I really want to go there - Was Troy Davis executed so it would overshadow Russell Brewer Execution

[LynneSin]

It's a rare day that 2 Executions take place in one day and yesterday there were 2 very controversial executions but both for very different reasons.

Russell Brewer was one of the 3 men accused of chaining James Byrd, an African-american, to the back of a truck and dragging him behind for about 2 miles. It was a horrendous hate crime and ultimately James Byrd's tragic death was added to the Matthew Shepard's hate crime bill which the full name is Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

You'd think a hate crime bill would be an easy pass for our US Congress since it's should be one of those bills that tackles something that is still happening in this country today which is crimes against races, sex, sexual orientation, etc etc are still happening today. But it took 11 years after Matthew Shepard's (hate crime because Matthew was gay) and James Byrd's (hate crime because he was black) death for the bill to finally pass. The republicans were opposed it and even George W. Bush veto'd the bill. It wasn't until Barack Obama got into the White House that the bill was finally passed and even still the republicans tried all they could to stop it (remember Rep Virginia Foxx calling Matthew's death a 'hoax' - yeah the GOP hated this).

So yesterday was the execution of Russell Brewer, one of the men responsible for James Byrd's death and yet he hardly made the news. Why? Because Georgia was pushing for the death of a black man in their state who was accused of murdering a police officer even though 7 of the 9 witnesses said they were coerced to give false testimony.

Personally I don't believe in the Death Penalty for anyone, there is too much flaw in the system and it seems a few innocent people have died as a result of the system. Plus as Gandhi said "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind".

But it really makes me wonder why both of these executions were pushed for the same day unless the GOP wanted to do all they could to overshadow the one person who probably did deserve it and even admitting to doing it yet again right before his death (Brewer said he would have done it again if given the chance) by distracting us with the one who probably didn't do it (Troy Davis).

Am I crazy to go there? I'm not a normal conspiracy nut but it just seems odd both would happen on the same day.

[Dreamer Tatum]

1. The GOP schedules executions? Wow. nt

[LynneSin]

2. There were alot of GOP people denying a stay for Troy Davis including Clarence Thomas

I know it's crazy it's ok to say that

But still Georgia and Texas are 2 states that are strongly controlled by the GOP - they could make it happen if they wanted to.

[CC]

3. I don't think TX or GA dept. of

corrections consulted with the GOP on when to set execution dates. IMHO GA just wanted to get theirs done ASAP before anyone could file another appeal and stop it. It shocked me that they even held off last night until the SC made their decision. Someone must of realized it was political suicide if they went ahead and the SC issued a stay after the fact. In TX case, they seem to get them done faster and his was scheduled already. I can't see them holding off with out having too. It just seems to be a blood thirsty state. (Collectively, I know there are those against the death penalty.)



Edited to add= WEll the GOP seems to be filled with blood thirsty people. Between there support of the death penalty and war mongering could there be any doubt. Also, it wasn't that long ago that DE put a man to death. Yep, Robert W. Jackson, III Executed On July 29, 2011 http://www.doc.delaware.gov/information/deathrow_history.shtml I think we are still under a halt for ours though might have to check it again after having Ehrlich for 4 years. I know O'Malley as against the death penalty.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. 2 different wingnut states, both with their heads in the ground.

Nope - don't think it was anything more than "Wednesday" to that lot.