Freeoples Thread 327

[ValerieUSA]

Parole sure is a good system, isn't it?

http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/3805102p-4830507c.html

Kern County kidnapper had been wanted for rape

BY LAURA WIDES Associated Press Writer

Published 6:45 p.m. PDT Thursday, August 1, 2002
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Roy Dean Ratliff, shot and killed by deputies Thursday after kidnapping two girls at gunpoint, was wanted on rape charges and had served time for felony theft in at least two states.

Ratliff, 37, a Native-American who once lived in Rosamond, near the lover's lane where the girls were abducted, was charged in October 2001 with five counts of sexual assault for allegedly raping a 19-year-old relative.

Bail had been set at $3 million but he was never apprehended to face the charges.

The rape victim reported the crime to police immediately after it happened in October, said Dan Sparks, chief deputy District Attorney for Kern County.

"He was at large when the case was reported," Sparks said.

"The warrant was more specifically for forcible rape, two counts of rape with a foreign object, attempted sodomy, and sexual battery," Sparks said.

Mandy Baker, 18, a family friend, told The Associated Press Thursday that the rape victim was doing OK.

"She's doing fine. She's got her life back together," Baker said.

A rape conviction would have been a third-strike against Ratliff under California law, Sparks said. "He would have been looking at spending the rest of his life in prison, but that's not going to happen now."

The stolen Bronco Ratliff was driving got wedged on a boulder as he tried to elude sheriff's deputies, authorities said. He was shot and killed by deputies.

Tamara Brooks, 16, and Jacqueline Marris, 17, were rescued from the car by deputies who bandaged what appeared to be bumps and bruises, then the girls were taken to a hospital to be examined.

Ratliff had a series of convictions in the 1980s in Nebraska, according to Doug Warner, Scotts Bluff Deputy County Attorney.

Records show he was convicted in 1985 in Scotts Bluff County of misdemeanor theft. A year later he was convicted on felony burglary charges and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

In California, he has spent 13 years in and out of prison, said Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections.

In 1989, he began a two-year sentence on second-degree burglary charges. He served a year before he was paroled in 1990. A year later, while on parole, Ratliff was returned to prison, this time to serve a seven-year, four-month sentence for first-degree burglary. He was paroled again in December 1994, Heimerich said.

In February 1997, he was returned to prison a third time when he was sentenced to six years for possession of a controlled substance.

After he was paroled in July 2001, he failed to report again to his parole agent.

"He had been listed as wanted ever since," Heimerich said.

FBI Special Agent Daron Borst in Las Vegas said it appeared Ratliff was the man who stole a 1999 Saturn sedan from a Las Vegas couple on July 18 is the same.

"We're fairly certain it's one and the same person," Borst said following a press conference with the couple at Las Vegas police headquarters.

"He shoved me, I was screaming and he ordered me not to, but I kept screaming," 65-year-old Roberta Young said during the press conference.

"How we both got away, I don't know and for him to be as bad as he was," said her husband, 69-year-old James Young.

Court documents show Ratliff's wife, Juanita, filed for divorce in 1996, but records show that as recently as 2001, they continued to share a home in Rosamond.

[operation clinton cleanup]

How did this man post 3 million dollar bail bond?

[Mo1]

Some guy on FOX this afternoon said the one boyfriend appeared to be stoned... under the influence of some hallucnigen.

I wouldn't be surprised

Did you see the interview where he was discribing what happen and when he mention the creep run out of duck tape he laughed ..

I'm sorry .. but that sooooooooo immature and not called for

[Mo1]

How did this man post 3 million dollar bail bond?

Do they have bail reductions in CA??

[Mo1]

Huh?? what did I say now .. LOL

[operation clinton cleanup]

Bail had been set at $3 million but he was never apprehended to face the charges.

Oh, I see.

[Mo1]

This is the same guy who is pushing to get his book released

[ValerieUSA]

San Francisco justice strikes again:

SF appeals court overturns SoCal murderer's death sentence

By ANGELA WATERCUTTER Associated Press Writer
Published 4:45 p.m. PDT Thursday, August 1, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal appeals court set aside a death sentence Thursday for an Orange County man who killed a woman by stabbing her a dozen times with a butcher knife.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 6-5 that a prosecutor's remarks to the jury caused William Payton to receive an unfair trial.

The court ruled that a prosecutor erred when he told jurors during the 1982 trial that they shouldn't consider Payton's newfound belief in God when weighing whether he should be sentenced to death.

In trying to sway jurors to spare Payton's life, defense attorneys told jurors he had made a sincere commitment to God, had a calming effect on fellow inmates and could help them in Bible study classes.

Jacobs told jurors he did not think Payton's discovery of religion was "really applicable," and said Payton should die for the 1980 rape and murder of Pamela Montgomery of Garden Grove.

But jurors, the court wrote, cannot be told to disregard so-called "mitigating" circumstances when considering a life or death sentence.

This is the ninth time this year that the circuit court has set aside a California death sentence and the latest chapter in a case that has spanned two decades.

A California jury decided in 1982 that Payton should be put to death for his actions. The California Supreme Court agreed, but a federal judge blocked Payton's execution and commuted his sentence to a life term.

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit, known for reversing capital cases, then reinstated Payton's punishment last August.

Surviving Payton's attack were another woman and her 10-year-old son, both stabbed repeatedly in the house where Payton formerly lived.

The case is Payton v. Woodford, 00-99000.

[operation clinton cleanup]

A rape conviction would have been a third-strike against Ratliff under California law

According to 60 minutes, only bicycle thieves and people who steal a slice of pizza are charged under the three strikes law.

[sweetliberty]

Not you....me. I keep posting links after they've already been posted. DUH! Been a rough week.

My daddy sent me another one. I think you will appreciate this one. Southern women can get a yankee attitude sometimes too.

GOD BLESS KENTUCKY GIRLS!

A girl from Kentucky and a girl from New York were seated side by side on an airplane.

The girl from Kentucky, being friendly and all, said: "So, where y'all from?"

The New York girl said, "From a place where they know better than to use a preposition at the end of a sentence."

The girl from Kentucky sat quietly for a few moments and replied: "So, where y'all from, bitch?"

[operation clinton cleanup]

The court ruled that a prosecutor erred when he told jurors during the 1982 trial that they shouldn't consider Payton's newfound belief in God when weighing whether he should be sentenced to death.

Am I missing something here? You CAN'T mention God in school, but you MUST in court??

[ValerieUSA]

In 1989, he began a two-year sentence on second-degree burglary charges. He served a year before he was paroled in 1990. A year later, while on parole, Ratliff was returned to prison, this time to serve a seven-year, four-month sentence for first-degree burglary. He was paroled again in December 1994, Heimerich said. In February 1997, he was returned to prison a third time when he was sentenced to six years for possession of a controlled substance. After he was paroled in July 2001, he failed to report again to his parole agent.

I think the girls let themselves down when they went to "Lover's Lane" with these loser dudes, the dudes let them down when they let them go, and all of society let them down by allowing PAROLE to be granted to convicts who have a history of violating parole.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I cant help but think of that 1988 Bush campaign commercial that the democrats flipped out about.... that one showing prisoners going through a revolving door.

[ValerieUSA]

The jury isn't supposed to do God's job of determining the state of the accused's soul - they must determine his earthly guilt and sentence for earthly crimes. The prosecutor had a valid point. The defense atty had his say, the jury heard it, the prosecutor debunked it. That's his job.

The 9th circuit court of appeals is a DANGEROUS enemy of America.

[Mo1]

The court ruled that a prosecutor erred when he told jurors during the 1982 trial that they shouldn't consider Payton's newfound belief in God when weighing whether he should be sentenced to death.

Thise from the 9th circuit???

[Mo1]

ROFLOL ...

[ValerieUSA]

Yeah - the no "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance court. They are INSANE!

[Mo1]

Yes they are .. Good Grief

[sweetliberty]

This is incredible....another email. I guess I should check it more often.

EVER SEE AN ICEBERG FROM TOP TO BOTTOM? This is awesome! This came from a Rig Manager for Global Marine Drilling in St. Johns, Newfoundland. They actually have to divert the path of these things away from the rig by towing them with ships! In this particular case the water was calm, & the sun was almost directly overhead so that the diver was able to get into the water and click this pic. Clear water huh?! They estimated the weight at 300,000,000 tons. And now we know why they say one picture is worth 1000 words.... .....And now we also know why the Titanic sank!

[sweetliberty]

Why Dogs Kill Their Owners