Cop Killer Paroled!!

http://www.bergen.com/news/halfwayr200101281.htm ^

[Coleus]

Longest serving N.J. inmate, convicted of killing two officers, released from halfway house

[OldFriend]

I remember this case.....the officers were forced to strip and perform oral sex on each other in front of the other patrons in the bar. The sexual aspects of this case have been hushed up for years.

These animals were sentenced to death and death it should have been. Then it was life in prison without parole and now we see where that gets us. EXECUTION IS THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT SOCIETY.

[Northpaw]

Thomas Trantino later turned himself in to authorities and was sentenced to the death penalty. New Jersey later repealed the death penalty and his sentence was commuted to life in prison.

This retro-active penalty change has always puzzled me. If a murderer is sentenced to life in a state that at that time has no death penalty and then a few years later, re-institutes it, does the prisoner get executed? Hmmmm? If not, why not?

[Old Professer]

Therefore you are welcome not to lash out at me. I won't change your opinion, and you won't change mine. And I would also gladly trade the lives of the murdered cops for this person. Further, my opinion is not one of a ‘bleeding heart liberal;’ as there are many conservatives around the world that have the same sort of opinion on this sort of case that I do.

Lives are not "yours" to trade; if I were this man, I would weigh my future against this position he is now in, perhaps the state is looking at the long-term costs and this is all about money.

If life, as a sentence, doesn't mean until the death of the convicted party, then it means nothing.

Philosophically, I am against the death penalty, but practically, I say the sooner the better.

[Coleus]

Yes, they should have, actually there were 5 on death row in the 60's, the other 4 were let out in the 70's, and 3 (one died) are walking the streets right now. With Trantino, it is now 4 NJ Death-Row Murderers out and in your community walking the streets. Watch Out.

[ThreePantherEightyDuce]

I am deeply troubled by pieces I have read about inconsistencies in the jurisprudence product that can and has put innocent people on death row.

I note the rich and influential never get this ultimate punishment. But poor folks do, and their demographics are troubling to analyze.

I do not wish to see the state passing judgment on anyone's right to exist, be they an innocent in the womb, or a perpetrator of a horrible crime. I understand the feelings that cry for death to be doled out to murderers, but I respectfully remain unconvinced true justice is served by using a punishment that disrespects the murdered ones involved if the wrong people are executed, and doesn't bring anyone back to life who deserve to be live more then the one who caused them to die.

This is far from aan easy question to deal with. I have agonized over it for decades, and I expect I will ponder it as long as I live, of that I have no doubt.

[Coleus]

Amadou Diallo, 22, seen in this undated photo, was gunned down by four New York policemen in front of his home on Feb. 4, 1999. (AP File) Overview In February 1999, four New York City policemen searching for a rape suspect knocked on Amadou Diallo's door to question him. When he came to the door he reached inside his jacket, at which point the officers shot at him 41 times, hitting him with 19 bullets. The object Diallo was reaching for turned out to be his wallet. Story>>>> Your facts are ALL wrong, I live in the NY Metro Area and heard of this story EVERY DAY for two years.

He was walking home from his job as a street vendor and was approached by 4 special-crimes unit police officers because he looked like a rape suspect from the area. HE WAS NOT HOME IN HIS LIVING ROOM AND DID NOT OPEN ANY DOOR AS YOU SAID.

They told him to freeze and stop, Diallo did not and proceeded to go into his pocket, in the dark, pulling out a black object. He was told to stop again, he refused, and the cops blew him away because they thought he was a rapist reaching for his gun. A TRAGIC MISTAKE, NOT MURDER BY COP AS THE BLACKS PROPOSED.

As it turns out the Blacks, i.e. Fat pig Al Sharpton all lied about the situation. They said Diallo did not understand English, HE DID. It was also found out later that Diallo was a fraud and an illegal alien who lied on his application stating he was exiled from Mauritania for political oppression and that his parents were dead. ALL LIES.

Turns out he was from Ghana and BOTH of his parents were alive and well.

Diallo was acting suspiciously because HE KNEW IMMIGRATION WAS ON TO HIM.

As I said it was a tragic mistake. If Diallo was a law-abiding citizen he would still be alive.

[NRA2BFree]

Yes, they should have, actually there were 5 on death row in the 60's, the other 4 were let out in the 70's, and 3 (one died) are walking the streets right now. With Trantino, it is now 4 NJ Death-Row Murderers out and in your community walking the streets. Watch Out.

Actually they aren't in my community. I live in NM, but we have our share of cop killers here too. We have had more officers killed in 2001 in NM than ever before. That's why this lady owns guns and knows how to use them. :)

[Coleus]

How do you know where our death row inmates are now living?

They can be anywhere.

[Age of Reason]

Capital punishment is one of those issues that blur the lines as far as the ranks of those for or against it. I have argued with very liberal people that loudly proclaim it's need, and stood with conservative people in audiences of speakers who are against it at the nearby University of Oregon. That has always amazed me.

It's too bad we don't draw and quarter the more vicious criminals.

Simply killing them is too good for them.

[4CJ]

The Death penalty is not just punishment - it serves as a deterrent. Does life in prison serve as a deterent? I doubt it - there is always the possibilty of escape, pardon, commutation, parole, retrial etc. But death is final. That's why you don't see criminals begging for the death penalty instead of a life sentence.

Every innocent life is precious. But those that take innocent life must be punished. Without punishment we are sanctioning their crimes, not preventing/punishing them.

Whatever motivation you personally have to defend them is yours - I'm not passing judgement, just stating my opinion. Why should criminals have more rights than their victims? It seems that every bleeding heart liberal in the world speaks for the criminal, that somehow they are not responsible for their own actions.

Who speaks for the victims?

[BikerNYC]

Every innocent life is precious. But those that take innocent life must be punished. Without punishment we are sanctioning their crimes, not preventing/punishing them.

I agree. What do you suggest be the punishment to the jury, judges and executioners involved in the execution of a convicted defendant who later we find (perhaps through DNA evidence) was not guilty of the crime charged? How do we handle those situations? Jail to that judge? An automatic $1 billion to the surviving family? I don't know.

[Shooter 2.5]

"execution of a convicted defendant who later we find (perhaps through DNA evidence) was not guilty"

Do you remember when we heard that DNA testing was too expensive? Now we're using it on the victims of 9/11. DNA testing should be mandatory in all investigations.

[RepubMommy]

If he were executed like he was supposed to have been, we wouldn't have this problem today. How could somebody on death row be paroled? Only in liberal NJ. This guy actually had conjugal visits with his girlfriend.

Once again, I am disgusted with my state's judicial system. Can;t beleive I am actually rasing children here. I am not familiar with the political make up of our Supreme Court, anyone? Where is Judge Napolietano when you need him?

[RepubMommy]

I remember this case.....the officers were forced to strip and perform oral sex on each other in front of the other patrons in the bar. The sexual aspects of this case have been hushed up for years.

I did not know this. So they were humiliated beyond belief prior to being killed. Disgusting.

[OldFriend]

If only I could go back to the old newspapers.....there is more that occurred before they killed the policemen but I can't remember. They were sentenced to death.......let those who think that life in prison without parole is a protection to society think again, and think too about Willie Horton who was also sentenced to death.

[Coleus]

Judge Napolietano is retired and making the big bucks $$$ on Fox, boy did he ever luck out.

Our Supreme Court under former Justice Robert Wilentz is one of the most liberal in the USA, all these crazy decisions, Mt. Laurel, Abbott v. Burke, etc. were heard during his reign.

Now, Gov. Whitless' friend, Grandma Deborah Poritz is the Chief Justice, she is a left-wing RINO and voted in favor of the Boy Scout Homosexual Dale case.

[Cagey]

Thanks for the ping, Coleus. It seems this story has been around forever and that only adds to the torment of the family members. Maybe we'll luck out and Trantino will go the way Jack Abbott just did.

[4CJ]

Sorry for the delay. If and when a jury/judge/the system makes a mistake - someone should have to be responsible - that is only fair - and would also serve as a deterrent to unmerited decisions. But the criminals must also be held responsible for their actions as well.

[Wm Bach]

Who cares? Murder Schmurder. The important thing is that we lock up old guys with weak bladders on an airplane for 20 years. Late video renters and teenagers who subscribe to guns&ammo are also arrest priorities.

Don't you realize that there are real criminals afoot?