GA - Doug Gissendaner, 30, abducted & murdered, Auburn, 7 Feb 1997

[Hope4More]

Thank you, katydid, and scmom.

It always deeply bothers me that media articles that appear near the time of execution for convicted murderers, seldom seem to mention much about the murder victim/s, or the circumstances of the heinous murders they are convicted of. Sometimes they don't even name the victim, and you have to google the murderer to find out who they killed. If the victim/s and the crimes are mentioned at all, it's brief and perfunctory- like the crime and the victims are an annoyance or an afterthought to the reporter. Or like the victims are something superficial, like naming the elementary school the murderer went to, or something similar.

It's often like the victims never existed. And the longer the murderers have been on death row, the less likely (IMO)it is that their victims will be discussed by the media. That's quite deliberate, I think. They want all the readers to forget all about the victims, so we will muster up some sympathy for the condemned-- and most especially if they were "model prisoners", or experienced fervent religious conversion.

Karla Faye Tucker, a pretty young woman in Texas, was also put to death for her crimes. She killed 2 people with a pickax while robbing them for car parts with her BF. She also "got religion" while in prison, and many thought her conversion was sincere.

If Kelly Gissendaner was a man, who had arranged for his girlfriend to stab his wife to death, there wouldn't be this much attention. The implication with Kelly Gissendaner is that she should not be executed because she was a woman, a mother, a model prisoner, and very religious during her imprisonment. The media (and others) seems to think those things should be sufficient to change the outcome of the crime, the trial, the conviction, the appeals, and the sentence. The media isn't, and hasn't been impartial in much of their reporting for a very long time (if they ever were!).

Amen. Am following the Richard Glossip execution hysteria and am appalled for the same reason....his victim is only mentioned in the brief recitation of the murder itself. He's become a complete abstraction.

Glossip's ex-attorney is now actually posting everywhere he can that the victim was actually responsible for his own death (!!!!!!!!!) , a disgusting allegation with zero foundation in reality, but its being lapped up anyway.

And I've actually read multiple posts elsewhere condemning the victim's family for wanting Glossip to be executed, already. They've been waiting for that closure for 18 years.

Maddening.

 

[magnolia]

I support the death penalty in some cases. This one I don't agree with. I think this was a life worth saving. IMO



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Gissendaner

While in prison, Gissendaner had a conversion to Christianity.[SUP][8][/SUP] During her time in prison, Gissendaner ministered to other women living in prison with her.[SUP][6][/SUP] A group of women who were incarcerated with Gissendaner formed a group called the Struggle Sisters after they were released from prison. Kelly spoke to the women through an air vent and prevented some from committing suicide, while other women tell of how Kelly’s words encouraged them to turn their lives around.[SUP][9][/SUP] The women released a video detailing the impact Gissendaner had on their lives.[SUP][6][/SUP]
[SUP]

[/SUP] In 2010, Gissendaner enrolled in a theology studies program for prisoners, run by a consortium of Atlanta-area divinity schools, including the divinity school at Emory University.[SUP][8][/SUP] During theology studies, she became a student of Christian thinkers like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Rowan Williams.[SUP][8][/SUP] Gissendaner developed a relationship with Jurgen Moltmann while she was in prison.[SUP][8][/SUP] Gissendaner sent Moltmann a paper that she had written on Bonhoeffer. He was impressed with her paper, and he wrote back. After that, the two became penpals exchanging letters about theology and faith.[SUP][8][/SUP] Gissendaner completed a theological degree program through Emory University.[SUP][6][/SUP]

 

[K_Z]

I support the death penalty in some cases. This one I don't agree with. I think this was a life worth saving. IMO



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Gissendaner

While in prison, Gissendaner had a conversion to Christianity.[SUP][8][/SUP] During her time in prison, Gissendaner ministered to other women living in prison with her.[SUP][6][/SUP] A group of women who were incarcerated with Gissendaner formed a group called the Struggle Sisters after they were released from prison. Kelly spoke to the women through an air vent and prevented some from committing suicide, while other women tell of how Kelly’s words encouraged them to turn their lives around.[SUP][9][/SUP] The women released a video detailing the impact Gissendaner had on their lives.[SUP][6][/SUP]
[SUP]

[/SUP] In 2010, Gissendaner enrolled in a theology studies program for prisoners, run by a consortium of Atlanta-area divinity schools, including the divinity school at Emory University.[SUP][8][/SUP] During theology studies, she became a student of Christian thinkers like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Rowan Williams.[SUP][8][/SUP] Gissendaner developed a relationship with Jurgen Moltmann while she was in prison.[SUP][8][/SUP] Gissendaner sent Moltmann a paper that she had written on Bonhoeffer. He was impressed with her paper, and he wrote back. After that, the two became penpals exchanging letters about theology and faith.[SUP][8][/SUP] Gissendaner completed a theological degree program through Emory University.[SUP][6][/SUP]

I’m curious if you would feel the same way if, instead of Christianity, KG had sincerely converted to Islam, and became a student of Islamic theology? Judaism? Wicca? Buddism? Hinduism? Atheism?

I have no problem with prisoners converting to religious value systems. I’m glad when they do, as it cuts down on prison violence a bit, and makes things just a little bit safer for prisoners and corrections officers. Sometimes I think such conversions are more for privileges and convenience, rather than deeply sincere—and I’m still okay with that, if it produces a more compliant and less violent prisoner behind bars, and possibly helps the prisoner to take a different path moving forward in their life (however long they have left on this earth). But I also don’t think a religious conversion, however sincere, is sufficient for commuting sentences for heinous crimes.

Just because a convicted murderer is able to demonstrate their intelligence, and able to write a persuasive paper, or engage in a high level of critical thinking skills and argument, is not enough to warrant, IMO, commuting their sentence. Are we to say that less intelligent murderers should not be given consideration because they are not “smart enough”? The laws of our states and our country apply equally to the highly intelligent, as well as those who are intellectually more “average”, or below average.

Should we say that only certain religious conversions, such as Christianity, should be considered for commuting sentences? Should we determine that a well-behaved atheist murderer on death row who helps others in prison, and is highly intelligent, is not worth saving, but the murderers who convert to Christianity should have their sentences commuted? How about Islam? Wicca? Judaism? Eastern religions?

I’m glad KG found something to occupy her mind and guide her actions in her final years in prison. I’m glad that what she embraced, Christianity, was something that was a positive influence on her life, helped her accept her imprisonment, prevented her from harming others while in prison, and hopefully gave her a sense of purpose moving forward after her crimes. I hope she did help others, as she was able. I also hope that her conversion helped her to deeply understand her previous life choices and actions, and connect those choices and actions to the application of laws and consequences in civilized society. I hope she was able to accept responsibility for her actions, and accept her sentence.

I hope her religion brought her a sense of closure, comfort, and peace at the end-- something that she denied to her victim, her own husband, who was the father of her children.

And I'm satisfied that she didn't suffer physically during her humane execution, because in my profession, I am very confident in the pharmacologic and physiologic actions of the drugs used in the doses prescribed by law.

IMO, her trial, conviction, and sentence was justice for her crimes against society, and justice for her crimes that took Doug Gissandaner’s life in such a heinous, selfish, and violent manner.

 

[magnolia]

I’m curious if you would feel the same way if, instead of Christianity, KG had sincerely converted to Islam, and became a student of Islamic theology? Judaism? Wicca? Buddism? Hinduism? Atheism?

I have no problem with prisoners converting to religious value systems. I’m glad when they do, as it cuts down on prison violence a bit, and makes things just a little bit safer for prisoners and corrections officers. Sometimes I think such conversions are more for privileges and convenience, rather than deeply sincere—and I’m still okay with that, if it produces a more compliant and less violent prisoner behind bars, and possibly helps the prisoner to take a different path moving forward in their life (however long they have left on this earth). But I also don’t think a religious conversion, however sincere, is sufficient for commuting sentences for heinous crimes.

Just because a convicted murderer is able to demonstrate their intelligence, and able to write a persuasive paper, or engage in a high level of critical thinking skills and argument, is not enough to warrant, IMO, commuting their sentence. Are we to say that less intelligent murderers should not be given consideration because they are not “smart enough”? The laws of our states and our country apply equally to the highly intelligent, as well as those who are intellectually more “average”, or below average.

Should we say that only certain religious conversions, such as Christianity, should be considered for commuting sentences? Should we determine that a well-behaved atheist murderer on death row who helps others in prison, and is highly intelligent, is not worth saving, but the murderers who convert to Christianity should have their sentences commuted? How about Islam? Wicca? Judaism? Eastern religions?

I’m glad KG found something to occupy her mind and guide her actions in her final years in prison. I’m glad that what she embraced, Christianity, was something that was a positive influence on her life, helped her accept her imprisonment, prevented her from harming others while in prison, and hopefully gave her a sense of purpose moving forward after her crimes. I hope she did help others, as she was able. I also hope that her conversion helped her to deeply understand her previous life choices and actions, and connect those choices and actions to the application of laws and consequences in civilized society. I hope she was able to accept responsibility for her actions, and accept her sentence.

I hope her religion brought her a sense of closure, comfort, and peace at the end-- something that she denied to her victim, her own husband, who was the father of her children.

And I'm satisfied that she didn't suffer physically during her humane execution, because in my profession, I am very confident in the pharmacologic and physiologic actions of the drugs used in the doses prescribed by law.

IMO, her trial, conviction, and sentence was justice for her crimes against society, and justice for her crimes that took Doug Gissandaner’s life in such a heinous, selfish, and violent manner.

BBM- Respectfully,I'm not sure what your point is ?? I merely posted a Wikipeida article about the inmate's life while in prison. No one implied that only certain religious conversions, such as Christianity, should be considered for commuting sentences? I have no idea if the woman was highly intelligent or not.

While in prison Kelly Gissenda used her time constructively. She served a useful purpose by offering help and support to other inmates. She seemed to be rehabilitated. She had three children that had forgiven her and loved her deeply. I think her life should have been spared. IMO

Sorry that you don't agree.

 

[tangelo]

BBM- Respectfully,I'm not sure what your point is ?? I merely posted a Wikipeida article about the inmate's life while in prison. No one implied that only certain religious conversions, such as Christianity, should be considered for commuting sentences? I have no idea if the woman was highly intelligent or not.

While in prison Kelly Gissenda used her time constructively. She served a useful purpose by offering help and support to other inmates. She seemed to be rehabilitated. She had three children that had forgiven her and loved her deeply. I think her life should have been spared. IMO

Sorry that you don't agree.

she couldve done all those things without murdering her husband first

 

[U2forever]

she couldve done all those things without murdering her husband first

Bingo!
You got that right tangelo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[1&2&3]

Isn't it strange how many inmates "get religion" while in prison for heinous crimes?

To me, I say good for them, however, it does not change what you are serving time for. The death sentence or LWOP is a consequence for an evil act you committed. Religion is not a key to aid you for forgiveness of your crime on earth or a route to escape punishment.

My opinions only.

 

[magnolia]

I guess for me, it's more about her three children. They had already lost their father and were innocent victims in all this. Just allow the woman to serve a life sentence. Why inflict more pain by putting their mother to death.

 

[K_Z]

There are many men on death row who have children. Some of them even have good relationships with their children, and their children have forgiven them for their crimes. Some of the men on death row have viciously killed the mother of their children.

So why should it be different when a woman has children, has a good relationship with them, they have forgiven her, and they are grieving the loss of their father-- murdered by their mother? Why should that be any different than the situations with men on death row? Women want social equality, right? What better example of equal justice than holding a middle class white woman, a mother, and a religious convert, to the same penalties under the law as a man?

Death sentences and the death penalty aren't at all about rehabilitation of the murderer. Or forgiveness of the murderer by the victims. We could discuss for a very long time what the death penalty "is" about-- but it's pretty clear that it isn't about how well the murderer can demonstrate that they are forgiven by their victims, or rehabilitated.

She should have pled guilty and taken the LWOP, IMO-- and SPARED her 3 kids the ongoing pain and suffering of her many appeals and execution process. She alone is responsible for the pain her children have experienced, and will continue to experience, from her awful life choices.

KG was a white woman, a mother, a wife, a religious convert, apparently above average in intelligence, and also a vicious murderer who was convicted and received the death penalty. I wish she hadn't done what she did, but she made that choice to murder her husband (and subsequent choices to avoid confessing guilt and accepting a LWOP plea). Choices have lawful consequences, and she chose her consequences, IMO.

The "real" debate here, IMO, is not whether a religious white woman and mother who is forgiven by her victims should be executed for her crimes. It's whether or not someone agrees with the death penalty AT ALL.

 

[magnolia]

I believe there is an attempt being made to turn an opinion based on compassion for this particular case into a death penalty "fits all" social equality debate. If one does not agree with the death penalty for this case, one certainly can't agree with the DP at all. Your points are duly noted. However, your conclusion is incorrect.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

On February 8, 1997, the rural community of Dacula, Georgia was rocked by the disappearance of a young family man.

Douglas Gissendaner, 30, had gone to a friend’s house around 7 p.m. to work on a car and never returned, according to his wife Kelly Gissendaner.

“The police started the usual procedures of a missing persons case,” Danny Porter, former District Attorney for Gwinnett County, told The Real Murders of Atlanta, airing Fridays at 9/8c on Oxygen.

Officials contacted hospitals and checked Douglas' credit card activity andpressed Kelly for details. During their investigation, they learned that he was a mechanic who loved his job and his family.

The couple had met on a blind date in 1989 and clicked. Kelly, who had a son, “was vivacious … and he was down to earth,” said author and journalist Lyn Riddle.

They married and had a daughter but divorced after hitting a rough patch. Within two years of their divorce, Kelly gave birth to another man’s child. But then, she reconciled with Douglas, and they remarried.

Douglas considered all of Kelly's children his kids, according to Riddle. “He was always there for us,” said the couple’s son, Dakota Brookshire.

Thirty-six hours after Douglas went missing, a ranger found a burned-out car in the woods. The car was “completely gutted” so they had to determine the owner through its VIN, said Clenton Bond, former sergeant with the Gwinnett County Police Department.

“Kelly said that Doug had been a great father to her children and that everything was great,” Porter told The Real Murders of Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Doug Davis, now a former investigator with the Gwinnett County Police Department, reached out beyond Douglas' close circle of friends. Davis learned that during Kelly's separation from Douglas, she had been involved with a man named Gregory Owen, whom she met while she and Douglas were separated.

Woman Conspires With Boyfriend to Kill Her Husband in a Backwoods Homicide | Oxygen Official Site

Find out more about how Atlanta investigators solved the homicide case of a family man whose wife conspired with her boyfriend to kill him.

www.oxygen.com