some seedy scary place and your willing to go there because to you the payoff is worth it... then you go... and when you get there the dealer gets busted by some other thugs... and you end up in the middle of it... is that the dealer's fault or your's?

[A.J.]

<a href="http://www.ronfez.net/messageboard/viewmessages.cfm/Forum/87/Topic/55807/page/Border_Patrol_Agents_To_Go_To_Jail.htm">If only he had been a border patrol agent....</a>