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Thread: Dreion Martise Dearing Sentenced to LWOP in 2018 CO Slaying of Deputy Sheriff Heath Gumm

  1. #11
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Neil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan View Post
    Due to Gov. Jared Polis commuting the death sentences of 3 men on Colorao's death row Monday, the maiximum sentence is Life without Parole (LWOP).
    Too bad they couldn’t get it on the ballot.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Frequent Poster Steven AB's Avatar
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    The repeal applies to offenses "charged on or after July 1, 2020", so theoretically the death penalty can still be imposed in this case.

    https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb20-100

    But some state supreme courts have imposed a retroactive repeal; we will see what the Colorado state Justices decide.

    A death sentence in this case would be a symbolic disapproval of the death penalty repeal by a popular jury, and it would be uncomfortable for Polis to commute it as early as it is imposed.

    A ballot measure can reinstate the death penalty at least for future cases.

    https://www.cncpunishment.com/forums...588#post125588

    https://www.cncpunishment.com/forums...643#post125643

  3. #13
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Neil's Avatar
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    Activists on the Supreme in those states did that. Delaware’s Supreme Court changed from 2012. The 2016 Supreme Court tossed their sentences out. Same thing with Connecticut they had activism. Polis is an activist. Yes, Colorado doesn’t use the death penalty, but that doesn’t mean it’s population doesn’t support it. Steven AB, you and I have had this conversation before, the death penalty has been under assault since 2010. The only good thing to happened to it since then has been the destruction of Hurst and Pete Ricketts funding to persevere it and finally executing Moore.

  4. #14
    Senior Member Frequent Poster Steven AB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil123 View Post
    the death penalty has been under assault since 2010. The only good thing to happened to it since then has been the destruction of Hurst and Pete Ricketts funding to persevere it and finally executing Moore.
    Among other "good things" that you are completely ignoring:

    - Glossip v. Gross (2015),

    - Bucklew v. Precythe (2019),

    - Trump election,

    - Three pro-death penalty ballot measures the same day,

    - Gorsuch appointment,

    - Kavanaugh appointment.

    This list is not even exhaustive, and illustrates why a Colorado death penalty reinstatement by initiated statute is a serious possibility.

    https://www.cncpunishment.com/forums...588#post125588

    https://www.cncpunishment.com/forums...643#post125643
    Last edited by Steven AB; 03-24-2020 at 11:15 AM.

  5. #15
    Administrator Aaron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil123 View Post
    Activists on the Supreme in those states did that. Delaware’s Supreme Court changed from 2012. The 2016 Supreme Court tossed their sentences out. Same thing with Connecticut they had activism. Polis is an activist. Yes, Colorado doesn’t use the death penalty, but that doesn’t mean it’s population doesn’t support it. Steven AB, you and I have had this conversation before, the death penalty has been under assault since 2010. The only good thing to happened to it since then has been the destruction of Hurst and Pete Ricketts funding to persevere it and finally executing Moore.
    Neil, the Delaware Supreme Court deliberately misinterpreted Hurst. Alabama showed the proper way for states other than Florida to respond to Hurst. Missouri too I suppose.
    Don't ask questions, just consume product and then get excited for next products.

    "They will hurt you. They will hurt your grandma, these people. The root cause of this is there's no discipline in the homes, they don't go to school, you know, they live off the government, no personal accountability, and they just beat people up for no reason, and it's disgusting." - Former Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters

  6. #16
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Neil's Avatar
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    Steven you really believe there’s a shot at reinstating the death penalty there by ballot drive and enshrining it to the state constitution? Maryland couldn’t get the signatures needed for it in 2013.

  7. #17
    Senior Member Frequent Poster Steven AB's Avatar
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    There is no need to enshrine it in the state constitution. An initiated statute is enough.

    California Proposition 66 qualified for the ballot in 2016 (and won) after a previous attempt did not qualify in 2014.

    Thanks to this recent and successful experience, we now have a better knowledge of the appropriate strategy to get the signatures.

    https://www.cncpunishment.com/forums...588#post125588

    https://www.cncpunishment.com/forums...643#post125643

    (I tardily add that the number of signatures required in Colorado is the same for both initiated statutes and initiated amendments, and that Colorado allows "combined" measures that are legislative and constitutional at the same time. So, there is little to lose to try that, except that drafters should be attentive to Colorado’s apparently strict single-subject rule.

    https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governi...umber_required

    https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Ame...tiative_(2018)

    https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governi...e-subject_rule)

    (I further tardily add that I would nonetheless launch a statute without constitutional amendment, because an amendment is not indispensable and there is for it a "distribution requirement" that does not apply to initiated statutes. It would also require a 55% super-majority instead of 50%+.

    https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governi...n_requirements

    Colorado Legislature's decision to prohibit a referendum on the grounds that this bill is an urgent law indicates that a ballot measure is actually a prospect worrying them. But they can ban only a referendum, not an initiative.

    https://www.crimeandconsequences.blo...death-penalty/)
    Last edited by Steven AB; 03-28-2020 at 01:07 PM.

  8. #18
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    Dearing convicted in shooting death of sheriff's deputy

    CommerceCitySentinel.com

    An Adams County jury convicted Dreion Martise Dearing of first-degree murder Oct. 29 and sentenced him to life in prison without parole in the death of Adams County Deputy Sheriff's Deputy Heath Gumm in 2018.

    “This has been a long haul. But at the end of the day, we got to the just verdict. Mr. Dearing will be spending the rest of his life in prison,” District Attorney Dave Young said in a press release.

    Gumm, 32, was fatally shot Jan. 24, 2018, while responding to a 911 disturbance call involving a burglary in the 8700 block of Dawson Street in Adams County. Gumm pursued suspects who fled the location. The press statement said Gumm was ambushed by Dearing, who was hiding in a backyard and fired seven shots at Gumm, hitting him twice. One of the shots entered his chest and heart, killing him.

    “This is not a case about self-defense,” Young said during closing arguments, noting that Dearing brought his fully-loaded handgun to the confrontation at the apartment. “This is a case where Mr. Dearing was lying in wait, hiding, waiting for that opportunity and making a choice to point his .45-caliber handgun at Deputy Gumm and pull that trigger seven times.”

    Although Gumm managed to return fire, he had been hit and was on the ground when he did so, the press release said.

    “He‘s firing for survival.”

    Young said Dearing fled because he had just committed a burglary and saw police coming after him.

    ”He runs,” Young said. “He knows he’s about to get caught. The choice he makes is to hide. He pulls out his gun. Once he realizes Deputy Gumm is going to take him into custody, he takes his position on the deck to take care of his business. As Deputy Gumm came into view, he fired seven times, killing a man who was just doing his job.”

    The Adams County District Court jury convicted Dearing on charges of first-degree felony murder of a peace officer, first-degree felony murder and first-degree burglary.

    https://www.commercecitysentinel.com...heriffs-deputy

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