Eddie Ray Routh Case

[Ooh-Rah]

I am finding it difficult to care. Kyle is dead, this fuck stick lives. What a waste.

 

[DA SWO]

I am finding it difficult to care. Kyle is dead, this fuck stick lives. What a waste.

Agree that he's a waste, but I care because the system worked fairly fast and the Prosecutor was able to demolish the "I have PTSD" defense so effectively.
That will cause other Defense Attorney's to rethink PTSD as justification for bad behavior.

 

[pardus]

Although I'm very glad he was found guilty, I'm disappointed that this POS isn't going to be executed for this.

 

[SKIPPER]

i think it's better they didn't give him the death penalty, because now instead of taking the easy road out which is death, he has to suffer for the rest of life behind bars and with the death of Chris on his conscious forever. but that's my opinion.

 

[Raptor]

i think it's better they didn't give him the death penalty, because now instead of taking the easy road out which is death, he has to suffer for the rest of life behind bars and with the death of Chris on his conscious forever. but that's my opinion.

That costs taxpayers money, though.

 

[AKkeith]

I wish they would get rid of the death row scum quicker. Especially in a case like this. Cut and dry he's guilty. Take him out back and be done with it.

 

[racing_kitty]

From what I understand, Routh was actually asking for the death penalty. As far as why the prosecution didn't oblige him in seeking it, I have no idea, and I'm not in a position to make any speculations. Personally, I am of the belief that just because he's got life doesn't mean he's going to see a ripe old age behind those bars. He's got a temper on him that's definitely not going to win him any friends, and I'm sure there are enough veterans already locked up that will take an interest in the PTSD faker who killed Chris Kyle. He's going to wind up in isolation for the bulk of his sentence, in my opinion.

 

[DA SWO]

From what I understand, Routh was actually asking for the death penalty. As far as why the prosecution didn't oblige him in seeking it, I have no idea, and I'm not in a position to make any speculations. Personally, I am of the belief that just because he's got life doesn't mean he's going to see a ripe old age behind those bars. He's got a temper on him that's definitely not going to win him any friends, and I'm sure there are enough veterans already locked up that will take an interest in the PTSD faker who killed Chris Kyle. He's going to wind up in isolation for the bulk of his sentence, in my opinion.

Agree, he's going to punch out a "made man" and get whacked in retaliation, or spend the rest of his life in isolation.

 

[JHD]

Here is what Marcus Luttrell had to say. Couldn't agree more.

Justice served for Chris and the Littlefield family. To Eddie Ray Routh, you thought you had PTSD before .?? Wait till the boys in TDC Find out you killed a TX hero.

Txfrog

 

[Shredder477]

That costs taxpayers money, though.

Unfortunately, capital punishment costs much, much more tax payer dollars.

 

[pardus]

Unfortunately, capital punishment costs much, much more tax payer dollars.

Could you explain how?

 

[racing_kitty]

Could you explain how?

Factor in the amount of effort put in by attorneys to try a death penalty case and what they charge, and then the cost of appeals and such, he may have a point. Here's an article from Forbes magazine that ran in 2014 that sheds some light on the subject.

A clip from same:

According to a study by the Kansas Judicial Council (downloads as a pdf), defending a death penalty case costs about four times as much as defending a case where the death penalty is not considered. In terms of costs, a report of the Washington State Bar Association found that death penalty cases are estimated to generate roughly $470,000 in additional costs to the prosecution and defense versus a similar case without the death penalty; that doesn’t take into account the cost of court personnel. Even when a trial wasn’t necessary (because of a guilty plea), those cases where the death penalty was sought still cost about twice as much as those where death was not sought. Citing Richard C. Dieter of the non-partisan Death Penalty Information Center,Fox News has reported that studies have “uniformly and conservatively shown that a death-penalty trial costs $1 million more than one in which prosecutors seek life without parole.”

And let’s not forget about appeals: in Idaho, the State Appellate Public Defenders office spent about 44 times more time on a typical death penalty appeal than on a life sentence appeal (downloads as a pdf): almost 8,000 hours per capital defendant compared to about 180 hours per non-death penalty defendant. New York state projected that the death penalty costs the state $1.8 million per case just through trial and initial appeal.

 

[Kraut783]

Death penalty cases get an automatic appeal, which will cost. Rouths defense will try for an appeal, but's its no guarantee.

 

[JHD]

Also, if one appeal fails it goes to a higher court for another appeal. Could also be appealed for another issue. "Experts" could also be called in to review information in the case or conduct new tests or evaluations. All on the taxpayer's dime.

Having said that and knowing the costs, there are still criminals that should be put to death due to their crimes rather than allowed to continue to breathe.

 

[pardus]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I was lead to believe thought Texas had an expedited execution schedule for black and white cases, or is that not the case?

 

[Ronnoc]

They are on the very low end of the cost spectrum, for death penalty cases. IIRC, I once read a study that stated, on average, imposing the death penalty is only 3-4 times more expensive than life incarceration in Texas; which is minimal, when compared to the other average state findings of 9-10+ times more expenses. It really just boils down to complex, drawn out litigation to try and prevent executing innocents. I like the idea of capital punishment but the manner in which we currently carry it out is over inflated and very flawed, even with immense expenses we still fail to address not putting innocents to death.

 

[CDG]

I did a paper on death penalty vs. life in prison and found that a death row inmate has the potential to file over 200 appeals if they so choose.

 

[Marine0311]

I did a paper on death penalty vs. life in prison and found that a death row inmate has the potential to file over 200 appeals if they so choose.

In both state and federal courts?

 

[CDG]

In both state and federal courts?

Combined. Not every inmate in every case will have the ability to use all these appeals, but there is the possibility. IIRC, the total number available was up to 224, or something close to it. I wish I still had the paper.

 

[Marine0311]

Combined. Not every inmate in every case will have the ability to use all these appeals, but there is the possibility. IIRC, the total number available was up to 224, or something close to it. I wish I still had the paper.

I would have liked to read it. Too many shitbags appeal.