Campbell gets death
Update: Heather Collins of the Journal Inquirer has a more detailed article.
[Prosecutors] Melchiorre and O’Connor presented evidence of a statutorily-mandated “aggravating factor,” showing that Campbell created a “grave risk of death” to Carolyn Privette when he shot her.
[Public Defenders] Gold and Smith countered with evidence of 10 “mitigating factors,” including Campbell’s chaotic upbringing, his drug-addicted father, his relatively low IQ, and his age and immaturity at the time of the killings.
And in a move that shocked some longtime court observers, Campbell himself took the stand – something he didn’t do in either the guilt phase or the first penalty hearing.
“I can’t take it back,” Campbell testified under sharp questioning from Melchiorre as she asked him what he had done.
Jurors also heard Campbell – whose mother once testified that she prayed to God to have a child and conceived after she levitated in a prayer session – say that he has already been forgiven by a higher power.
“My past sins are forgiven. God has forgiven me. No one has helped me reach this point but God,” Campbell told jurors.
This strikes me as a case in which there is significant mitigating evidence. The Supreme Court will automatically hear the appeal.
Original post: Earlier, Judge Mullarkey in Hartford rejected Jesse Campbell’s challenge to the Constitutionality of the death penalty and sentenced him to death. More details as they emerge.
Here is a list of the others on CT’s death row. Campbell brings the total back to eight. Ivo Colon is still awaiting a new penalty hearing, I think and Lazale Ashby’s penalty phase starts at the end of this month.
Campbell has an IQ of 78.
All previous coverage of this can be found here:
- DP arguments end; ruling awaited
- Death penalty hearing concludes
- Two more prosecutors testify
- DP Constitutionality hearings continue
- Prosecutorial discretion and the dp
- DP Constitutionality hearing under way
This is great news. First, a judge rejected some horse manure arguments about arbitrariness. Second, a murderer gets a punishment he richly deserves.
Now, since I am sure these guys were great attorneys, the direct appeals, the post-conviction procedings and the federal habeas review should all go quickly, as there should be no real issues with this death sentence. Of course, creative defense attorneys will manufacture arguments and criminal coddling judges may swallow them. We’ll see.
This guy should be executed within the next five years. That likely won’t happen, but it’s what should happpen.
You take this very personally, don’t you?
I’ve only recently entered the anti-death penalty camp and, to be honest, it wasn’t an easy journey.
I sympathize with Sean’s position (especially in light of the recent massacre in Cheshire) because the judicial and penal systems have not lived up to their obligations to the people of this state.
Opposition to the DP would be much stronger if “the system” demonstrated some degree of competence in its disposition of violent and repeat offenders.
Defendants have an absolute right to due process of law which, naturally, I support but until monsters like the man referenced above are truly locked up for the rest of their natural lives, public support for the death penalty will continue apace.
[quote comment="4147"]I’ve only recently entered the anti-death penalty camp and, to be honest, it wasn’t an easy journey.
I sympathize with Sean’s position (especially in light of the recent massacre in Cheshire) because the judicial and penal systems have not lived up to their obligations to the people of this state.
Opposition to the DP would be much stronger if “the system” demonstrated some degree of competence in its disposition of violent and repeat offenders.
Defendants have an absolute right to due process of law which, naturally, I support but until monsters like the man referenced above are truly locked up for the rest of their natural lives, public support for the death penalty will continue apace.[/quote]
Welcome!
The man referenced above will be locked up for the rest of his life (which in this case is till the state executes him).
You cannot get parole for murder in Connecticut and maybe people don’t know that. The maximum sentence is 60 years, which for many is the rest of their lives.
I don’t know if personally is the right word, but I loathe murderers. And I think that when you deliberately take a life, you should pay with your own.
As for being locked up for the rest of his life, well, he may kill a guard or fellow prisoner. Witness Kenneth Parr, a sick animal who raped a mother in front of her children. He was executed, but not before he threw a guard down some stairs (something which could kill someone).
[quote comment="4154"]I don’t know if personally is the right word, but I loathe murderers. And I think that when you deliberately take a life, you should pay with your own.
As for being locked up for the rest of his life, well, he may kill a guard or fellow prisoner. Witness Kenneth Parr, a sick animal who raped a mother in front of her children. He was executed, but not before he threw a guard down some stairs (something which could kill someone).[/quote]
What is this? Minority report?
[quote post="736"]You cannot get parole for murder in Connecticut and maybe people don’t know that. The maximum sentence is 60 years, which for many is the rest of their lives.[/quote]
Gideon, sincere question, I’m not baiting you (really) but what percentage are actually charged with murder as compared to those who are offered a better deal in exchange for a guilty plea?
[quote comment="4209"]
Gideon, sincere question, I’m not baiting you (really) but what percentage are actually charged with murder as compared to those who are offered a better deal in exchange for a guilty plea?[/quote]Oh I would have no way of knowing. I do see a lot of guys plead to murder though.
Do you mean defendants that are charged with capital felony and then they plead to murder in exchange for life?
It’s not “Minority Report” to consider future dangerousness when making a legislative judgment about the propriety of capital punishment. And we know this, now that Parr is gone, Texas’ prison guards are a little bit safer.
Here’s another case which lays bare the bankruptcy of Woodson:
http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/original/0807/1504_Calvin_Sharp2.html