Posted on 04/03/2013 10:17:28 AM PDT by CHRISTIAN DIARIST
Autumn Carter, a Mansfield, Ohio girl, was raped and killed in 1998. She was six-months old (that’s right).
Her convicted killer, Steven Smith, has a May 1 date with the executioner. Yesterday, he appeared before the Ohio Parole Board, where he pleaded for mercy.
Smith, 31 years old at the time he took baby Autumn’s life, has not repented his evil. He says his life should be spared because he really didn’t mean to kill the infant. He just wanted to have sex with her.
The convicted killer’s public defenders, Joseph Wilhelm and Tyson Fleming, had his back yesterday at his clemency hearing. They argued that, under Ohio law, a death sentence requires intent to kill the victim.
“The evidence suggests that Autumn’s death was a horrible accident,” Mssrs. Wilhelm and Fleming asserted. “Despite the shocking nature of this crime, Steve’s death sentence should be commuted because genuine doubts exist whether he even committed a capital offense.”
Accident? I don’t think so. Under Satanic influence? No doubt.
Baby Autumn was no random victim (not that it makes any difference). She was the daughter of Smith’s girlfriend (that’s right), Kesha Frye. When mom didn’t have sex with him on the night of his crime – probably because Smith was wasted on beer – he took revenge on her by sexually assaulting her baby girl.
At Smith’s trial, prosecutors presented evidence that his sexual assault lasted as long as 30 minutes.
“Expert” witnesses who testified in the killer’s defense suggested that Baby Autumn probably didn’t suffer the entire 30 minutes; that Smith accidentally suffocated the six-month old within three to five minutes while he lay on top of her.
“Steve is basically a decent person,” Wilhelm, his public defender, told the Ohio Parole Board yesterday. The convicted killer “got into trouble because of his alcohol dependence,” he added.
The Parole Board, which will issue its recommendation on Smith’s clemency petition to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has the final say on whether Smith dies or lives, wasn’t too sympathetic to the killer.
“Here’s what I take issue with,” said board member Kathleen Kovach, “People say Mr. Smith cared for Autumn and he took great care of her. No, he didn’t.”
As a Christ follower, I don’t believe anyone is beyond redemption. Not even someone, like Smith, who has committed a most unspeakable crime.
But there is no redemption, no salvation for unrepentant sinners, like Smith, the child molester, the baby killer.
He deserves what’s coming to him May 1.
Too bad.
In a few years, sex with infants, family members, animals, and even farm tractors, will be perfectly legal.
If I had a child and someone did this to him or her, all I’ll say is may God have mercy on him. Because I will not.
Its up to the state to send trash like this to meet their maker. Its up to God to sort them out.
He deserved it 15 years ago.
Commute his sentence to life, and put him in General Population.
Problem Solved.
Oh dear GOD! This man is disgusting and should’ve been killed in prison!
He was upset his girlfriend wouldn’t have sex with him so he exacted revenge by sexually assaulting her 6 month old daughter for up to 30 minutes?!?!
I’ve been completely blasted on booze before. I’ve done some incredibly stupid things. But never in my entire life under the influence of any amount of booze, have I EVER entertained the idea of sexually assaulting anyone or anything, let alone an infant!
This man is beyond redemption.
The Commandment “Thou shalt not kill” seriously needs some rational justice thought.
They forgot to say he was turning his life around, he was an aspiring rapper, yada, yada, yada.
I disagree. If someone come to repentence and puts their faith in Christ after committing a capital offense, then I believe that the Lord is merciful and forgiving. The Lord will prepare them a place in eternal life for them to worship him.
However, the blood that washes away all sin doesn't erase the past in this life. In the words of Everett from O Brother, Where art thou?:
"Even if that did put you square with the Lord, the State of Mississippi's a little more hard-nosed."
I believe if you are sentenced to death due to irrefutable evidence for a capital offense, then you need to die at the hands of the State in order for justice to be served.
If this guy was truly repentant, he would follow Wesley Allen Dodd’s example. There can be no doubt that Dodd was truly repentant.
Absolutely.
The “Good thief’ still ended up being executed for his crimes, although that very day he go to be with Jesus in paradise.
When somebody tries to escape punishment because they say God has forgiven them, I am suspicious. A truly repentant person would understand the harm they committed and would forward to heaven.
I hope I don’t come across as “harsh”. It’s just my opinion.
That is exactly what Wesley Allen Dodd willingly and proactively did.
Repentance makes one right with God, but it does not remove the civil penalty for the crime. Repentant or not (and I doubt that he is), a person convicted of a crime must still pay the penalty meted out by the justice system. God will deal with their eternal destination.
The proper translation is “murder”, not “kill”. The state wields the power of the sword and should definitely use it in this case.
I believe that at this point I would have asked for an example of someone who is not a "decent person" so I could tell the difference.
If this had been my child, the death penalty would already have been applied. Slowly and painfully.....
Liberals always tell us death penalty is not a deterrent. Then why do every last one of these dirt bags do everything in their power to get out of it?
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