death by firing squad in utah

[jmw55018]

http://www.twincities.com/ci_15276809?nclick_check=1

Utah man set to die by firing squad makes last appeal
By Jennifer Dobner
Associated Press
Updated: 06/11/2010 09:52:17 AM CDT


DRAPER, Utah — A Utah man set to die by firing squad next week makes his final appeal for clemency today, with his attorneys asking the state pardons and parole board to change his sentence to life in prison.

Ronnie Lee Gardner's two-day commutation hearing comes to an end a week before he is set to die for fatally shooting an attorney during a botched escape attempt at a Salt Lake City courthouse in 1985.

On Thursday, Gardner acknowledged that for most of his life he was an impulsive, unapologetic person who looked for trouble. That changed in 1999 as he met with psychologists and began to understand the damages wrought by his dysfunctional family life, Gardner said.

"I'm really remorseful," he said, acknowledging that he had no reasons for killing either the attorney or a bartender, Melvyn Otterstrom, the previous year.

Three members of the five-member board would have to vote for clemency for the sentence to be commuted. The panel plans to announce its decision Monday.

Assistant Utah Attorney General Thomas Brunker said Gardner "earned his death sentence for an unflagging history of violent crime."

Gardner, 49, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 1985 for the fatal shooting of attorney Michael Burdell earlier that year. Gardner shot Burdell while trying to escape from custody at a Salt Lake City courthouse; he was at the courthouse for a hearing on charges that he murdered a Otterstrom the previous year.

Utah law allowed him to chose a firing squad rather than lethal injection because he was sentenced before 2004, when lethal injection became the state's default execution method.
The commutation hearing is one of several avenues Gardner's attorneys have pursued since a warrant for his execution was signed in April.

Earlier this week, attorneys for Gardner asked the Utah Supreme Court to vacate his sentence and order a new sentencing hearing so that a jury could consider mitigating evidence from Gardner's troubled life — early drug addiction, physical and sexual abuse and possible organic brain damage — uncovered during a federal appeal in 1999.

Gardner's attorney, Andrews Parnes, said he believes that a jury's knowledge of that information could have produced a different sentence.

It's unclear when the high court will rule.

Gardner told the board that over the past 10 years, he and his brother have developed plans for an organic farm and residential program for troubled youth on a 160-acre parcel in northern Utah. He said he had earned some $1,300 from selling his artwork and handmade crafts to fund the program and tried garner support for his idea from Oprah Winfrey in 2008.

"I don't want to live for the sake of living," Gardner said. "If I can help somebody and be a positive influence, that's what I want."

[FJ540]

"I don't want to live for the sake of living," Gardner said. "If I can help somebody and be a positive influence, that's what I want."

Being worm food sounds like the best positive influence he could make.

[jmw55018]

personally i like the idea of firing squads and hangings for death sentences. as long as they are done publicly of coarse.

[FJ540]

I'm still in favor of populating bikini atoll with murderers, personal injury lawyers, and politicians. We wouldn't have to worry about it becoming another Australia since the radiation should fix that for us.

[Tommy Gun]

Call me cynical, but it sounds to me like this guy is trying to "game" the system.

Gardner told the board that over the past 10 years, he and his brother have developed plans for an organic farm and residential program for troubled youth on a 160-acre parcel in northern Utah. He said he had earned some $1,300 from selling his artwork and handmade crafts to fund the program and tried garner support for his idea from Oprah Winfrey in 2008... "I don't want to live for the sake of living," Gardner said. "If I can help somebody and be a positive influence, that's what I want."

That's all very touching and heartwarming, until you think about the two people he murdered in cold blood or the families left behind -- parents without their sons, children without their fathers. It's then you realize he's just spreading around a load of bovine excrement in hopes that something beautiful will grow.

So, man-up Ronnie Lee and say "Hello" to Gary Gilmore when you meet him in...

[Rodentman]

"Let's Do It!"

[Seismic Sam]

AWWWWWW........ The old battered child excuse.... How original and touching!!!

If they had killed that rotten little #@!%$!@^$#&^$*%^(&%)*&^)(*&(*&* when he was a kid, then both parents would have gone to jail and two totally innocent people would be alive today.

Well, better late than never!

And as a "modest proposal", how about auctioning off the (six?) firing squad jobs to the highest bidders, and then splitting the money between the two families?? I bet there are some pretty rich gun owning families in Utah who would be willing to get their money's worth for that privelege...

[FJ540]

I'd donate the bullets with no other implications other than they're used to put that scum in the dirt. (of course I'm broke, so I couldn't buy a position on the line)

[jmw55018]

i think the event should be held in public and televised. maybe even have a few practice rounds with bb guns.

[Ramoel]

I remember reading about firing squad "duty" in Utah. This was quite a few years ago so I don't know if it applies today.

Regular citizens did the executions and were selected just like jury duty. I don't remember the exact number but I think it was six people. They were issued a Winchester Mod. 94 30-30 and were allowed to keep it after the execution. All but one of the shooters was given a gun with a live cartridge. One shooter got a blank cartridge.

The theory was that nobody knew for sure if he fired a killing shot or just a blank. They figured it was easier on the person doing the shooting.

This was back in the 50's or 60's, I remember reading the whole article in a magazine complete with pictures of the execution. I think it was Life Magazine, long gone now.

I always remembered it because at the time I thought it was neat getting a free rifle.

[bensdad]

All but one of the shooters was given a gun with a live cartridge. One shooter got a blank cartridge.
The theory was that nobody knew for sure if he fired a killing shot or just a blank.

How many adults in Utah won't know the difference between a blank and a bullet? Recoil (or complete lack thereof) might be a clue. Nevertheless, I'd do it for a Marlin 336 but not for a Winchester 94.

[Ramoel]

All but one of the shooters was given a gun with a live cartridge. One shooter got a blank cartridge.
The theory was that nobody knew for sure if he fired a killing shot or just a blank.

How many adults in Utah won't know the difference between a blank and a bullet? Recoil (or complete lack thereof) might be a clue. Nevertheless, I'd do it for a Marlin 336 but not for a Winchester 94.

Well, you have to remember it was a pre-64 Winchester! Pretty valuable these days!

[mrp]

All but one of the shooters was given a gun with a live cartridge. One shooter got a blank cartridge.
The theory was that nobody knew for sure if he fired a killing shot or just a blank.

How many adults in Utah won't know the difference between a blank and a bullet? Recoil (or complete lack thereof) might be a clue. Nevertheless, I'd do it for a Marlin 336 but not for a Winchester 94.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/06/09/uta ... index.html

On the day of the execution, four of the five were armed with live rounds. The fifth received an "ineffective" round that, unlike a blank, delivers the same recoil as a live round. No one knew who had the ineffective round.

[FJ540]

"There's just some people we need to kick off the planet."

Amen!

[bensdad]

All but one of the shooters was given a gun with a live cartridge. One shooter got a blank cartridge.
The theory was that nobody knew for sure if he fired a killing shot or just a blank.

How many adults in Utah won't know the difference between a blank and a bullet? Recoil (or complete lack thereof) might be a clue. Nevertheless, I'd do it for a Marlin 336 but not for a Winchester 94.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/06/09/uta ... index.html

On the day of the execution, four of the five were armed with live rounds. The fifth received an "ineffective" round that, unlike a blank, delivers the same recoil as a live round. No one knew who had the ineffective round.

I've learned something today.