The Death Penalty

[Mama Hip Rockets]

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

[ChiefsFan4Life]

Originally Posted by Micjones

This man can never benefit from new evidence or new law that could possibly mitigate his sentence or overturn his conviction.

Unless it suddenly becomes legal to kill people then I think he'll be ok dead

[Iowanian]

He's had ample opportunities for appeal, has admitted partaking in this crime and is not claiming to be innocent from what I read.

The 4 people he was involved in killing all had family and friends and lives that they'll have no opportunity for a single appeal.

This petition is false....it mentions only part of the evidence for the first killing, but overlooks the fact that they then went and killed his wife, who was uninvolved, and then 2 more individuals.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

Yeah, I think it's pretty pussed to value the life, of a body dumping shitbag.

I don't give life.
So I tend to see it as much more valuable than the average person.
If I'm a pussy for that... So be it.

[markk]

here is a death penalty case:

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Police have charged a teen driver in connection with a fatal crash that killed a motorcyclist Wednesday.

The crash between a car driven by Esther Chisala, 17, and a scooter happened at Martin Luther King Parkway and University Avenue at 10:54 a.m.

Witnesses told police that Chisala ran a red light and hit the motorcycle traveling westbound on University Avenue. The rider, James Miller, 46, was thrown into the car's windshield. Rescue crews performed CPR on him at the scene.

The same car was involved in a hit-and-run crash near Forest Avenue and Martin Luther King Parkway with a van owned by Iowa Homeless Youth Services a short time earlier, police said.

Witnesses followed the driver from the first crash scene and pointed her out to police.

Police said Miller died on the way to the hospital.

Victim's Widow Speaks Out

Miller's widow, Melody, said her husband was doing what he loved -- riding his scooter and going to garage sales. She said it's hard for the news to sink in that he's gone for good.

"He would give you his heart and soul to help you or to do something to make you smile," Melody Miller said.

The couple had been together 23 years and had one son together.

"It's going to be hard," Miller said. "He's 12 years old."

Miller said her son was home when police arrived to give her the bad news.

"I figured something else had happened -- not that," she said. "Not a fatality or finalization or something. It's an unbelievable feeling."

Miller said she was grateful for the witnesses who followed the driver so that someone can be held responsible in the case.

Witness Sees Both Crashes

A.J. Forneris saw both crashes from the doorway of Perry's Service Station.

"The little girl was coming up the street and hit a van, right down here in the alley. The van was pulling in and she rear-ended it," Forneris said.

When he ran out to help, Forneris said the driver took off.

"I ran out into the street to get her license number and she run the red light and hit the gentleman on the motorcycle," Forneris said. "Then she hit a light pole about a half block up the road. Hit a light pole, spun sideways and by then I was almost there.

Forneris said after hitting the light pole, the young female driver got out of her car and started to walk away.

"When she got out, I said 'you need to come up here.' I stood beside her and followed her all the way up and she just sat there and looked at the guy," said Forneris.

Forneris said the woman didn't appear to be in shock and tried to explain what had happened.

"She said, 'I was going too fast and hit the van and was trying to get away.' And I thought, unbelievable, if it weren't for the light pole, she would have been gone," Forneris said.

Charges

Police said Chisala was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident and failure to render aid.

Chisala was taken to Meyer Hall.

Copyright 2008 by KCCI.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[MOhillbilly]

you pay to play.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by ChiefsFan4Life

Unless it suddenly becomes legal to kill people then I think he'll be ok dead

Murder hardly needs to become legal for new evidence to come available.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

So your entire argument is based on the pretense that since everyone is physically capable of murder, we should not use capital punishment on anyone?

Capable of error Albert. Error.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Micjones

I don't give life.
So I tend to see it as much more valuable than the average person.
If I'm a pussy for that... So be it.

You don't give life to animals either, but I'll bet you eat them.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Why do these dudes always wait until they are behind bars to suddenly do something postive with their lives?

Sorry dude, RIP.

Probably so they can convince dumb sheep of people to take up their cause and not put them to death.. See look at me now, I am doing good.. Don't kill me because I helped brutally murder people..

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Why? I happen to agree with that post 100% He just said it before I did. And you never answered his question. Are we supposed to just lay there and take it while scumbags like do whatever? Look, I'm sure everyone knows that if you murder someone in cold blood, you could get the death penalty. It's not like they stole a pack of gum from Walmart. The ended a life. Ask the victims' families if they don't think this guy deserves death. I wonder what they would say.

I did answer the question.
I said there were other ways to achieve retribution.

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

You don't give life to animals either, but I'll bet you eat them.

That's a 1:1 isn't it?
The killing of animals to live is directly in proportion to capital punishment.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Probably so they can convince dumb sheep of people to take up their cause and not put them to death.. See look at me now, I am doing good.. Don't kill me because I helped brutally murder people..

From this thread it's obvious that at least one guy has fallen for it.

[DeezNutz]

I'm not a proponent of the death penalty as a general rule, but I think it definitely has a place when the victim of some heinous act continues to be abused, in some way, by the perpetrator. For example, people like the sick bastard who raped and murdered Jessica Lunsford, the little girl in Florida who is the namesake for Jessica's Law, should not continue to live.

This animal received sexual gratification from his act and can continue to get his rocks off in prison from the mental images of the event. The poor little girl thus continues to be victimized. Same thing with her family.

[RJ]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Murder hardly needs to become legal for new evidence to come available.

What sort of evidence? He has admitted to being present at all of the murders.

This isn't a case where DNA is going to prove something different. What do you think would ever change?

[Micjones]

Originally Posted by PhillyChiefFan

I see what you are saying, but I'm asking you a serious, nonsarcastic question. Would you rather he be given life in prison?

Yes.