By Bob Walsh
Acting yesterday the California Supreme Court actually upheld a death sentence. The fact that the guy was clearly guilty of four murders might have been a contributing factor to this unusual action but at the same time the court more or less acknowledged that criminal suspects are entitled to a fair trial, not necessarily a perfect one.
In 1997 Louis Peoples was a tow-truck driver in Stockton. He was sacked for turning in a bad pee test, positive for meth. A few weeks later he called his old tow company, using a fake name, to get a tow. When the driver showed up Peoples murdered him. He called in the next day, expressed his condolences and pointed out that he was available for rehire. No joy.
He then decided to start robbing stores. He murdered three people in the next two weeks in the process of doing that. He was caught, showed the cops where he stashed the gun he had used in the crimes. They also found a journal of his criminal activity.
The first jury deadlocked in the penalty phase 8-4 on life without. The second jury voted to scrag his ass.
His appeal had nothing to do with the fact that he murdered four people. They challenged his confession (without success). They also complained about the judge, who was later sacked for fixing tickets. The judge excluded snivels from various people about how Peoples was really a nice guy and had found God while in the slammer. They were also upset that Judge Platt had been rude to Peoples’ lawyer, which he had, but never in the presence of the jury.
So, in any case, the state of California is now free to execute Louis Peoples, if the ball ever gets rolling on actual executions, and if the voters don’t shitcan capital punishment this November, and if and if and if.
1 comment:
He kept a journal of his criminal activity? What a dumbass.
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