Comments on: US Supreme Court Targets Death Penalty Case From 1998 Nine Mile Popeye’s Murder

By: Bones

Bones — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 00:47:44 +0000

I believe that after two appeals, the guilty party should immediately be put to death by hanging or firing squad. It should also be made public and televised. I don’t think that we should have to pay to keep them up for years and years.

By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 15:27:10 +0000

I remember when this happened as well. I still can not go into that restaurant. My question is: How could this monster NOT deserve the death penalty?

By: old school

old school — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 23:20:40 +0000

In 1998 when this happened I was shocked as everyone else in the county that acts like this usually happened in much larger cities. Now, we see that Pensacola has become infested with drugs and violence. The police nor the sheriff’s department can stop all that is going on in our communities. What bothers me most is the fact that there are hardly any deterrents or punishments bad enough anymore to make people think before they act! I think we need to bring back the whip and post for petty crimes and the public hanging noose for the big ones like this!

By: Sedition

Sedition — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 22:47:51 +0000

1998?!
WHY IS HE STILL ALIVE?!
Give him to me, I’ll supply the bullet and save the taxpayers a metric butt-ton of money.

By: Officer

Officer — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 13:10:38 +0000

I was one of the courtroom security officers assigned to this case. I was present for every portion of the trial, I heard every piece of evidence, and I interacted with the jury. To this day I have not nor will I ever step foot inside any Popeye’s chicken restaurant. This case is still completely fresh in my memory and it’s still very disturbing. The facts of the case prove that this crime was especially heinous. Mr. Hurst deserves the death penalty for this. I sincerely hope he gets it.

By: Wharf Rat

Wharf Rat — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 03:32:41 +0000

Many people would not have met Mrs. Harrison at Popeye’s, but she was also a cashier at the nearby Winn-Dixie. She was striving for her dream. She was a sweet and caring person. She did not deserve in any fashion what happened to her. True, some people have been exonerated for crimes, but, that does not mean they were “innocent.”

By: chris in Molino

chris in Molino — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 22:49:39 +0000

There are really too many factors to consider. I agree there are some (a miniscule amount mind you) that are innocent. Gotta break a few eggs to make an omlet. On the other hand, many more would be found innocent if they had unlimited resources in their defense that the state has and uses to prosecute. Needless to say, most defendants don’t even have a private attorney. I also believe the death penalty is not a deterrent nor will be nomatter how much it’s used. For one reason : Criminals are never thinking of consequences because they’re planning on not getting caught.
I am a supporter of this however: when there is overwhelming evidence that leaves no question of guilt, make a public announcement of death sentance to be carried out in front of the courthouse. Have the guilty strung up by the ankles and death sentance carried out in the manner with which they themselves killed. Leave the body for 24hrs for all to see. Amen.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 22:33:42 +0000

We are all going to die. Some of us should die sooner for the overall public good.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 22:04:41 +0000

His conviction stands regardless

At worst, they would have to resentence him and the jury would have ALL the details regarding the case. This way he gets to live at least another three years while they decide and Florida reacts.

Well, at the VERY worst, they will sentence him to time served and he will go and kill again.

Maybe the Lord will call him home — or send him to his eternal home — before then.

David for justice
and people obeying laws,
not just those they feel led to follow

By: Simmer Down

Simmer Down — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 21:53:16 +0000

@ Alex A: Since 1976 there have been 1,407 executions. In April of 2014 The National Academy of Sciences reported that 4.1% of all death row inmates were actually innocent. That equates to about 58 executions of people who were not guilty of the crimes for which they were executed.

@ Just Saying: Referring to my first post in this thread the region of the US where there are the most executions, the South, also has the highest murder rate. This doesn’t invalidate your point, but I’m wondering how many more we’d need to execute before we started to notice a reduction in murders. That’s difficult to test.

Finally, let’s get smarter about the cost of housing murderers for life. There’s no doubt that it’s expensive. But having a death penalty is more expensive. A 2014 report by the non-partisan Death Penalty Information Center, and reported by FOX News, has shown that a death penalty case costs $1 million more to prosecute than a similar case seeking life without parole. And that doesn’t even consider the appeals. Plus, housing death row inmates costs twice as much as general population inmates. The death penalty doesn’t save money. I can provide sources!