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Saturday 17 September 2011

Victim Justice Is Rarely Seen

"Praise the Lord, God is worthy to be praised. God's mercy triumphs over judgment. I feel good" ....

Duane Buck - Said Ms Gardner Deserved To Be Killed
Duane Buck - Said Ms Gardner Deserved To Be Killed

These are the words of a double Texas murderer Duane Buck, when told that his legal team had managed to stop his death sentence. 
 
No one apparently disputes his guilt, but after all he only killed two people and attempted to kill a third, so why should he die? In 1995 he killed his ex-girlfriend Debra Gardner, and her friend Kenneth Butler at her home in Texas .... and here we are sixteen years years later, still waiting for "Justice" (or rather his death sentence), to eventually be served.

The lawyers have taken all this time to determine that his original trial judge and jury, may have been unduly influenced in the setting of his sentence, by a psychologist who testified that 'black men were more likely than others to commit acts of violence' .... a statement that it can at least be argued is supported to some level by US Justice Department statistics on crime and race, but nonetheless is potentially 'racial profiling' ... a no no.

These facts that are not disputed include the following:
  • A week after breaking up with his girlfriend, the then 32-year-old Ms Gardner, challenged her at her home outside Houston.
  • He was under the influence of drugs.
  • He accused Mr Butler, 33, of sleeping with Ms Gardner.
  • He then used a shotgun to kill Mr Butler inside the house.
  • He then chased Ms Gardner outside and shot her in the street.
  • Not content with that he also attempted to murder of a third person, neighbour Phyllis Taylor, who was also shot, but survived.
  • He did all of this in front of Ms Gardner's 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son, who both witnessed the murders.
  • Police Officers said Buck was laughing at the time of his arrest, and told them Ms Gardner deserved her fate.

Victims: Ms Gardner And Her Children
Victims: Ms Gardner And Her Children

Kate Black, one of Buck's attorneys said after the appeal decision "No-one should be put to death based on the colour of his or her skin" .... which isn't exactly what the psychologist had actually said. But in any event, surely this flaw was evident at the time, and to all the courts of appeal since then?

How many of the jury and witnesses, prosecution team and police are still alive, or seriously able to recall evidence from 1995? But I guess that's what the defence team rely on. Obviously in some eyes 'Justice' is best served if this murderer is spared, and even allowed the possibility of release in the future ... but where is the justice for the victims or the survivors?

I am reminded of the case of Wayne Dumond, whose release from prison after a serious set of crimes, was assisted by a Republican governor, but who then went on to rape and murder again, thus blighting said Republican candidates campaign, and also serving reminder once again, that disregarding the facts in these cases leads to more deaths. For more on these death row scumbags, and their supporters go to the link.

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