The death penalty is often applied unfairly in the United States.
It also is biased against the poor and people of low intelligence, who often lack the capacity to mount a proper defense, don't fully grasp the severity of the charges against them or are coerced in to falsely implicating themselves in the crime.
But none of those factors seem to be at play in the case of Jovel, a 21-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras, who stood up in open court and admitted to killing Iofemi Hightower, 20; Dashon Harvey, 20; and Terrance Aeriel, 18.
The four victims attended or were planning to attend Delaware State University and were simply listening to music at the schoolyard, when they were attacked.
Prosecutors said Jovel and five other men stood three of the victims up against a wall and shot them in the head in an unprovoked attack that shook New Jersey's largest city to its core. Four other defendants are awaiting trial in the killings.
A fourth victim, Natasha Aeriel, survived being slashed with a machete and sexually assaulted and testified at the trial of the first defendant in the case, Rodolfo Godinez, a legal immigrant from Nicaragua, who was given three life sentences for the killings.
She told Jovel in court this week, "Have fun living your fancy life in jail."
I think I have a better idea.
Maybe we can make a special exemption for Jovel and send him to a swift, painless meeting with his maker.
Sometimes, when fairness, prejudice, race and economics are taken out of the equation, the death penalty can be the proper response of a civil society.
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And, if the students who were murdered were white? This article would never have been written by you and you would still be in favor of the Death Penality. So, RACE was not taken out of the equation.
Mike, You have a hell of a nerve! You come over to B.V. with your slanted racial views and then as always think that only you, people of the white race has the rights to judge and be bias, but how dear other races have that right to feel that way about you. People who has been suppressed by laws enacted especially to keep them from achieving on an equal basis then the powers that be turn around by saying these people don't have the mental comprehension to learn is asinine. This article was written by paul shepard and not Dr. boyce watkins which you foolishly thought with your racist antics
I do not agree with the death penalty in any phase and it has nothing to do with race. I feel that I do not have the right to say when it's time for anyone else to meet their maker. Not only that, the Bible says, THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE. The Bible also says, THOU SHALT NOT KILL. If you commit the crime, yes you should do your time, but I'm not a fan of the death penalty. This is just me talking and my opinion only. I don't feel like it's my place to tell anyone that their time is up here on this earth. When I go before the throne of judgment, I feel like I already have enough to give account for without adding the list. I'm not trying to sway anyone's opinion either. It's just the way I feel.
I say give them the death pnanlty. I believe the bible also says "An Eye For An Eye and Treat People as You'd Want Them To Treat You."
Maybe we don't have a right to determine when a criminals life should end BUT who gave the these immigrant alien criminals the right to kill these three young adults and rape, slash the young woman.
Three lives have been taken and a young woman has been severely scarred physically, emotonally and spiritually.
In my personal oppinion LIFE in prison is way too good for these scum bucket slugs.
EXECUTE them and be done with it. Why should anybody care about there lives when they brutally raped and killed 4 innocent victims.
Dear Kando, My guess is Paul Sheppard is black and thats why he feels the way he does because the victims were good black people who didnt deserve what they got. Mike is correct that race wasnt taken out of the equation and your knee jerk reation is typical of your black hypocracy. When people treat their victims with no remorse they deserve to be treated like animals and be put to death, no matter what their race. What is the point of keeping them alive for 50 years in prison? Do you have any idea what that costs? Put them to death ASAP>
If we would "take the roof of the sucka" everytime a black person was murdered in our neighborhoods by one of our own, things would change. It seems that the only time we get upset is when someone of another ethnic group does it. Drug dealers and gangsta's are terrorists and they have subdued entire neighborhoods across Black America into silence....but let a cop or an outsider shoot one of our own in that same neighborhood, there is hell to pay. We riot, risk being shot/arrested and the like regardless of the danger..........go figure.
Khristella - I hear you and a am a God fearing man to da core. But, when you look at the facts of this case - my flesh says fry him! I was born in Newark. The minute this case broke, I knew it was gang related. Newark City Hall and the media did their best to say it was not the case. These where good kids; friends sitting around just having fun and then someone trying to prove his manhood kills them! Or no, send him to Iran - Where if he did this there, they would stone him to death. I ask GOD to forgive me, because I do know better - But this case runs deep! To Mike: if this was white kids - I would take the same stance. Right is right and wrong is wrong! No one and I mean no one should be killed innocently by man or woman. And no human should be treated in this manner!
I am also against the death penalty and aways wil be regardlesss of who it is or what they have done or whom they have killed..However, amerikkka will never overstand that a life for a life will never answer the fundamental question as to why people like Jovel do what they do. Suffice that, When it is all said and done..he will meet God and then he will find out who is in charge.
How puzzling that so many people are against the death penalty when all doubt of the murders that committed the crime. The other factors are that some or all are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Because of that they should get the death penalty. They had a chance to be a part of the American dream, but chose to be criminals. We should not spend the money for their upkeep by giving them all life. The United States of America )USA) has a history of murdering peoples who do not meet their governing standards, who are communists and who they suspect have weapons of mass destruction (WMD). So execute or kill these ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS promptly.
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Comments: (13)
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By: Mike on 11/05/2010 3:57PM
And, if the students who were murdered were white? This article would never have been written by you and you would still be in favor of the Death Penality. So, RACE was not taken out of the equation.
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By: kando on 11/06/2010 5:09PM
Mike, You have a hell of a nerve! You come over to B.V. with your slanted racial views and then as always think that only you, people of the white race has the rights to judge and be bias, but how dear other races have that right to feel that way about you. People who has been suppressed by laws enacted especially to keep them from achieving on an equal basis then the powers that be turn around by saying these people don't have the mental comprehension to learn is asinine. This article was written by paul shepard and not Dr. boyce watkins which you foolishly thought with your racist antics
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By: Michael on 11/05/2010 1:29PM
I've always felt there were instances where the death penalty is warranted and I can't think of a more worthy case.
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By: Khristella on 11/05/2010 5:48PM
I do not agree with the death penalty in any phase and it has nothing to do with race. I feel that I do not have the right to say when it's time for anyone else to meet their maker. Not only that, the Bible says, THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE. The Bible also says, THOU SHALT NOT KILL. If you commit the crime, yes you should do your time, but I'm not a fan of the death penalty. This is just me talking and my opinion only. I don't feel like it's my place to tell anyone that their time is up here on this earth. When I go before the throne of judgment, I feel like I already have enough to give account for without adding the list. I'm not trying to sway anyone's opinion either. It's just the way I feel.
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By: Sue on 11/06/2010 11:58AM
I say give them the death pnanlty. I believe the bible also says "An Eye For An Eye and Treat People as You'd Want Them To Treat You."
Maybe we don't have a right to determine when a criminals life should end BUT who gave the these immigrant alien criminals the right to kill these three young adults and rape, slash the young woman.
Three lives have been taken and a young woman has been severely scarred physically, emotonally and spiritually.
In my personal oppinion LIFE in prison is way too good for these scum bucket slugs.
EXECUTE them and be done with it. Why should anybody care about there lives when they brutally raped and killed 4 innocent victims.
I say "An Eye For An Eye."
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By: Jim on 11/07/2010 9:44AM
Dear Kando, My guess is Paul Sheppard is black and thats why he feels the way he does because the victims were good black people who didnt deserve what they got. Mike is correct that race wasnt taken out of the equation and your knee jerk reation is typical of your black hypocracy. When people treat their victims with no remorse they deserve to be treated like animals and be put to death, no matter what their race. What is the point of keeping them alive for 50 years in prison? Do you have any idea what that costs? Put them to death ASAP>
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By: j mcmillan on 11/07/2010 10:08AM
If we would "take the roof of the sucka" everytime a black person was murdered in our neighborhoods by one of our own, things would change. It seems that the only time we get upset is when someone of another ethnic group does it.
Drug dealers and gangsta's are terrorists and they have subdued entire neighborhoods across Black America into silence....but let a cop or an outsider shoot one of our own in that same neighborhood, there is hell to pay. We riot, risk being shot/arrested and the like regardless of the danger..........go figure.
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By: MrPresidentSpeaks on 11/07/2010 12:38PM
Khristella - I hear you and a am a God fearing man to da core. But, when you look at the facts of this case - my flesh says fry him! I was born in Newark. The minute this case broke, I knew it was gang related. Newark City Hall and the media did their best to say it was not the case. These where good kids; friends sitting around just having fun and then someone trying to prove his manhood kills them! Or no, send him to Iran - Where if he did this there, they would stone him to death. I ask GOD to forgive me, because I do know better - But this case runs deep! To Mike: if this was white kids - I would take the same stance. Right is right and wrong is wrong! No one and I mean no one should be killed innocently by man or woman. And no human should be treated in this manner!
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By: WithoutaCountry on 11/07/2010 5:31PM
I am also against the death penalty and aways wil be regardlesss of who it is or what they have done or whom they have killed..However, amerikkka will never overstand that a life for a life will never answer the fundamental question as to why people like Jovel do what they do. Suffice that, When it is all said and done..he will meet God and then he will find out who is in charge.
May God have mercy on his soul
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By: StevLC on 11/15/2010 12:40AM
How puzzling that so many people are against the death penalty when all doubt of the murders that committed the crime. The other factors are that some or all are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Because of that they should get the death penalty. They had a chance to be a part of the American dream, but chose to be criminals. We should not spend the money for their upkeep by giving them all life. The United States of America )USA) has a history of murdering peoples who do not meet their governing standards, who are communists and who they suspect have weapons of mass destruction (WMD). So execute or kill these ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS promptly.
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