Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Supreme Court won't stop woman's execution

Teresa Lewis, with IQ of just 72, will be Virginia's first female execution in century.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/09/22/2010-09-22_supreme_court_denies_stay_of_execution_for_virginias_teresa_lewis.html#ixzz10JjgQQqF

Teresa Lewis
Virginia Department of Corrections
Teresa Lewis

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Sentenced to Die

Should a Virginia woman on death row face execution despite an IQ bordering on retardation?


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/09/22/2010-09-22_supreme_court_denies_stay_of_execution_for_virginias_teresa_lewis.html#ixzz10JkVD3g6

11 comments:

J said...

An old doctor friend once observed about those who are said to be unintelligent that it is often difficult to ascertain if someone is dumb or programed to be dumb. The oral interviews with this woman do not indicate that she is impared, or that she didn't know right from wrong. She shacked up with two low-lives and made a deal with them that she'd split her husband's life insurance with them if they killed him and her stepson. The Commonwealth's Attorney of Pittsylvania County, Va, could never have sustained a death verdict if there wasn't strong evidence of her depravity of mind and no mitigation. I don't find the death penalty more morally opprobrious than putting someone in a cage for the rest of her life. This crime, while not the most horrendous I've ever heard of or encountered, certainly is vile enough. Tonight she said that she guessed she'd just have to go to see Jesus. Her departure won't bother me a bit irrespective of what happens to her after her death.

JustinO'Shea said...

Thanks, J. . .I was hoping to read your comments. .. ;-)

Gary Kelly said...

I would not want to befriend an executioner... nor a judge who sentences a prisoner to the death penalty.

Justified or not, they ain't my kinda person.

Unknown said...

I believe that the people elect the judges who make the decisions. It's difficult for a person on the outside to know all the facts. We don't know what kind of life she was living. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to see that she had other choices.
Whatever happens, it's probably not a good idea to release her into society. That being said, it's most likely more humane to kill her than to keep her locked up.

JustinO'Shea said...

I am hearing you, Stew. . . but. . .yepper, there is always the BUT from justino, right? ;-)

Yes, judges are elected [are they?] or appointed. . . The Supremes are not elected. . . Anyway, there are lots of peeps elected I wouldn't trust to walk my dog! Just look at our Congress. . now and in the last 8 years. .as an example. . . .

YES< our lawyer J does affirm from the view of The Law that she is competent to know right from wrong. . . .etc.

I read and, yearly hear it read, the narrative of a famous court trial where the judge was leaning to set the man free. The prosecution countered "WE have A LAW. . and according to our law HE should die. . ."because HE made himself son of God. . "

The judge gave in to pressure. . .

But back to the present lady. .Taking her life is "humane"? I just do not know if we have the right to take human life. . .My "jury" is out in discussion. . .
;-))
justin
justin

JustinO'Shea said...

Isn't execution the supreme violation of her human/civil rights?

I'm with you, COOP. .. . hehe. . . We yell a LOT about gay rights, civil rights. . . .human life too???

Or has our society become a throw-away starta of human life. .. ?
Easiest way to deal with a problem is "exterminate" it. . . .hmmmmm???

Watch out you older guys. . .and us later on. . . too many OLD PEEPS, costs too much, social security/medicare $$$ running out.
Answer: DEPORT THEM.
If no one will take 'them' euthanize. Simple solution. . .right?
WRONG !

From the wings left: "The HOOK! The HOOK! Get that f'^# HOOK!"

JustinO'Shea said...

J makes a great point here. . .

""An old doctor friend once observed about those who are said to be unintelligent that it is often difficult to ascertain if someone is dumb or programed to be dumb. ""

Can one be programmed, then, to be kind, thoughtful, polite, caring, compassionate???

Programming implies no choice. . .right? You "have" to do the program; can't act other. right?

So if Theresa was "programmed" she has no responsibility here. . right? She couldn't do other!

Caute! quick sand. . . .;-)
"Slip sliding along. . . ."

SlipperyDunes

J said...

Then, again, she could have been programed to be dumb by her lawyers. As for her possible innocence, she has admitted her crimes. And I can't see, Justin, how you would equate Jesus' death by torture for engaging in seditious speech with a woman who will be given a lethal injection for having her husband and stepson shotgunned to death so she could collect the insurance money. I really don't see the moral equivalency in these two cases. I'd be willing to bet that you would kill any person whom you caught violently attacking your grandmother, and you wouldn't bemoan violating his "human rights" in the process.
As for Jesus' trial, Princeton professor Elaine Pagels and others have lucidly explained how much of the New Testament was written to absolve Pilate and make the jews the villains in Jesus' death because they refused to recognise Jesus as their messiah. In reality Pilate was a vicious bastard who crucified any jew who stirred up a crowd. He needed no encouragement to dispatch someone who fancied himself king of the jews.

JustinO'Shea said...

Ioannes locutus est. Causa finita est.

lol

J said...

Virginia locutus est; causa finita est. Some things have to be rendered unto Caesar.

JustinO'Shea said...

So it would appear. ;-)