On
this date, June 30, 2011, an Arizonan pedophile, Richard Lynn Bible was executed
in Arizona for the June 6, 1988 murder of 9-year-old Jennifer Wilson. I will
post the information about him from clarkprosecutor.org and I will rebut those
protestors at his execution.
Richard Lynn
Bible |
Jennifer
Wilson |
State v. Bible, 175 Ariz. 549, 858 P.2d 1152 (Ariz. 1993). (Direct Appeal)
Bible v. Ryan, 571 F.3d 860 (9th Cir. 2009). (Habeas)
Final Words:
"I want to thank my family and my lawyers. I love them all and everything's OK. That's it."
Final / Special Meal:
Four eggs with cheese, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, peanut butter and jelly, and chocolate milk.
Internet Sources:
Arizona Department of Corrections
Inmate: BIBLE, RICHARD L
DOC#: 043353
DOB: 01/23/1962
Gender: Male
Height 72"
Weight: 175
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Ethnic: Caucasian
Sentence: DEATH
Admission: 06-14-90
Conviction: IMPOSED [1]: MURDER 1ST DEGREE, [2]: KIDNAPPING, [3]: DANG. CRIMES AG. CHILDREN
County: COCONINO
Case#: 0014105
Date of Offense: 06-08-88
"Justice
delayed is justice denied in Bible case." (Thursday, June 30, 2011 5:05
am)
Today
is the day, after 23 years and 24 days, the case against Richard Lynn Bible of
Flagstaff is set to come to an end. That's how long it has taken our criminal
justice system to find the murderer of Jennifer Wilson, try him, convict him,
sentence him and carry out the sentence. A capital case like this should never
take that long.
--
The victim's family doesn't deserve the lack of closure that prevents their
wounds from starting to heal.
--
The family of the convicted murderer also has lived in limbo. They weren't the
ones found guilty, but for 23 years they might as well have been.
--
The attorneys on both sides of the case must think they are trapped inside some
sort of stylized dance -- they go through the same motions but never reach the
grand finale.
--
Then there are the judges and their clerks, forced to review the hundreds of
pages of case record that ultimately yield no reason for having reviewed it.
--
And finally there are the taxpayers, who begrudgingly foot the bills for such
Death Row indulgences but never rise up to demand changes.
Are
there capital cases in which 23 years is too short a time to actually solve the
crime and carry out justice? We acknowledge there are -- the Innocence Project
has proved that. But surely there must be a way, especially with the aid of
modern scientific testing, to pre-sort those cases and move them onto a
separate and more substantial appeals track.
Ironically,
the Bible case was one of the first to involve DNA testing. The blood on his
shirt was consistent with that of Jennifer Wilson's. Bible's attorneys have
never called for a retest or challenged that evidence. No court or judge has
ever ruled in his favor on any of his motions or appeals, save being granted
additional counsel two weeks before he was to be executed. With evidence so
overwhelming, how can such a case have taken so long, even with the defendant
maintaining his innocence to the end?
The
answer appears to lie in a system so consumed by due process that it fails to
recognize a case in which those safeguards serve little purpose other than to
delay justice, which, in effect, is to deny it.
So
in the end, Richard Bible has survived 23 more years on Earth when three would
have been sufficient for the cause of justice. Our society needs to either
radically shorten the appeals process in a capital case like Bible's or
sentence him early on to life in prison without parole and throw away the key.
He didn't let Jennifer Wilson get on with her young life, but everyone else in
the case had a right long ago to get on with theirs -- and put Richard Bible as
far out of mind as fast as possible.
APPELLATE
RECORD
--
Aug. 12, 1993: Arizona Supreme Court affirms Richard Lynn Bible's conviction
and sentence, rejecting a wide-ranging appeal.
--
April 18, 1994: U.S. Supreme Court declines a review of Bible's case.
--
Nov. 24, 1997: Coconino County Superior Court denies Bible's petition for
post-conviction relief, a type of appeal.
--
Sept. 28, 1998: Arizona Supreme Court declines a review of the ruling against
the post-conviction relief.
--
July 26, 2007: U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona rejects Bible's
wide-ranging appeal.
--
Aug. 13, 2007: U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona rejects a motion
for a new trial.
--
July 1, 2009: U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit rejects Bible's appeal
claiming ineffective counsel.
--
March 8, 2010: U.S. Supreme Court again declines a review of Bible's case.
--
March 22, 2010: State files a motion for a warrant of execution, which is
stayed pending outcome of another petition for post-conviction relief as well
as a motion for post-conviction DNA testing of hairs used as evidence in the
trial.
--
Aug. 16, 2010: Coconino County Superior Court rejects Bible's appeal and
request for DNA tests.
--
Oct. 11, 2010: Coconino County Superior Court denies a motion for
reconsideration.
--
March 16, 2011: Arizona Supreme Court reviews the most recent decisions against
Bible but affirms them on the grounds that the DNA tests would probably not
exonerate Bible.
--
May 24, 2011: Execution warrant issued by the Arizona Supreme Court.
--
June 15, 2011: Bible's attorney files an application for stay with the U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, seeking additional counsel and DNA tests
on the hairs.
--
June 17, 2011: Application for stay dismissed as moot, but Bible is granted
additional defense counsel.
--
June 21, 2011: Bible's attorney files an application for a stay with the U.S.
Supreme Court, saying the denial of his request to test the hairs makes his
sentence unconstitutional. Bible also seeks a stay from the Arizona Supreme
Court over where and when it obtained the drugs that will be used in the
execution and the qualifications of those who will be injecting them.
--
June 24, 2011: Arizona Supreme Court denies Bible a stay. Bible's attorneys request
a 30-day stay from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to get the recently
appointed lawyers up to speed on the case.
--
June 27, 2011: Arizona Board of Executive Clemency denies Bible's requests for
commutation and reprieve
--
June 28, 2011: 9th Circuit denies Bible's request for a stay
--
June 29, 2011: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy denies Bible's
appeals.
--
June 30, 2011: Execution scheduled at state prison in Florence.
INTERNET SOURCE: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/prayers-for-bible-jennifer/article_ebb14084-2d29-5083-8502-085711e95f6f.html
Prayers for Bible, Jennifer
Dan Peitzmeyer, left, leads the vigil in
prayer and reflection Wednesday on the grounds of the Arizona State Capitol.
(Laura Clymer/Special to the Sun)
|
PHOENIX
-- Their opposition to the death penalty is a matter of religious conviction,
reflected in their prayers for both the victims and their killers.
Nearly
two dozen people gathered in the shadows of the state Senate building on
Wednesday for a 45-minute "witness against the execution" of Richard
L. Bible, the Flagstaff man who was put to death Thursday for the 1988 rape and
murder of Jennifer Wilson.
"It
is a time to pray for the people whose lives have been taken from them,"
and to stand in "prayerful opposition to the execution of Richard
Bible," said Dan Peitzmeyer, who wore an "Execute Justice not
People" T-shirt.
Members
of the participating groups took turns leading the gathering in prayer,
reflection and song. They stood at the portable podium, which was flanked by
two people holding a banner that pictured Jesus Christ on the cross and
proclaimed "Executions have always been wrong."
The
vigil featured prayers and the lighting of candles for the victims of violence
and their families and for the death row inmates.
"We
light a candle for Jennifer Wilson and her family and pray for consolation. We
light a candle for Richard Bible and pray for the consolation of his
family," said one of the organizers leading the program. "Help us to
turn from revenge to forgiveness."
Participants
read the names of the 130 men and women currently on death row in Arizona,
recited and reflected on scripture from the Bible, read statements of
reconciliation from murder victims' families, and then concluded the vigil with
more prayers and with the song "La Paz de la Tierra" (The Peace of
the Earth).
Afterward,
Ruth Zemek, a member of Pax Christi-Phoenix, said a vigil in no way is meant to
demean the pain and suffering of the Wilson family or other victims of murder --
the death penalty neither heals nor restores society.
"We
don't think it (the death penalty) is an end to the suffering. It's a fallacy
that it brings closure," said Zemek. "The executed person is also a
victim. There's nothing healing about killing. They are both negatives."
Wednesday's
prayer vigil was the third this year -- reflecting the number of scheduled
executions in Arizona -- for the organizing groups: Pax Christi-Phoenix, the
Arizona Death Penalty Forum and the Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death
Penalty. Pax Christi is a national Catholic social justice organization whose
members support the abolition of capital punishment.
Dan Peitzmeyer said his group is looking to start a chapter in the Flagstaff area. If you are interested in joining, he can be reached at (602) 774-007.
Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty: azabolistionist.org
Arizona Death Penalty Forum: azdeathpenalty.org.
For more information about Pax Christi: paxchristiusa.org.
REBUTTAL TO THE PROTESTORS:
Please
bear in mind, I do have great respect for Pax Christi in their stance against abortion, I truly support them. However, I do not agree with their pacifist
stance against a just war theory and capital punishment. If they want to oppose
the death penalty, it is fine with me but they should split from those
Anti-Death Penalty Groups (like ACLU).
"It is a time to pray for the people whose lives have been
taken from them," and to stand in "prayerful opposition to the
execution of Richard Bible,"
said Dan Peitzmeyer, who wore an "Execute Justice
not People" T-shirt.
Rebuttal: It is time to obey God’s Justice and
not listen to Satan, who wants the State to go soft on crime. Where were you
all on 6 June 1988 when Jennifer Wilson was murdered? Rather than wear that
shirt, it is better to wear T-Shirt with that Bible Verse on it.
Members
of the participating groups took turns leading the gathering in prayer,
reflection and song. They stood at the portable podium, which was flanked by
two people holding a banner that pictured Jesus Christ on the cross and
proclaimed "Executions have always been
wrong."
Rebuttal: As a Born Again Christian and also a
former death penalty opponent, do not make fun of Jesus Christ by using him as
an example of a convicted murderer, I rather you draw the devil being put to
death. See my blog post, DEFENDING THE DEATH PENALTY: THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
The
vigil featured prayers and the lighting of candles for the victims of violence
and their families and for the death row inmates.
"We light a candle for Jennifer Wilson and her family and pray
for consolation. We light a candle for Richard Bible and pray for the
consolation of his family," said one of the organizers leading the
program. "Help us to turn from revenge to
forgiveness."
Participants
read the names of the 130 men and women currently on death row in Arizona,
recited and reflected on scripture from the Bible, read statements of
reconciliation from murder victims' families, and then concluded the vigil with
more prayers and with the song "La Paz de la Tierra" (The Peace of
the Earth).
Rebuttal: I rather you read the names of
victims who were brutally murdered around the world, than show your poetic (or perverted)
support for evildoers. The Peace of the Earth? WHAT? Ending the death penalty
will mean CHAOS OF THE EARTH!!!
The
late President Ronald Reagan had a message for those who hold vigils and
protest against executions. Hold vigil every time somebody is murdered, then
you can do that to the death penalty.
Will
you protest and hold vigil for the following criminals? I wonder if they would
bother doing that at the embassies of the following countries for these
criminals:
Will they cry for the Eight Executed Terrorists?
Will they moan and groan for Nazi War Criminals?
Nazi War Criminals at the Nuremberg Trials. |
Indian
Embassy for Ajmal
Kasab?
People hold a placard and pictures of
Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, as they celebrate in Ahmedabad November 21, 2012. REUTERS/Amit Dave |
Indonesian
Embassy for Amrozi?
Iran
Embassy for The
Black Vultures?
Japanese
Embassy for their violent
criminals?
United
Arab Emirates Embassy for Al
Rashidi?
Afterward,
Ruth Zemek, a member of Pax Christi-Phoenix, said a vigil in no way is meant to
demean the pain and suffering of the Wilson family or other victims of murder
-- the death penalty neither heals nor restores society.
"We don't think it (the death penalty) is an end to the
suffering. It's a fallacy that it brings closure," said Zemek. "The
executed person is also a victim. There's nothing healing about killing. They
are both negatives."
Rebuttal: As mention above, I respect your
stance against abortion and capital punishment but asking for abolition of the
death penalty is hurtful to the Victims’ Families For the Death Penalty.
“The
executed person is also a victim.”
Don Feder was quoted in his article, MCVEIGH PUTS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN FOCUS:
Executing a murderer is the only way to adequately express our horror at the taking of an innocent life. Nothing else suffices. To equate the lives of killers with those of victims is the worst kind of moral equivalency. If capital punishment is state murder, then imprisonment is state kidnapping and restitution is state theft.
There
are victims’ families whom justice was served years later, after the killers
were executed.
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