Posted on 04/26/2013 7:21:39 PM PDT by Gamecock
A Texas inmate was executed Thursday evening for fatally shooting one of three people he and a partner abducted during a convenience store robbery nearly 11 years ago.
Richard Cobb, 29, didn’t deny using a 20-gauge shotgun to kill Kenneth Vandever in an East Texas field where two women also were shot and one was raped. He was convicted of capital murder.
“Life is death, death is life. I hope that someday this absurdity that humanity has come to will come to an end,” Cobb said when asked if he had any last words. “Life is too short. I hope anyone that has negative energy towards me will resolve that.
“Life is too short to harbor feelings of hatred and anger. That’s it, warden.”
But that wasn’t it.
Just before the lethal drug took effect and at the conclusion of his statement, Cobb twisted his head back, raised it off a pillow placed on the gurney and then toward the warden standing behind him.
“Wow!” the inmate exclaimed in a loud voice. “That is great. That is awesome! Thank you, warden! Thank you (expletive) warden!”
His head fell back on the pillow, and his neck twisted at an odd angle, with his mouth and eyes open.
He remained that way for some 15 minutes before a physician entered the death chamber to examine him and pronounce him dead at 6:27 p.m. CDT. Sixteen minutes had passed since the drug had been injected.
The father, stepmother and stepbrother of the man shot and killed by Cobb were among the witnesses. Also in the viewing area was one of the women who was shot and attacked but survived to testify against Cobb.
“I think justice was served but it doesn’t change anything to speak of,” the slain man’s father, Don Vandever, said after watching Cobb die. “I do think the justice system needs to be more of a deterrent.
“All he did was go to sleep."
Nikki Daniels, 29, who was raped and shot during the 2002 attack but survived to testify against Cobb, said, “I thought he was going to be remorseful, I thought he was going to be apologetic, was hoping that he was going to address me.
“I saw the same evil person I saw 11 years ago. … He definitely showed his true colors.”
The Associated Press generally does not name victims of sexual assault but Daniels agreed to be identified.
Daniels said Cobb’s punishment in the end “was far too easy.”
About two hours before the lethal injection, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Cobb to be executed, rejecting a last-day appeal. It was Texas’ fourth execution this year.
.....”They get you high and stop your heart., stop it when you are high as hell feeling great”.....
As soon as his heart stopped...guarantee you that high didn’t last past those minute seconds...he’s headed for a downer bigtime!
‘All he did was go to sleep’ ... and his soul was swept away to everlasting torment by one far more evil than he could even try to be. All he did was drop into Hell! His soul will never sleep, and his torment is everlasting.
I can deal with the physic pain.
They need to allow an open volunteer
list for these things. There would be no
shortage of victim’s family volunteers.
Well, what you wrote may be accurate, but this pos is, nonetheless, dead. He was in no way tranquil at the time of his demise as reflected in his obscenities directed at the warden, who really had nothing to do with it. On the other hand, he proved he is just an evil guy. Another upstanding denizen of Hell.
As I have opined here before, I am opposed to the DP, not because these people don’t deserve it; I believe they do. I am opposed to it because it is not administered fairly. I would like to see a rich guy/ pretty woman, get executed (assuming he/she had due process and deserved it (read Arias, here, pretty not rich, but female, not male)).
I did a DP case on habeas corpus, for six years. The case only ended because the condemned got executed. I can’t say he didn’t deserve it, but I can say, at least to my satisfaction, that it’s not fairly imposed, and is, therefore, a violation of equal protection.
I could be wrong about that.
I am not absolutely certain because no system is perfect and one individual or entity, including the criminal justice system, should not let perfection be the enemy of the good. So, I am a bit ambivalent, but I still think the DP is unfairly applied.
“All he did was go to sleep."
Daniels said Cobb’s punishment in the end “was far too easy.”
Agree 100%.
Bring back the chair.
Sounds like someone that deserved it, and should have been put down a long time ago.
Some people just deserve to die. We can’t let our personal emotions interfere with that fact. Public execution should be so scary it makes a mean pos piss in his pants watching. Deterrence - it work.
The disgusting reality is that 9 years is fairly quick these days.
I was going to suggest a firing squad, but in my case if it were a line up of really cool classic rifles I’d almost consider it an honor.
I think people who mu*der other people should be executed the very same way that they did the deed...or at least the same amount of pain they gave their victim.
Ditto -only televised. Pay per view would probably bring in plenty to help pay for the trials, the public defenders and the incarceration.
A Oak chair,or bench(for multiples) hooked up to a Lighting Rod and set up at first available thunder storm. The waiting after being seated would give them time to think. Just prior to a strike, when it’s close, one will hear a noise similar to frying bacon. True!
Texas and Florida have some great electrical storms.
One may be forgiven for supposing that after this demonic character arrived at his ultimate destination, it was NOT AT ALL “so great.”
Why don’t they just use Pine-Sol? A large dollop of that might not be pleasant but it would work. And for pennies.
Oh, my view is not personal at all. It is strictly legal, and based upon my understanding of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
I am not saying I am correct or that you are necessarily incorrect. I am merely posting my disinterested, not personal, opinion. As long as poor guys get executed while wealthy guys get lesser punishment for the same offense, I am uncomfortable. I mean they are both going to Hell. I just think they should arrive on the same bus.
If I took all the law stuff I’ve done personally I would be a lot crazier than I am now.
BTW, I never had any kind of personal relationship or even rapport with my former death row client. But, in addition to being poor, he was a sociopath in my unmedical opinion. However, he was not insane, which is a legal not medical term. IOW, he knew right from wrong.
I agree with you about deterrence. If the State chooses to implement the DP, it should be on TV, or in the town square -just impose it fairly.
Bunch of bullshit bravado. Performance of the terrified.
“I’m glad he said this because he revealed exactly what the death penalty is today thanks to liberals: An absolute joke.”
The libs love criminals too, as long as they are raping and killing other people.
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