Death Penalty

[SBG]

I know you weren't directing that towards me, but I had to clarify myself. I wasn't intending to mean that religion has any place in law. But I also realize that this country was founded by people who believed in God. Does religion have a place in law? I dunno, but the country was way better off when it did. Besides, if you believe in God then you realize He has a place in everything.

[aphrodite4ever]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NotSoSilentBob</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thou Shalt Not Kill doesn't prohibit capital punishment.

I say kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out. </div></div>

For once I agree with you, well said.

[Unchained]

Jury condemns Johnson to death

Saturday, Apr 28, 2007 - 12:00 AM

BY Becky Campbell
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Bristol Herald Courier


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It took the jury about four hours on Friday to condemn Nikolaus Johnson to death for killing Bristol Tennessee Police Officer Mark Vance more than two years ago.
Johnson, 28, of Bristol Virginia, showed no emotion as the jury foreman read the panel's verdict around 5:30 p.m.
The jury heard closing arguments in the sentencing phase Friday morning, received the judge's instruction and began deliberating around 12:30 p.m.
The same panel had returned a first-degree murder guilty verdict on Tuesday after a little more than two hours of deliberation.
In its sentencing decision, the jury found that the state had proven beyond a reasonable doubt the two aggravating factors prosecutors relied on ? Johnson had a prior violent felony and that he knew Vance was an on-duty police officer when he was slain.
The jury also found the mitigating evidence defense attorneys Jim Bowman and Stacy Street presented was not enough to overcome the aggravating factors.
If the jury had not chosen the death penalty, it could have sentenced Johnson to life in prison or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Johnson's family had no comment for the media after the jury's verdict and quickly left the courthouse.
Bristol Tennessee Police Chief Blaine Wade said the department and community can now begin to heal.
"It was obviously a tragic event when we lost Mark. The Vance family has really suffered though this, the entire police department suffered,"? Wade said after Friday's proceedings.
"It has been a painful time, and it's been painful to think about. Now we can start the healing process and start getting some closure. We feel satisfied with this verdict and sentence,"? Wade said.
Even the community has reached out to express its loss, he said.
"The community has been very supportive of the police department. They absorbed this loss, and it was tragic to the community to lose one of their paid servants,"? he said.
Vance's mother, Karen, said: "We waited two and a half years for this day, and we finally got it.
"I had different emotions through the whole three weeks."?
Something Karen Vance and Wade noticed was no appearance of remorse on Johnson's part.
" He walked in with a big ol' smile everyday, and he walked out with one. And he just left with one,"? Karen Vance said.
She hoped people will remember her son, "just as the good police officer he was. He was there to serve and protect, and he did that. If he was here today, he would do the same thing."?
Circuit Court Judge Jerry Beck and the attorneys found a glitch in the original verdict form because the jury did not use the exact wording in the original jury instructions when it wrote its findings of the aggravating factors.
Beck ? over the objections of the defense ? read a supplemental instruction to the jury and sent them back to correct the form.
Once the correct forms were submitted, Beck ordered Johnson to be held in a Nashville prison until his execution.
"May God have mercy on your soul,"? Beck said.
After the proceedings, defense attorney Jim Bowman said he and co-counsel Stacy Street were disappointed with the verdict.
"The court and the jury worked hard. Obviously, we're not happy with the outcome but I have no criticism of the work that the jurors did."? Bowman said.
"The law provides for appeals in this case and obviously there will be appeals. We'll see where it goes from there."?