By ANNIE BLACK
Nevada Assemblywoman
The Legislature is considering two bills to eliminate the death penalty in Nevada. And the arguments are as old as they are uncompelling.
The “racist” argument ignores the fact that of the 12 killers executed in Nevada since 1976, nine were white and only one black. Regardless, this issue isn’t, and shouldn’t be, about the killer’s race, but the killer’s guilt.
The “cost” argument is due to killers being allowed to abuse the criminal justice system to delay having their sentence carried out. Once executed, the taxpayer cost to house, feed, clothe and provide medical care drops to zero.
The “no deterrent” argument is a smoke screen. Fact is, every executed murderer has been permanently deterred from ever killing again. And make no mistake, killers sentenced to life-in-prison have killed while behind bars.
In fact, the Associated Press reported in February that “An Indiana inmate convicted of a 2002 triple murder fatally stabbed one corrections officer and seriously injured another at the maximum-security prison where he’s serving a 130-year sentence.”
But the worst part about the organized campaign to eliminate capital punishment for the most heinous murderers is how they show such compassion for the killer while conveniently overlooking what the killer did to get on death row in the first place.
Two examples…
1.) On January 20, 2008, a college student named Brianna Denison was kidnapped, raped and brutally murdered by James Biela, who is currently on Nevada’s death row. Her murder was committed just two months after Biela brutally raped at gunpoint another college student in a UNR parking garage.
Miss Denison’s body, clothed only in socks, was found weeks after the murder in a snow-covered field near a Reno business park under a discarded Christmas tree. She had been smothered with a pillow, raped, and ultimately strangled to death.
DNA evidence conclusively proved Biela was Miss Denison’s killer. He was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to death by a jury. Bri was only 19 years old with her entire life ahead of her.
But James Biela gave her the death penalty. He should get the same. And the sooner the better.
2.) In the early morning hours of June 3, 1999, Zane Floyd walked into a neighborhood grocery store in Las Vegas and brutally executed four innocent Nevadans with a shotgun, including a mentally disabled young man and a 60-year-old grandmother who begged for her life.
After his arrest, Mr. Floyd told a detective that he “looked right at her and I just blew her head apart.” One of the police officers who captured Floyd at the scene of the bloody rampage recently wrote me about the incident. Floyd said to him, “I probably shouldn’t have done that. She reminded me of my mom.”
There is no doubt about Mr. Floyd’s guilt. He was given a fair trial and sentenced to death by a jury. Considering the circumstances, it was the right and proper sentence.
What’s not right is the ability of these murderers to string out the execution of their sentence for years with endless appeals, as has been the case for Floyd. It’s now been over 20 years since his murder spree.
Addressing our broken appeals process is what we should be doing today, not eliminating the death penalty for murderers who showed no such mercy or compassion for their victims and the victims’ families.
Annie Black is the Nevada State Assemblywoman representing District 19 which includes, in part, Virgin Valley and Overton.
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5 thoughts on “The Facts Death Penalty Opponents Don’t Want You to See”
Killers have no right to live they took their victims lives very brutally I say a life for a life they know what they are duin is wrong never mind keeping them alive so they can get visits from family plus the cost to keep them in prison weres the JUSTICE FOR THE POOR VICTIMS I’m so disgusted and angry
WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO TAKE A PERSON’S LIFE. PEOPLE ARE FRAMED EVERYDAY. PEOPLE ARE INNOCENT AND HAVE BEEN PUT IN PRISON CAUSE JUST LIKE THERE IS KILLERS IN SOCIETY THERE IS KILLERS WORKING FOR THE COURTS AND POLICE DEP DETECTIVES JUDGES. WHAT IF YOUR SON DOES SOMETHING STUPID BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS STUPID. PEOPLE WHO WANT THE DEATH PENALTY ARE THIRSTY FOR MURDER BUT WHEN IT’S ONE OF THERE LOVE ONES THAT THEY NEVER THINK IT WILL BE THEN THEY BEG AND CRY. BEFORE THEY SENTENCED JESUS FOR NOTHING THE JUDGE WANTED TO LET HIM GO FREE HE HAD NOT COMMITTED ANY CRIME BUT NO THE BLOOD THIRSTY VAMPIRES WANTED PUNISHMENT DEATH KILL TAKE HIS LIFE IT’S MURDER BOTH WAYS. I SAY LET THEM ROTT IN JAIL TO PAY FOR WHAT THEY DID. WHEN WE SENTENCE A PERSON TO DEATH WE DESTROY THE PARENTS THE CHILDREN THE NEPHEWS THE SIBLINGS THE FRIENDS THE COMMUNITY. I SAY YOU WHO WANT DEATH TO A PERSON OF STUPIDITY SHOULD BE ASHAMED AND IF ANYONE WHO IS FOUND INNOCENT LATER BECAUSE OF LIES AND PROOF THEY BEEN FRAMED THEY SHOULD PUT EVERYONE NAME THAT WANTED DEATH IN A BARREL AND PICK A NAME WHO EVER IS NAME GOT PICKED GETS EXECUTED, LET’S SEE HOW THEY LIKE DEATH
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. It’s in the Bible.
Our justice system is flawed, and circumstances of a crime are weighed by a jury. If you commit multiple crimes, including murder, and there is DNA proof, it’s hard to argue that a murderer deserves to live out their life. Did they allow their victim to live? Is it possible they might kill again in prison? Should we value their life when they didn’t value others lives? How might you feel if a person killed your family member and went on to victimize and possibly kill again?
Wow you are really stupid. I was in Reno when Brianna Dennison was kidnapped, raped, and murdered on Jan. 19, 2008. Her body was discovered later in a snowy field in south Reno. Her killer James Biela was caught through excellent detective work. He had raped another woman prior to killing Dennison who identified him. Forensic science proved Biela had committed this heinous crime. He’s guilty as guilty can get. He callously took a 19 year old girl’s life. She no longer breathes but he does. Is that justice? ABSOLUTELY NOT! He deserves to die no doubt at all. He has the benefit of a dysfunctional appeals system which allows him to drag out his useless life and taxpayers get to foot the bill to keep him alive. NOT JUSTICE!
Problems with this opinion piece:
1. You advocate for a complete removal of rights for those incarcerated. Laws have determined that people have a right to appeal. Thus, your argument is bunk.
2. Again, people have a right to appeal. Thus, the cost to execute is higher than simply imprisonment for life. Again, bunk.
3. Prison is hard, I hear. I think everyone knows prison is not a great place to be. Why do you think incarcerated people appeal so often? Just a hunch- I don’t think they want to be there. To execute an individual would literally set them free of punishment. I don’t know about you- but I think people should be held accountable. People should serve the sentence granted. I’d rather said person be punished then set free.
4. I don’t know anyone who views prison as a deterrent to crime. Then again, I don’t spend time with conservatives.