HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS: DEATH PENALTY MARKET TIMING
Ya ever buy or sell a stock at the wrong time? It's maddening. Well, young Daniel Ramsey did worse than that (despite, I might add, the best efforts of excellent defense attorneys). He reverse "Market-timed" the death penalty.
His opening gambit wasn't too bright. He whacked a bunch of people in Hancock County in '96. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. In 2000, his conviction was reversed on the basis of a supposed misinterpretations of the availability of the insanity defenses. Thus, he sat in jail, not convicted of anything. In '03 Governor Ryan commuted all then existing death sentences in Illinois--Only trouble is, young Daniel was not subject to a death sentence at that time because he was back to "pending trial".
Well, Danny Boy had his own version of Groundhog Day recently and was again sentenced to death. But now George Ryan is not around to commute his new sentenced. The new Governor has placed a moratorium on the death penalty until he can figure out a way to tax it but he's not going to be doing any commuting. Hell, he can't even commute to Springfield very much.
So, Danny, here's to you and your reverse market timing. You bought high and sold low. The appeals and the habeas Corpi will go on but you will live on in the death penalty industry as one who timed things in such a way as to snatch defeat from the very jaws of victory.
Oh, BTW, The sport coat over the handcuffs in the perp walk really wasn't fooling anybody.
posted by UMRBlog @ 19:49
8 comments
8 Comments:
I try to skip those articles in the paper. I like to fool myself that this sick stuff only happens in movies or far, far away places.
If he did it, can we speed the process up just abit and say goodbye to this person forever ?
Here's the thing, Tony — at least it only cost you and me, the taxpayers of this great state, more than seven figures to retry Ramsey. I almost submitted my Subway lunch receipts to the Capital Litigation Fund.
Rodney,
The Death Penalty is an odd, societal bargain. "Death is different" is the rallying cry of anyone who's ever been in these cases. If we want the option to put as yet unidentified folks to death, we are required to leaven the harsh and irreversible penalty with "Super Due Process".
Some states just figure the penalty payoff is just not worth it and foreswear the death penalty. Death is simply a luxury option which raises the price of the whole car.
TYFCB
The death penalty is just not worth the expense to the tax players. Jailed with no possibility of parole is pretty bad in itself.
Rocky: I know why you skip those stories, and I don't blame you a bit.
Tony: The staggering cost of the death penalty process has to make people think if it is really worth it.
1013,
Here is the question which tests that proposition: "How do you punish a lifer without parole who murders a prison guard?"
I don't pretend there is one right answer but that is where the cheese gets binding.
TYFCB
Having worked felony Detentions as an RN, 23 hour solitary confirment with nothing but your mind to keep you company is worse than the needle.
Having worked felony Detentions as an RN, 23 hour solitary confirment with nothing but your mind to keep you company is worse than the needle.
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