Thank you, cleo! Does the defense have to show any proof of bias or is this just SOP?
You are allowed to do it one time and it has to be at the beginning of the trial. you can't wait until you are losing and then get a new judge and trial.
The State will picks the second judge. It is often one from out of town and he is likely to be pissed about having to travel.
I read a blogger comment on one of the news links today that said the reason CC is asking for a new judge is that they are hoping for one from Chester that might be affiliated with Grace Church! Does anyone from the area think that is a possibility? Would the prosecution be able to challenge that if it happened?
Yeah, it's old.
I'm one of those who believes the death penalty is gentler than life without parole. I believe CC is counting on getting the DP on this case. It guarantees him life for (at present) an indefinite period, first while all the DP motions get filed and argued, then when the inevitable appeals happen, and then because of the moratorium. He gets to live in a segregated cell, away from other prisoners, and his life will be as comfy-cozy as Mom and Dad and whatever supporters remain (not to mention women who have a fetish for convicted murders) can make it. He could conceivable even marry! Conjugal visits! He could live the remainder of his natural life in prison, getting fat and bald and without a care in the world (I think he quit caring about God and Hell a while ago).
Life without parole, he goes into the general prison population, a much worse fate. Jeffrey Dahmer didn't last long. That's why I'd rather see him get LWP. That would bring his punishment more in line with his crime.
Okay, I vote for LWOP in Gen. Pop. and we just let some other criminal with a conscience (is that an oxymoron?) take care of the rest for us. That would save us taxpayers a ton of $$$$, he'd be looking over his shoulder constantly, it would eliminate the need for an executioner, and still bring about the desired result. Yeah, the more I think about, the more I like that..........VC - what you say is true - I haven't thought it out yet as to which I'd prefer him to get. After the prelim, I was hoping for death - but you're right - that's the easy way out for him. OTOH, we will support him as long as he lives. It's a tough call - I'm glad I don't have to make the decision.
Okay, I vote for LWOP in Gen. Pop. and we just let some other criminal with a conscience (is that an oxymoron?) take care of the rest for us. That would save us taxpayers a ton of $$$$, he'd be looking over his shoulder constantly, it would eliminate the need for an executioner, and still bring about the desired result. Yeah, the more I think about, the more I like that..........
Sorry, I am one who feels that you take another's life, you pay with your own. I would think that living in a *cough* Christian *cough* home, he more so than many should know the rights from the wrongs. Just too bad we couldn't do it X's 3. I am still horrified to think of a parent taking the lives of their own children and their Mother. I think there's a special He!! just for them. No, you know what, I take back the sorry part...........
~TCO~
I read a blogger comment on one of the news links today that said the reason CC is asking for a new judge is that they are hoping for one from Chester that might be affiliated with Grace Church! Does anyone from the area think that is a possibility? Would the prosecution be able to challenge that if it happened?
Yeah, about the inmates proven innocent by DNA, you have to remember, those are cases that were tried prior to DNA and DNA clears them. Now that there is the ability to use DNA, that pretty much eliminates that. I don't think there has been a case that the person was found guilty with DNA evidence and later found not guilty by DNA evidence.I've been thinking about this and the more I do, the more I want LWOP. I honestly can't say that I'm for the DP or against it.....maybe it depends. You occasionally hear about an inmate proven innocent by dna - I always wonder how they can resume their lives when they've been in prison for so many years. But there are also those who are such a huge threat to society that I wouldn't want them ever to get out of prison, by legal means or by escape. For them, DP makes sense. Hard decision.
Maybe now we need a poll to see how WS'ers feel about the DP vs LWOP for CC if he is found guilty by a jury?????
That's an interesting thought, Kimster! Looking at the list of judges for the 20th circuit Illinois Circuit Court Judges, there are two from Chester:
William A. Schuwerk, Jr. (Circuit Court Judge)
Richard A. Brown (Associate Judge)
Anyone down Chester way know if either one would have any affiliation with Grace Church?
Another thought might be that perhaps they are hoping to land a judge that does not support the death penalty for the penalty phase?? It's possible they are looking ahead to the possibility of a guilty verdict and are working in advance to save him from the DP. Just a thought.... :waitasec:
I have never made a single payment late, but in the last few months my bank has begun calling before the payment is due to make sure I'm planning on paying. It's about the most obnoxious thing I've ever experienced, and I chew out the person (it's a real person) and tell them to knock it off. Doesn't work - now I just let the calls go to the machine. I pay on line and schedule it in advance, they must be really jumping on all of the loans for whatever reason.
To contrast, we have some former friends (we loaned them money so they don't like us any more) who stopped paying their mortgage in September 2007 and just had the house sold at a Trustee's sale in January of this year - and they stayed in it for a couple months after that. So about 1.5 years of no payments before they were forced to move out.
I have never made a single payment late, but in the last few months my bank has begun calling before the payment is due to make sure I'm planning on paying. It's about the most obnoxious thing I've ever experienced, and I chew out the person (it's a real person) and tell them to knock it off. Doesn't work - now I just let the calls go to the machine. I pay on line and schedule it in advance, they must be really jumping on all of the loans for whatever reason.
To contrast, we have some former friends (we loaned them money so they don't like us any more) who stopped paying their mortgage in September 2007 and just had the house sold at a Trustee's sale in January of this year - and they stayed in it for a couple months after that. So about 1.5 years of no payments before they were forced to move out.