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The Death Penalty
A friend of my parents is sentenced to be executed in a couple of weeks for being an accomplice in a murder in 1994. You can read the details of the incident below (written by his wife), and sign the petition if you feel inclined to do so. We are petitioning for his sentence to be changed to life in prison without parole, rather than death.
On Friday, despite the fact that we have two issues before the court, the Missouri Supreme Court set an execution date of Aug. 27. For those of you who would like to do anything to help try to prevent this state from killing my husband, your help is welcome and there are some fairly simple things you can do. For those who are not aware of the facts of the case, here are some main points:Allen Nicklasson, the man who shot and killed Richard Drummond in Aug. 1994 did so on his own after leaving Dennis behind in the stolen car. Allen has been consistent in telling the truth since day one - with his friends and close acquaintances, as well as with law enforcement - that Dennis had absolutely no idea that when Allen walked Drummond into the woods, Allen was going to shoot him. Allen had planned to tie Drummond up so that by the time Drummond could free himself and walk into town to all police, Allen, Dennis and Tim DeGraffenreid would be back in Blue Springs, hiding out.Instead, Allen decided to kill Drummond. His statements to police have been consistent and truthful, but the state successfully kept Allen from testifying in trial. The jury never heard the truth and thus convicted Dennis for first-degree murder as an accomplice. Allen has tried through the years to be heard in court, but the appellate courts denied him that right as well. We are still trying to get the Supreme Court to look at Allen's statements. Dennis is not an innocent victim, but he is innocent of first-degree murder. We are not asking that he be freed. We believe the sentence of death is excessive in this case, and that society would be safe and justice would be served through clemency, which means we want the governor to change Dennis' sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.In addition, Dennis has been actively involved in restorative justice even before the program was established at Potosi Correctional Center. He is the editor of Compassion, a publication written and edited by death row inmates across the country who have raised more than $34,000 in college scholarships for family members of murdered victims. This scholarship goes to family members regardless of their stance on the death penalty. For example, Zach Osbourne, one of the recipients, supports the death penalty openly and is going to school to become a police officer. Dennis compiled a book, "Today's Choices Affect Tomorrow's Dreams," that is distributed for free to juvenile centers around the country. The book has been so popular, he has been asked to do another. That book is currently being compiled.Dennis is chairman of the prison's Hospice group and has cared for many dying prison patients through the years. He is a co-founder of 4-H LIFE, a family strengthening program that teaches inmates to be better parents and includes a family 4-H meeting each month inside the prison. As a former president and officer of 4-H, Dennis has led fundraisers to send money to children's programs in the state and to send 4-H LIFE members to summer camp and state leadership programs. 4-H LIFE has won several awards and is now active in several other prisons.Dennis has actively worked to build bridges between the Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Islamic and Native American religious groups at the prison. He is a founder of the Charity Carnival - in its second year - that raises money inside the prison for charitable organizations. The carnival is today, but he is locked up and cannot carry out his responsibilities for that event.Dennis speaks to university student groups on a regular basis to give them insight into the death penalty and prison life. He is, and remains, a positive spokesman and positive role models for other prisoners.He is a leader in the Set Free Ministry, a prison ministry that works with thousands of inmates in Missouri and Illinois to help them in their Christian walk. The Ministry has grown from an office of three to an office of around 20 inmates at PCC and a second office in Charleston's prison. The Ministry continues to expand in prisons in the two states as well as into jails.All of this is documented, not the exaggerated account of a wife desperate to save her husband.For those of you who have asked, I am terrified, but determined to fight for justice for my family. Murdering my husband is not justice - it is harming me, my son, Dennis' sisters, brother, nephews, aunts uncles, friends, etc. He is my soulmate, for those of you who understand what that means. A date is an extremely serious situation, but we have issues to pursue and this does not mean we're done. Please do not assume that this is inevitable, even though we have a very, very difficult fight in the next 32 days.I appreciate your support in any way. Should you want to write letters, file amicus briefs (friend of the court) with your church or other organization, let me know and I'll give you more info. If you choose to pray, please ask God to intervene and see that Dennis receives a lesser sentence.Thanks. You can sign the petition at the link below. Thanks. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/help-dennis-skillicorn |
I'd like to see/hear the other side of the story.
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Hate to ask this but I didn't see it....did the person you know call the cops and rat out his friend?
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Personally, I'd rather die than spend decades of non-life in prison.
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After reading the court document.....He was involved in drugs, burglary, the murder of 2 men who stopped only to help them in separate states, and he continued on the crime spree with the man, and killed a waitress.
I'm not going to be able to sign that petition. |
I did a bit of research and it seems this guy and two friends headed across Missouri to buy some drugs. On the way back their car broke down. They burglerized a house for money to fix their car. They didn't have enough money for the repairs, so they took off again in the car. It broke down again and this Drummond guy stops to help them out. As thanks for this favor, they steal the guy's car, drive him into the woods and shoot him dead. Yeah, your parents friend didn't actually pull the trigger, but I can't say I'd feel one bit sorry for him on August 27th, when they strap him in to "old sparky".
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signed and done
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He then followed the same guy, who killed Mr Drummond to another state, where they became stuck in the sand, and another man stopped to help them. To thank HIM, they shot and killed him, before committing more crimes prior to killing a waitress. He had plenty of opportunity to get out of that situation and didn't. Ride the Lightening.
I knew a guy executed in Missouri in the 90s via a relative, and he deserved it too. |
I'm against the death penalty, except in cases of treason against our country.
Yeah, I'm one of those heartless Republicans to boot. We live in a nation that can amend and change its laws, so how can we have a punishment that can’t also be reversed? If you have the death penalty, then it needs to be equally applied. So if OJ was found guilty you fry the mofo, now of this life for you, but we are going to fry your ass. |
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HE"S FRYYYIN NOW!!!!!
Sounds like he deserves it, but, yes, I am ashamed of this post. |
All that said, I will not sign the petition even though I think it would be much more difficult to rot in a prison cell for the rest of his life.
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I would rather be fried.
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Sorry.... I have no sympathy for this P.O.S |
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Fry his ass. |
Classy bunch your parents hang with.
In all seriousness, I'm surprised you have the audacity to ask for people to help this guy. |
Good Grief, I missed that.
He sure sounds like a top shelf soul mate and friend. There is surely are 2 people more deserving of the carbon footprint these two are wasting. |
Yeah, the guy who condemns drinking, and reefer.
"Let's save a murderer" |
Maybe while he's walking the green mile, one of the guards will ask him questions to calm his nerves....maybe throw in "do you think your old lady will miss you" for good measure.
I'm sure this is a difficult thing for his family to go through and I feel bad for his wife and family, knowing what looms. Its all on him and not the state. This petition does NOT accurately reflect the true nature of this crime. |
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Sorry, thurman. I'm not a huge fan of the death penalty, but I don't see any reason to place myself in his camp. Do your parents know the whole story? This guy is indefensible. If this dude is the wife's "soulmate", I think I'd be distancing myself from the wife, too. |
Yeah I am sorry it is hard to have sypmpathy after so many innocent people lost their lives.
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I'm against the death penalty.
This man may well be deserving of death, but who are equally fallible human beings to decide that? |
I don't think we should waste the $$$ for electricity on him. Baseball bats and Crowbars are much cheaper.
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I can not sign it as well.
I understand that sometimes things happen so quickly that you don't have time to think things over before it is done, but honestly this guy ran for a while and killed 3 more people (or at least assisted in killing). He knew what he was doing the whole time, and they killed innocent people who tried to help him. I am sorry for the wife for what she has to go through. |
That guy is getting the punishment he deserves. I think the death penalty should be reserved for the worst of the worst of crimes and this is one of them. Doesn't matter whether he ever actually pulled the trigger on any of the victims, he was equally responsible for their deaths.
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No way in hell I'm signing that petition
Let him die |
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People like this man are a good arguement for the Right to Carry...and need, even in a "quiet, rural area". |
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Why do these dudes always wait until they are behind bars to suddenly do something postive with their lives? Sorry dude, RIP. |
just for cases like this alone, they should use the electric chair, crank up the voltage to..oh i dont know...30,000 and zap him repeatedly, in 9 second intervals, increasing in voltage by 10,000 per zap.
see how much pain a person can take. maybe bring back "drawn and quartered" and make this prick an example. There would be less crime if they would bring back all the tactics previously used in societies during the dark ages...to discourage actions such as this. |
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I see a metaphorical pitchfork in his ass after he's toasty as well.
That chair is the least of his problems. |
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The dispensation of grace took precedence over the Old Testament way. That would help my argument if anything. |
yes, very much so
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So Thurman, are you ever going to reply to anyone on this thread and defend this guy? Do you really think he didn't do much wrong or are you just flatly against the death penalty?
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Can't sign this petition. Sounds like this guy is real piece of work. He deserves death as far as I can see. I am not against the death penalty. People that go around taking lives like it's nothing don't deserve to live. Sounds like this guy knew what he was doing.
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It's interesting to me that his defense was focused on "he has a low IQ and was a follower" and now the argument to prevent execution is that he's a magazine editor and author doing great work.
I feel sorry for thurman if he's got any personal investment in this issue, because this thread is going to be a beatdown of the murderer. |
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What did he think would happen besides this? I haven't seen a single person defend the guy's actions |
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You really think that the jurors who deliberated on that sentence are as flawed as a pack of doped-out thugs on an interstate killing spree? Are we just supposed to lay spread eagle for the scum of the earth and take whatever evil they decide to inflict upon us because we aren't gods? Jesus can turn the other cheek. I want justice. |
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this just spawned a thread....in the DC forum...where this thread should be.
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If I have the family with me, I'll not put them in that danger, but if I'm alone and have any time, I'll help. I'm not in a city....I am in a rural area, and we're taught to help others. My grandpa did it, when I was a kid I watched my dad do it, and I always have. I've posted a thank you because some decent men stopped and helped my mother last year, so I intend to be the guy, that will help when I can. |
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Seems like a double standard |
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Sorry, but you look like a fool arguing this point. |
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If anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone that he shall die, he is a murderer, the murderer shall be put to death Numbers 35:18 Do not accept ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death Numbers 35:30 |
I'm interested in the "soulmate" aspect of this. I love my wife, but if she were ever to be involved in murder, let alone multiple such crimes, she would neither see nor hear from me again.
What say you Planet? |
For the record, I think MicJones' stance is fine if his philosophy is no death penalty for anyone, regardless of crime. While I don't necessarily agree with it, I think it's a valid position for signing such a petition.
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Obviously, I've never taken another human being's life, but my view of the world makes me every bit as fallible as the next man. And since I'm finite and only capable of so much cognitively... I'm not qualified to make a decision on another human being's life. Quote:
There are other ways to achieve retribution. |
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I would need to see a picture of your wife first. Seriously, I wouldn't expect my wife to back me up on a multi-state killing spree. I expect loyalty from her in general, but a multi-state killing spree is beyond the line. |
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frazod said it well, IMO. |
micjones is midnight vulvas alias
too bad neither can get chicks even though their moms are the towns bicycles |
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I'm fallible and only capable of such much understanding. That alone should be enough to do away with capital punishment. |
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It amounts to my ability to sleep at night knowing I'm a decent human being, good citizen and great neighbor to have because I'm a moral, honest and hard working, father and husband. What does your willingness to put yourself on the cross with this guy amount to though? |
:shake::shake:
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Shameful. |
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That is a ridiculous argument. |
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Leave the discussion to the adults. |
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That said, I tend to limit most of my assistance to calling for help via my cell when I see someone in need. A woman or young person might change this. Just seems too risky to do otherwise, for many different reasons. |
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Liable to make a mistake. If we're all equally prone to error are we really in a position to make irreversible decisions on the lives of other people? |
It is scary to think how an act of kindness could be the last act you make.
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dear therman,
looks like this thread went to hell in a handbasket. also, chad pennington will be our new stating quarterback. in regards to your soon to be parents fried friend, tell him to say hi to hussein. have a sparkling day, the wpi staff |
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The good news Mic, is that this guy had the benefit of 12 persons on his jury, to help make sure the other 11 weren't making a mistake.
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I'm in agreement with that. I still think he's flat out wrong, but if you're against the death penalty then you have to be against it across the board. Which is something I just can't bring myself to do.........some people have done things so wrong and so horrible and so cruel that they just flat out deserve to die, that there is just no good reason to keep them alive. Based on the information we have I'd never sign a petition asking for any concessions or leniency. Sometimes you gotta give the judge and jury the benefit of the doubt. |
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A discussion about the practicality of the death penalty turned into a pissing match over who can "get chicks". And I'm the one with the trouble, right? ROFL |
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