Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 24, 2006 4:56:32 GMT -5
Death Penalty: A Historical Perspective
Brandi Powell
It`s been nearly one hundred years since someone in North Dakota was given the death penalty. It`s been abolished since then, but it can still apply in federal cases.
In the Dru Sjodin case, many are saying they are in favor of the jurors` decision to put Alfonso Rodriguez to death. State historians say attitudes periodically change whenever a particularly heinous crime has has been committed, and then there`s usually a movement to reinstate the death penalty.
"At last," says a resident. "At last."
Much of the community reaction is in favor of the death penalty for Alfonso Rodriquez.
"He should have been killed five months ago," says another resident.
Many in the community say there`s no clash when it comes to religion when looking at the death penalty.
"I think it`s a good idea and I have no conflict," says one North Dakotan.
Much of the community says they think it is a just punishment.
"I`ve always thought that if somebody would kill somebody, then they should probably be put to rest," says a resident.
"I think it`s a good thing, says another resident from the Bismarck area. "Maybe other kids would straighten out a little bit or whoever does all that stuff, you know."
The last time there was a legal execution in North Dakota was about a century ago when John Rooney was hanged.
"One thing that`s kind interesting is that the abolishing of the death penalty in 1915 was really only abolishing it for murder and of course that was the only time that it was ever applied," says Gerald Newborg of the State Historical Society. "It wasn`t until 1973 that it was abolished for all crimes in the state."
There were two other capital cases in North Dakota after 1905.
"One was where two farm migrant workers who killed two other farm migrant workers and one of them admitted the murders and said the other guy killed one and he killed one," says Justice Dale Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court. "The second man said no, the first guy killed them both."
Both Joe Milo and John Miller were tried at the same time, but spared when the 1915 state legislature repealed the death penalty. As a part of North Dakota`s new criminal code, Justice Sandstrom says the 1973 legislature abolished the death penalty for all state crimes, effective July 1, 1975.
www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=3116
Brandi Powell
It`s been nearly one hundred years since someone in North Dakota was given the death penalty. It`s been abolished since then, but it can still apply in federal cases.
In the Dru Sjodin case, many are saying they are in favor of the jurors` decision to put Alfonso Rodriguez to death. State historians say attitudes periodically change whenever a particularly heinous crime has has been committed, and then there`s usually a movement to reinstate the death penalty.
"At last," says a resident. "At last."
Much of the community reaction is in favor of the death penalty for Alfonso Rodriquez.
"He should have been killed five months ago," says another resident.
Many in the community say there`s no clash when it comes to religion when looking at the death penalty.
"I think it`s a good idea and I have no conflict," says one North Dakotan.
Much of the community says they think it is a just punishment.
"I`ve always thought that if somebody would kill somebody, then they should probably be put to rest," says a resident.
"I think it`s a good thing, says another resident from the Bismarck area. "Maybe other kids would straighten out a little bit or whoever does all that stuff, you know."
The last time there was a legal execution in North Dakota was about a century ago when John Rooney was hanged.
"One thing that`s kind interesting is that the abolishing of the death penalty in 1915 was really only abolishing it for murder and of course that was the only time that it was ever applied," says Gerald Newborg of the State Historical Society. "It wasn`t until 1973 that it was abolished for all crimes in the state."
There were two other capital cases in North Dakota after 1905.
"One was where two farm migrant workers who killed two other farm migrant workers and one of them admitted the murders and said the other guy killed one and he killed one," says Justice Dale Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court. "The second man said no, the first guy killed them both."
Both Joe Milo and John Miller were tried at the same time, but spared when the 1915 state legislature repealed the death penalty. As a part of North Dakota`s new criminal code, Justice Sandstrom says the 1973 legislature abolished the death penalty for all state crimes, effective July 1, 1975.
www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=3116