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Thread: Should felony-murder rule be overturned?

  1. #1
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JimKay's Avatar
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    Should felony-murder rule be overturned?

    Should felony-murder rule be overturned?
    by Opinion Staff

    William Van Poyck is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday at 6 p.m. for the 1987 murder of Glades Correctional Institution guard Fred Griffis during an escape attempt outside a West Palm Beach doctor’s office.

    Van Poyck’s lawyers say he should not be executed because he did not pull the trigger. They have produced an affidavit from Wanda Valdes stating that her husband, Frank, confessed to her that he pulled the trigger. Frank Valdes was beaten to death by prison guards in 1999.

    The Florida Supreme Court has refused to stay Van Poyck’s execution. Van Poyck lawyer Jeffrey Davis, who is from Milwaukee, said he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to step in.

    He said the high court gradually has been limiting executions. Now, using the felony-murder rule, people who participate in a crime that causes a person’s death can be convicted of capital murder even if they didn’t directly kill the victim.

    Mr. Davis notes the Supreme Court has said that people who were juveniles when they committed murder can’t be executed, and neither can people who were mentally retarded. Also, people who committed rape but not murder, can’t be executed. “The potential extension of that case law is that constitutionally you can’t execute someone who didn’t kill,” he said.

    What do you think? Should the felony-murder rule be overturned? Take our poll and/or leave a comment.

    http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/opini...be-overturned/

  2. #2
    Senior Member CnCP Legend FFM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimKay View Post
    Should felony-murder rule be overturned?

    What do you think? Should the felony-murder rule be overturned? Take our poll and/or leave a comment.

    http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/opini...be-overturned/
    No.

    If you aid in committing a crime, as is the case for the noisy and boisterous Van Poyck, you are partly responsible for the results, seeing that the events leading up to the results are NOT mutually exclusive. Every person involved is responsible in some way for what happens to other human beings in the rampage of their selfish endeavors to get what they want; Van Poyck is no exception.

  3. #3
    Admiral CnCP Legend JT's Avatar
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    Some states have drawn their felony murder law too widely which may give rise to unfairness when coupled with mandatory sentencing. But, in general, I say the rule should be maintained.
    "I have adopted the Italian way of life... I may stab you!"
    — Heidi

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  4. #4
    Senior Member Member Johnya's Avatar
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    If it weren't for felony-murder and conspiracy laws, Charles Manson never would have been convicted and sentenced to death for the Tate/LaBianca slayings. Andrea Hicks Jackson would not have been sentenced to death for the murder of State Trooper Tom Davis. Granted, these sentences were overturned and these people are serving life now; but I firmly believe without such laws, they would have been convicted of much lesser charges and paroled after four or five years.

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