Posted on 10/20/2007 11:05:15 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
An 80-year-old Fairfax County woman...was identified yesterday as the victim of Wednesday's fatal shooting in a popular park, allegedly by a teenager who did not know her.
Joan M. Gillinson, married for 60 years and the mother of four..liked to take leisurely walks and read in Huntley Meadows Park. About 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, Gillinson was shot to death in the park...A man with blood on his clothes ran from the park, climbed on a bus and held police at bay for nearly four hours...
Kevin C. Kline, 18...was charged with murder in Gillinson's slaying. Police said Kline did not know Gillinson...police recovered a 9mm Walther semiautomatic pistol from the bus. Kline could not have possessed a gun legally because he had just been convicted of assaulting a woman in Culpeper County and felons cannot have guns.
Despite Kline's conviction and fleeing to California...Culpeper Circuit Court Judge John R. Cullen allowed Kline to remain free on bond pending sentencing...
"The fact that distresses me most is that this man accused of a violent crime was let out," Roy Gillinson said yesterday...Court records indicate that Joan Gillinson also might have been sexually assaulted...If Gillinson was raped, prosecutors could seek the death penalty...Culpeper Commonwealth's Attorney Gary Close said Kline should have been in jail after convictions for his attack on a woman March 31.
At Kline's first court appearance, a judge set bond at $15,000. Culpeper prosecutors appealed but lost...After Kline's conviction on malicious wounding and abduction charges, for which the jury recommended a five-year prison sentence, the prosecutors again asked to have his bond revoked. Cullen declined.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Only thing I know of is O’Reilly’s show. He highlights stuff like this regularly.
“Culpeper prosecutors appealed but lost...”
This reminds me of those “studies” that contend a high percentage of cases in which the death penalty is meted out involve major errors by the lower courts. The way they determine this, of course, is by how many death penalty cases get reversed on appeal. Somehow, it is considered that the appeals court judges never make mistakes, and yet, you can see from this particular example that they do.
All those studies really show is that the appeals courts are more likely to throw out the death penalty than they are to throw out other types of penalties. Not surprising considering the anti-death penalty bias that infects our courts, by virtue of the liberal judges who run them.
The libs ought to consider that failure of the courts to enforce the laws will eventually result in vigilante justice.
Probably not really judicial incompetence, just an ideology that thinks we should imprison victims rather than perpetrators of crime.
Heartbreakingly sad. My prayers for this poor man.
I was just thinking, as I was reading the article, that the dog that bit off part of this perp's lip, is less of an animal than this depraved piece of humanity.
Don’t laugh, during the 1970’s a movie starring Charles Bronson called “Death Wish” hit the theater. It tells a story about a man who lost his wife and had his daughter brutally raped by muggers who broke into his apartment while he was not home. In the end he got a handgun and wandered the streets of New York City as bait for criminals. Each time a mugger attempts to rob him he shoots them dead. Liberal film critics were appalled when people in the theater stood up and applauded. History can repeat itself if the government is incompetent.
That’s what I was thinking. Give that dog a nice, juicy piece of bacon. It has keener instincts and better judgment than the judge.
Hollywood would never make such a movie today. Never.
Is this the judge’s or the prosecutor’s incompetent action?
The perpetrator is already convicted of a past crime, on parole, now accused of another murder, an established flight risk by moving out of state while on parole from the convicted crime, back in the area and found on a bus with blood on his clothing after another apparant rape and murder. Even if not guilty, he violated conditions of parole and the circumstantial evidence implies he is now guilty of two felonies, and is now on the street with bail, when he has no means of support????
Why would anybody give this guy bail money?
We seemingly have both judicial and journalistic incompetence at work here. As far as I’m concerned, this judge has blood on his hands. The reporter notes that convicted felons may not possess firearms. In Virginia, no one under the age of 21 may possess a handgun except under certain circumstances:
“A person must be at least 18 years of age to purchase a rifle or shotgun. To purchase a handgun, you must be at least 21 years of age, pursuant to federal law. For statutory regulations concerning underage persons possessing firearms, refer to Virginia Code §18.2-308.7, possession or transportation of certain firearms by persons under the age of eighteen.”
a movie starring Charles Bronson called Death Wish hit the theater.
Hadn’t thought of that movie in a long time. I bet I have seen the movie five times and, if it were on TV presently, I would be watching it.
One of my most favorite movies, not because of the violence but, because the way Bronson side stepped the cops to see justice done.
I thought they just did exactly that, recently. I can't remember who was the lead (Jodie Foster?), but it's acceptable because rather than a macho man, a woman who was most likely abused can do the same thing and still be "politically correct".
Yet another despicable judge with blood on his hands!Legislators need to fix this by writing laws that narrowly limit or end judicial discretion in sentencing and bail issues. They are totally out of control and Americans are dying every day because of it.
My favorite is “Dirty Harry” starring Clint Eastwood. “This being a 44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, this will take your head clean off your shoulder. I know what you are thinking punk. Did he fire five or six? In all this exitement, I really don’t know. So do you feel lucky punk!!!” Showed the movie to my son, he can’t get over cops being armed with six shot revolvers and nobody had a cellphone.
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