Cop killer gets life in prision

[BHAMBARONS]

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

 

Jury recommends life for police killer

A Jefferson County jury today recommended sparing the life of convicted police killer Kerry Spencer, 25, of Birmingham. The jury recommended four sentences of life without parole, instead of the death penalty. They reached their decision about 2 p.m. after 2½ days of deliberating his punishment.

 

They convicted him on Sunday in the shooting deaths of three Birmingham police officers and the attempted shooting of a fourth officer last June at an apartment in the Ensley neighborhood.

 

Circuit Judge Tommy Nail, who has the right to reject the jury’s recommendation, will formally sentence Spencer on Sept. 9.

[BHAMBARONS]

This makes me sick this thug with his sub machine gun mowed down 4 cops seriously hurt another the Jury convicts on Capital Murder but then do a 180 and give 4 life sentences. I am not sure why the jury did this

[HighHeat45]

IMO life in jail is worse than the death penalty, especially if he is only 25.

[kev211]

He shoulda got the death penalty

[BHAMBARONS]

IMO life in jail is worse than the death penalty, especially if he is only 25.

 

 

These cops were mutilated to the point that families couldn't even see the bodies at the service shot over 20 times a piece.

[HighHeat45]

These cops were mutilated to the point that families couldn't even see the bodies at the service shot over 20 times a piece.

Yea, So let the guy spend the next 60 years in jail getting raped and living horribly then probably dieing in a more painful way than lethal injection.

[kev211]

Yea, So let the guy spend the next 60 years in jail getting raped and living horribly then  probably dieing in a more painful way than lethal injection.

Yah your right. But, still he should have gotten the death penalty. They dont excute them right away it takes like 5-10years. How would you feel if you had to live knowing you were going to be excuted.

[Soxy]

Yah your right. But, still he should have gotten the death penalty. They dont excute them right away it takes like 5-10years. How would you feel if you had to live knowing you were going to be excuted.

Better than if I knew I would never breathe free air again in my next 60 years.....

[BHAMBARONS]

Yea, So let the guy spend the next 60 years in jail getting raped and living horribly then  probably dieing in a more painful way than lethal injection.

 

 

Alabama still has Ole Smoky one can only hope that while in Prison a guard slips him a little posion in his lunch since he has to have a private cell

Edited June 23, 2005 by BHAMBARONS

[Goldmember]

Yea, So let the guy spend the next 60 years in jail getting raped and living horribly then  probably dieing in a more painful way than lethal injection.

 

the whole time on the taxpayer's dime...

[LowerCaseRepublican]

the whole time on the taxpayer's dime...

 

In most states, life imprisonment is actually cheaper than the process to implement capital punishment. From Deathpenaltyinfo.com In California, capital trials are six times more costly than other murder trials. A study in Kansas indicated that a capital trial costs $116,700 more than an ordinary murder trial. Complex pre-trial motions, lengthy jury selections, and expenses for expert witnesses are all likely to add to the costs in death penalty cases. The irreversibility of the death sentence requires courts to follow heightened due process in the preparation and course of the trial. The separate sentencing phase of the trial can take even longer than the guilt or innocence phase of the trial. And defendants are much more likely to insist on a trial when they are facing a possible death sentence. After conviction, there are constitutionally mandated appeals which involve both prosecution and defense costs.

 

Most of these costs occur in every case for which capital punishment is sought, regardless of the outcome. Thus, the true cost of the death penalty includes all the added expenses of the "unsuccessful" trials in which the death penalty is sought but not achieved. Moreover, if a defendant is convicted but not given the death sentence, the state will still incur the costs of life imprisonment, in addition to the increased trial expenses.

 

For the states which employ the death penalty, this luxury comes at a high price. In Texas, a death penalty case costs taxpayers an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years. In Florida, each execution is costing the state $3.2 million. In financially strapped California, one report estimated that the state could save $90 million each year by abolishing capital punishment. The New York Department of Correctional Services estimated that implementing the death penalty would cost the state about $118 million annually.

 

And if we get into the philosophical:

 

Capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal's deed, however calculated can be compared. For there to be an equivalency, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not encountered in private life. -- Albert Camus

[Goldmember]

In most states, life imprisonment is actually cheaper than the process to implement capital punishment.  From Deathpenaltyinfo.com In California, capital trials are six times more costly than other murder trials.  A study in Kansas indicated that a capital trial costs $116,700 more than an ordinary murder trial.  Complex pre-trial motions, lengthy jury selections, and expenses for expert witnesses are all likely to add to the costs in death penalty cases. The irreversibility of the death sentence requires courts to follow heightened due process in the preparation and course of the trial. The separate sentencing phase of the trial can take even longer than the guilt or innocence phase of the trial. And defendants are much more likely to insist on a trial when they are facing a possible death sentence. After conviction, there are constitutionally mandated appeals which involve both prosecution and defense costs.

 

Most of these costs occur in every case for which capital punishment is sought, regardless of the outcome. Thus, the true cost of the death penalty includes all the added expenses of the "unsuccessful" trials in which the death penalty is sought but not achieved. Moreover, if a defendant is convicted but not given the death sentence, the state will still incur the costs of life imprisonment, in addition to the increased trial expenses.

 

For the states which employ the death penalty, this luxury comes at a high price. In Texas, a death penalty case costs taxpayers an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years.  In Florida, each execution is costing the state $3.2 million.  In financially strapped California, one report estimated that the state could save $90 million each year by abolishing capital punishment.  The New York Department of Correctional Services estimated that implementing the death penalty would cost the state about $118 million annually.

 

And if we get into the philosophical:

 

Capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal's deed, however calculated can be compared. For there to be an equivalency, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not encountered in private life. -- Albert Camus

 

which is exactly why the legal system in so many respects is f***ed up.

 

ain't touching the philosophical, not worth our time. especially at 1 am...

[BHAMBARONS]

State of Alabama said the cost of keeping him in a cell will run $137 per day

 

I did some math and saying the thug lives 60 Yrs

 

60 X 365 also add in around 15 leap years so he will live around 21,915 days at

 

$137 per= $3,002,355. This also wasn't much of a trial with the Defendent wanting to plead guity but state law requires a trial on capital cases. Trial lasted around 2 weeks. In his confession to police he said "if I had more bullets and more people or cops were around they would be in boxes as well".

[Spiff]

In most states, life imprisonment is actually cheaper than the process to implement capital punishment.  From Deathpenaltyinfo.com In California, capital trials are six times more costly than other murder trials.  A study in Kansas indicated that a capital trial costs $116,700 more than an ordinary murder trial.  Complex pre-trial motions, lengthy jury selections, and expenses for expert witnesses are all likely to add to the costs in death penalty cases. The irreversibility of the death sentence requires courts to follow heightened due process in the preparation and course of the trial. The separate sentencing phase of the trial can take even longer than the guilt or innocence phase of the trial. And defendants are much more likely to insist on a trial when they are facing a possible death sentence. After conviction, there are constitutionally mandated appeals which involve both prosecution and defense costs.

 

Most of these costs occur in every case for which capital punishment is sought, regardless of the outcome. Thus, the true cost of the death penalty includes all the added expenses of the "unsuccessful" trials in which the death penalty is sought but not achieved. Moreover, if a defendant is convicted but not given the death sentence, the state will still incur the costs of life imprisonment, in addition to the increased trial expenses.

 

For the states which employ the death penalty, this luxury comes at a high price. In Texas, a death penalty case costs taxpayers an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years.  In Florida, each execution is costing the state $3.2 million.  In financially strapped California, one report estimated that the state could save $90 million each year by abolishing capital punishment.  The New York Department of Correctional Services estimated that implementing the death penalty would cost the state about $118 million annually.

 

And if we get into the philosophical:

 

Capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal's deed, however calculated can be compared. For there to be an equivalency, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not encountered in private life. -- Albert Camus

 

 

The issue wasn't really whether prosecuting capital murder is more expensive than other cases. It was, I think, whether life in prison costs more to the state than executing the prisoner, which your blurb even said it did. So goldmember wasn't wrong with what he said, or implied. And really, when someone kills four cops the state has no choice but to go for capital murder. Money becomes irrelevant.

 

I think the jury probably should have given him the death penalty; even though I myself don't believe in it, all signs in a case like this point to it. And then of course there's always the possibility that the judge rejects the sentence. Unlikely, but not out of the question.

[Queen Prawn]

From the criminal's comments, I don't believe he is someone that deserves to live, even if it is behind bars. In those comments he admitted what he did (so there is no chance of a guilty man being put to death) and he admitted he wanted to kill more people had the ammunition and people been there to do so. He doesn't deserve oxygen let alone 3 squares and a roof over his head for the rest of his life.

 

I understand where people come from when they say 60 yrs behind bars is tougher than death, but this isn't a person, this isn't even an animal, he is a monster.

[CubKilla]

Anyone here ever hear when Gary Garver of the "Howard Stern Show" asked anti-death penalty advocates, one of which was TV sitcom star Ed Asner, "If a member of your family was killed in a homicide, would you want the State to seek the death penalty?" Everyone, including Asner, stated..... in one form or another..... that they'd want the murderer dead or that they'd kill him/her themselves if given the chance.

 

Hypocrites.

 

BTW..... after a self-admitted murderer is convicted of his crimes, how much does a bullet to his dome cost? Less than it costs for the State to confine him to a cell during the duration of his/her trial.

[GoodAsGould]

while he is a messed up person he is still a person, and living in a little cell for 60 years while the guards probably treat him like s*** since he is a cop killer is much worse than being put to death.

 

I say why waste all this money using lethal injection to kill people, these guys that are put in death row dont really deserve a peaceful death why not just do it the money saving way and just shoot them in the head... 1 bullet and saves a lot of money....

[Yossarian]

IMO life in jail is worse than the death penalty, especially if he is only 25.

Cable TV, weights, exercise rooms and basketball courts, law libraries. and sometimes even conjugal visits and assorted contraband of the legal and illegal varieties. What do the dead cops get?

[GoodAsGould]

Cable TV, weights, exercise rooms and basketball courts, law libraries. and sometimes even conjugal visits and assorted contraband of the legal and illegal varieties. What do the dead cops get?

 

 

Im pretty sure he will be in a high security jail so no TV...

[Steff]

Im pretty sure he will be in a high security jail so no TV...

 

 

Death row get's tv's. Personal ones. In their cells. Isn't that nice.

 

He'll have a tv.

[BHAMBARONS]

The crime happened 1 year ago today I was a block away at Rickwood Field. And according to the officers who arrived as backup the crime scene was something out of a horror show 2 of the officers head's were completely blown off. The 4th officer who lived will never walk again. This is a crime where Ole Smoky should be put to use and hopefully the judge will overturn the Jury's recommendation

[BHAMBARONS]

Cable TV, weights, exercise rooms and basketball courts, law libraries. and sometimes even conjugal visits and assorted contraband of the legal and illegal varieties. What do the dead cops get?

 

 

Nothing but a department funeral lucky for the thug he got a jury from Mobile area becuase there were not familiar with the case if the jury had been from BHAM he would on his way to Ole Smoky.

[CubKilla]

Death row get's tv's. Personal ones. In their cells. Isn't that nice.

 

He'll have a tv.

 

And lawyers at the expense of the taxpayers, access to legal libraries, umpteenth appeals..... at the taxpayers expense..... and morons like Ed Asner, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins championing your cause.

[BHAMBARONS]

The conspirator will go on trial next month hopefully a different Jury who will actually uphold the laws. The Jury in this case overstepped its bounds they found him guilty of capital murder and the crimes fit the state of Alabama statutes on the death penalty (Murder + Class a Felony). The Jury made their own laws which is disappointing

[Yossarian]

I thought Alabama was a tough on crime state.