California inmate used cord to hang himself in death row cell

Reuters via Yahoo! News ^ | May 30, 2012 | by Dan Whitcomb

[Oldeconomybuyer]

(Reuters) - A convicted killer who hanged himself on California's death row did so using an extension cord for an appliance in his cell and had not previously been considered a suicide risk, a prison spokesman said on Wednesday.

James Lee Crummel, 68, was found hanging in his one-man cell at San Quentin State Prison near San Francisco on Sunday, five months before Californians are due to vote in November on a ballot measure aimed at repealing the state's death penalty.

Crummel had been sentenced to die for the 1979 murder of a teenage boy.

San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Bill Mitchell, who prosecuted Crummel, reacted to Crummel's suicide by saying: "I'm very pleased. I wish it had been many years sooner. The world would have been a better place without him in it.

"I've done a lot of murder cases, I've sent 10 people to death row, and Crummel was one of the worst because he victimized young kids, he targeted them."

Crummel faced execution for the kidnapping, sexual abuse and murder of 13-year-old James Wilfred Trotter, who disappeared in April 1979 after leaving the Costa Mesa, California, hotel room he shared with his mother.

In 1990, Crummel led authorities to the boy's charred skeletal remains in a remote area of Orange County, claiming to have discovered them while hiking, Mitchell said. Crummel was eventually linked to the crime through circumstantial evidence.

Mitchell said Crummel served previous prison terms for child molestation and attempted murder and was considered a suspect in the disappearance of two other California boys. His death sentence had been on appeal before the California Supreme court.

[Joe 6-pack]

"...using an extension cord for an appliance in his cell..."

Any idea what kind of appliance? Can we get one for all the death row inmates?

[forgotten man]

All of the cells on death row should be furnished with a noose hanging from the ceiling.

[Doogle]

ba-bye

[mkmensinger]

Well, it’s not called “death row” for nothing.

[AmonAmarth]

I guess he got tired waiting for his turn...

[reg45]

Good! He saved the State of California some money.

[BenLurkin]

Jeez. Even the condemned know that California is too slow on executions.

[JPG]

CA death row inmates are supposed to die from old age or disease. They are not supposed to die by suicide or lethal injection.

[traditional1]

Wow........42 years on Death Row? How many millions do we WASTE of convicted murderers across the country, while the Lawyers roll up the Billable Hours with endless Appeals?

Whoever said Death Row cells should be equipped with nooses is on the right track.....

[ColdOne]

I think we ought to supply all death row inmates with appliances!

[GeronL]

Should have happened long, long ago.

Can we make these cords available to all violent prisoners?

[Nervous Tick]

>> All of the cells on death row should be furnished with a noose hanging from the ceiling.

Not bad, but a little too passive.

How about cells comprised of a bed and a toilet/drinking fountain, suspended 30 feet above a concrete floor... with a tightrope between them.

[OrangeHoof]

He probably got tired of California living up to their promises.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

I love a story with a happy ending.

[FlingWingFlyer]

“Cruel and unusual” sure doesn’t seem to bother the murderers. I don’t understand why so many kollege kiddies and their Marxist professors lose so much sleep over it.

[thackney]

42 years on Death Row?

Try that again.

;-)

[Copenhagen Smile]

"...using an extension cord for an appliance in his cell..."

And why does a DR inmate get appliances in his cell?

[Bratch]

D@mned considerate of him!

[Ezekiel]

Any idea what kind of appliance? Can we get one for all the death row inmates?

Perhaps it was an alarm clock.

[9422WMR]

Heck, they should provide pre-tied lengths of cord to all the death row loosers just in case they wanted to do the right thing.

[Thank You Rush]

“”Any idea what kind of appliance? Can we get one for all the death row inmates? “”

Is it too much to hope for that they passed it around death row to get maximum use of it?

[muleskinner]

[NJRighty]

Is it too much to hope for that they passed it around death row to get maximum use of it?

Excellent idea. And when liberals complain that it is inhumane, we can just tell them they are recycling.

[Vigilanteman]

All of the cells on death row should be furnished with a noose hanging from the ceiling . . .>/i>

. . . and a memorial wall with nice plaques to honor those who have chosen this graceful exit.

With the amount shown contributed to the family of the victim starting at $10,000 and declining by 1% per month that the perp fails to take the hint.

[traditional1]

22 ?

[ArmstedFragg]

Now there’s a true Prosecutor....

[rfreedom4u]

Not too sure about saving money. You know they are going to investigate this and that costs money.

[DPMD]

Maybe we could placate them by executing prisoners using their preferred method of providing partial birth abortions, something they apparently don’t consider cruel and unusual.

[hinckley buzzard]

I think about a ten foot length of paracord and a small sign saying "do the right thing" would suffice, as standard issue for all death row cells across the land.

[SamAdams76]

Used to be a time when justice wasn't this slow. Consider the Lincoln assassination occurred on April 15, 1865. Just 83 days later, on a sweltering July day, the co-conspirators were hung. Within days of their conviction, the gallows were built in the prison yard (the condemned could actually hear the hammers from their cells) and they were also buried in the very same yard.

And this was considered a "long and involved" trial at the time!

[editor-surveyor]

>> “And why does a DR inmate get appliances in his cell?” <<

.
So that they can do the honorable thing?

[Tea Party Terrorist]

Sentencing someone to die then not carrying out the sentence for 20-25 years is cruel and unusual punishment.

All appeals should be exhausted within 6-12 months, max.