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

[DenverChief]

Originally Posted by Brock

That's how long it should take to execute them, at most.

I disagree unless certain criteria are met, one being irrefutable DNA evidence....too many wrongly convicted persons have been put to death already and to speed it up and risk greater error is unfathomable

[wild1]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

In its review of death penalty expenses, the State of Kansas concluded that capital cases are 70% more expensive than comparable non-death penalty cases. The study counted death penalty case costs through to execution and found that the median death penalty case costs $1.26 million. Non-death penalty cases were counted through to the end of incarceration and were found to have a median cost of $740,000. For death penalty cases, the pre-trial and trial level expenses were the most expensive part, 49% of the total cost. The costs of appeals were 29% of the total expense, and the incarceration and execution costs accounted for the remaining 22%. In comparison to non-death penalty cases, the following findings were revealed:

The investigation costs for death-sentence cases were about 3 times greater than for non-death cases.

The trial costs for death cases were about 16 times greater than for non-death cases ($508,000 for death case; $32,000 for non-death case).

The appeal costs for death cases were 21 times greater.

The costs of carrying out (i.e. incarceration and/or execution) a death sentence were about half the costs of carrying out a non-death sentence in a comparable case.

Trials involving a death sentence averaged 34 days, including jury selection; non-death trials averaged about 9 days.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/1080

Are you saying that the state pays less than $500,000 in total expenses to house someone on a life sentence for 30 or 40 years, until the end of their natural life?

[SenselessChiefsFan]

Did anyone else notice that this guy killed an 81 year old man in 1978 and only served 14 years?

God has extended me grace. And, from that perspective, I try to extend it to others. However, God has put people in places of authority for a reason. If God wanted this guy to live, then no one could take his life.

As for me, I pray that he has changed. I pray that he has found God, than he is saved and that has been redeemed. I pray that somehow, despite the sorrow and tragedy that he has brought about, that God has used his life for God's work.

The story of Mosses would not have been possible without a Pharroh with a hardened heart. No telling what great works God was able to do with these tragedies.

[DenverChief]

Originally Posted by wild1

Are you saying that the state pays less than $500,000 in total expenses to house someone on a life sentence for 30 or 40 years, until the end of their natural life?

pretty much...roughly 20k a year most studies will show

[jjjayb]

It's not so much that he deserves to die. It's moreso that I don't think he deserves to live. Exterminate the vermin.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

In its review of death penalty expenses, the State of Kansas concluded that capital cases are 70% more expensive than comparable non-death penalty cases. The study counted death penalty case costs through to execution and found that the median death penalty case costs $1.26 million. Non-death penalty cases were counted through to the end of incarceration and were found to have a median cost of $740,000. For death penalty cases, the pre-trial and trial level expenses were the most expensive part, 49% of the total cost. The costs of appeals were 29% of the total expense, and the incarceration and execution costs accounted for the remaining 22%. In comparison to non-death penalty cases, the following findings were revealed:

The investigation costs for death-sentence cases were about 3 times greater than for non-death cases.

The trial costs for death cases were about 16 times greater than for non-death cases ($508,000 for death case; $32,000 for non-death case).

The appeal costs for death cases were 21 times greater.

The costs of carrying out (i.e. incarceration and/or execution) a death sentence were about half the costs of carrying out a non-death sentence in a comparable case.

Trials involving a death sentence averaged 34 days, including jury selection; non-death trials averaged about 9 days.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/1080

Looks like the judicial system half-asses it when a life isn't on the line.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by RJ

I suppose it would be cheaper to kill them than to jail them if they only had one shot at an appeal, but I can't see that ever happening, nor do I think I'd want it to. Sure, some cases are really cut and dried, but not all of them.

There's obviously lots of info out there on the cost of the death penalty. here's a piece from one site, and a link. And again, I'm not in favor of leniency to murderers, it's just that the death penalty is in many ways impractical and every now and then just flat out wrong.

http://www.fnsa.org/v1n1/dieter1.html

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.(3) In Florida, each execution is costing the state $3.2 million.(4) In financially strapped California, one report estimated that the state could save $90 million each year by abolishing capital punishment.(5) The New York Department of Correctional Services estimated that implementing the death penalty would cost the state about $118 million annually.(6)

I was reading that Missouri spends on average 40k a year on an inmate to house and feed them.. Times that times 30, I would rather just spend the money now and get it over with.. Of course it is probably cheaper to kill them if the lawyers were not making 100's of millions of dollars off the cases..

Kind of like how the medical industry, insurance and hospitals want to charge me 42 dollars for a cotton swab..

[The Franchise]

Let's go back to the eye for an eye thing.

You steal....you get your hand cut off.
You rape.....you get raped......by a bat.

[Al Czervik]

Excellent news that the stay was denied.....

This piece of shit will meet his maker....
About 15 years late, but in the end, it shall be done....

Peace to all that were affected by this POS actions....

[beach tribe]

Oh yeah, I remember this. Did they fry this POS yet?

[Al Czervik]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

Oh yeah, I remember this. Did they fry this POS yet?

It is currently scheduled for May 20th.....

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Valiant

I was reading that Missouri spends on average 40k a year on an inmate to house and feed them.. Times that times 30, I would rather just spend the money now and get it over with.. Of course it is probably cheaper to kill them if the lawyers were not making 100's of millions of dollars off the cases..

Kind of like how the medical industry, insurance and hospitals want to charge me 42 dollars for a cotton swab..

No lawyer gets rich off the criminal justice system except privately hired lawyers representing really rich defendants like OJ Simpson or Leona Helmsley.

[Duck Dog]

Since when do you get the death penalty for being an accomplice? Neither of the two guys that beat my uncle to death were given the death penalty.

[Iowanian]

Just imagine the support therman and co would have received if I hadn't started the negative tone on the first reply. I feel great remorse for those actions now.




Ride the lightening.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Just imagine the support therman and co would have received if I hadn't started the negative tone on the first reply. I feel great remorse for those actions now.




Ride the lightening.

Yes therman initial post was very misleading.