Arkansas Anchorwoman's Face Shattered 'Like an Egg' During Attack

[Danno 1,228]

Update

Curtis Vance gets life without parole in murder of Anne Pressly

November 13, 8:58 AMLittle Rock Pop Culture ExaminerKristi Gray

The jury in the Anne Pressly case spared Curtis Lavelle Vance from a death sentence and sentenced him to life without parole. The jury began deliberations shortly before 6:00 pm Thursday and returned the verdict at 8:40 pm.

The jury found mitigating circumstances in Vance's childhood that led them to conclude the death penalty was not warranted. None of the jury members found that brain damage was a mitigating circumstance. The jury considered the cruelty in the crime and a previous violent crime as aggravating circumstances.

Vance's DNA led him to also be charged in the rape of Marianna, Arkansas schoolteacher. Vance was convicted Wednesday of killing Little Rock KATV anchorwoman Pressly. Her mother discovered her bloody and beaten in her home last October. Pressly died five days later on October 25, 2008.

Pressly's father, Guy Cannady, spoke to reporters Thursday night from the steps of Little Rock's Robinson Auditorium.

"There really aren't any winners tonight," Cannady said. "Nothing that's been done here tonight will bring Anne back."

"We placed our faith and trust in these twelve jurors, and tonight they have come back with a sentence -- a sentence which they believe, and we share with them, was the harshest possible sentence for this gentleman going forward. He will now spend the rest of his natural life in a 6-by-9 cell with nothing to think about but what he has done."

When asked if he was disappointed Vance did not receive the death penalty, Cannady said no.

[Danno 1,228]

Demonstrably, there is not. Whatever capital punishment does achieve, what it does not achieve is deterrence. Such glib comments are not very useful at all and it is a shame that you and Joe chose to diminish the tone of this thread in this way.

It's a sweet Bubble you live in MC.

HAve you ever been to jail or Prison..... even to visit someone?

Edited November 16, 2009 by Danno

[Heracles 417]

If you see someone at the end of a rope, you're less likely to do what he did to get in that situation.

Bingo!!!

That is the problem with closed door 10 year long death penalties. Nobody learns from them. The 'people' who these punishments are aimed at, do not read the papers anyway. As a society, most western nations went through public executions and punishment. It’s probably a good reason why we learned about the consequences quick-smart and got it out of our system.

What people like Cleo, for example, seem to do is try to analyze the situation from their point of view. That is, since she does not think like along the lines of abc or def, surely others don't think along those lines either; which is not true. Furthermore, in her mind, anyone who does think a different way must just be ‘psychotic’. That is not true either.

Cultural differences are a part of being human. What is a taboo (unethical / savage) for us can be the norm amongst others. I never said African Americans had a big summit and decided that gang banging, homicide, violence and so on is to be endorsed but unfortunately it has become a part of their urban culture. It plagues their music. It plagues their culture. So don’t anyone give me this ####### that it is solely to do with socioeconomic circumstances or history. There are numerous African American communities who receive more money per student and quite a decent fiscal aid but have not done squat. Yes, still in the same shitty condition.

This goes much deeper than history or money. I have always said the poor do not receive enough assistance here but I do not believe the problems are due to money. Furthermore, historical circumstances may have been the cause but their fate is in their hands now. Western nations are quite individualistic oriented in nature, whereas, East African nations are more community driven. There is also quite a noticeable difference in power distance; which also explains why some people do better when told what to do than when doing it themselves. Source: Gert Hofstede

Obviously this discussion goes way beyond the limitations of a forum. That is the key though, I am open-minded and understand every issue needs to be analyzed and solved. What I am not is the typical lib yank version of open-minded (aka only listen to your opinion) and I am also not one for pity or excuses.

Demonstrably, there is not. Whatever capital punishment does achieve, what it does not achieve is deterrence. Such glib comments are not very useful at all and it is a shame that you and Joe chose to diminish the tone of this thread in this way.

Have you seen Singapore's crime rates?

Now compare them to the UK, which actually has even worse crime rates than their ex penal colonies, like Aus and the US. Yes, the US had convicts sent here too.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Booyah!

[Joseph & Ana 0]

What data are you going by MC?

[Heracles 417]

What data are you going by MC?

They don't need no data. Only we do... These guys asked for data a while back, so I provided them with the data. The latest excuse is that both my data and the interpretation of it is wrong.

Strangely enough I am still waiting on data of their own, on anything. Their ratio of providing data is probably at 1:1000.

Have you noticed their lockstep stance on every single issue yet? And I mean absolutely everything. In four years I have not seem them disagree with one another once.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Booyah!

[nowhereman 1]

I'm glad the SOB will die in prison, but I would have voted for the death penalty. Not sure what tragic events the killer experienced in his childhood but it wouldn't have changed my mind regardless of what they were.

[mawilson 2,133]

I'm glad the SOB will die in prison, but I would have voted for the death penalty.

----- Whoa! Take it easy, I'm really a good guy when I don't bash womens heads in.

[Peikko 1,575]

What data are you going by MC?

There are a lot of studies on the death penalty and murder rates. None of them give any clear indication that there is a cause/effect correlation between having the death penalty as a form of punishment rather than a prolonged period of time in prison.

Some studies seem to show a marginal benefit but others show the reverse. These studies become even less meaningful when you compare the US to a selection of countries that do not allow the death penalty at all and their murder rates compared with murder rates in the US.

Without a clear deterrent effect the validity of using the death penalty is very shaky, particularly if you then take into account the number of prisoners who are put to death who are then subsequently proven to have been innocent and the practicality of killing people in the name of the state as well as the not insubstantial financial costs of trying such a case to the point of execution.

[HAL 9000 96]

Ahh Charles... thanks for the laugh.

----- Your welcome

---you're welcome.

----- I'm so high I can't speel for sg1t dude.

OMG I finally am cracking up to the tune of both of you.

[nowhereman 1]

What data are you going by MC?

There are a lot of studies on the death penalty and murder rates. None of them give any clear indication that there is a cause/effect correlation between having the death penalty as a form of punishment rather than a prolonged period of time in prison.

Some studies seem to show a marginal benefit but others show the reverse. These studies become even less meaningful when you compare the US to a selection of countries that do not allow the death penalty at all and their murder rates compared with murder rates in the US.

Without a clear deterrent effect the validity of using the death penalty is very shaky, particularly if you then take into account the number of prisoners who are put to death who are then subsequently proven to have been innocent and the practicality of killing people in the name of the state as well as the not insubstantial financial costs of trying such a case to the point of execution.

Point well taken, but here is my two cents:

1. For me the death penalty is more about justice than deterrence.

2. The burden of proof should be even higher than "beyond a reasonable doubt" to (hopefully) prevent any innocent individuals from being executed.

3. To prevent inmates from being on death row for years (wasting tax payer money) the inmate gets one appeal that must be filed within 6 months & adjudicated within one year of conviction. No more delays after that.

[HAL 9000 96]

I think executions should be televised.

[Heracles 417]

Some studies seem to show a marginal benefit but others show the reverse. These studies become even less meaningful when you compare the US to a selection of countries that do not allow the death penalty at all and their murder rates compared with murder rates in the US.

One must keep in mind that those countries have a different demographic of people. You cannot possibly expect a group of people who have recently come out of the stone ages to behave (overnight) like a civilization that have not been savages for thousands of years. Therefore, what works on one will not work on another. Most westernized nations went through a period of brutal punishment and eventually got the point. Crime = death. As a result, most no longer need visual punishment to illustrate the consequences of committing crime.

Not that hard to fathom really.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Booyah!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I think executions should be televised.

They should. After all, with all the support from people I guarantee they would LOVE to watch this #######.

[HAL 9000 96]

I think executions should be televised.

They should. After all, with all the support from people I guarantee they would LOVE to watch this #######.

Exactly. It can be put on PPV in between WWE events.

[Peikko 1,575]

Some studies seem to show a marginal benefit but others show the reverse. These studies become even less meaningful when you compare the US to a selection of countries that do not allow the death penalty at all and their murder rates compared with murder rates in the US.

One must keep in mind that those countries have a different demographic of people. You cannot possibly expect a group of people who have recently come out of the stone ages to behave (overnight) like a civilization that have not been savages for thousands of years. Therefore, what works on one will not work on another. Most westernized nations went through a period of brutal punishment and eventually got the point. Crime = death. As a result, most no longer need visual punishment to illustrate the consequences of committing crime.

Not that hard to fathom really.

BY, this has to be one of your stupidest posts ever - and that's quite an achievement.