Post by Anja Nieser on Oct 1, 2006 6:07:35 GMT -5
Residents divided on Jordan's sentence----Some speak out for, against
Jordan's sentence; others withhold judgment
Lambuth student Nick Jared believes jurors acted properly when they issued
3 death sentences to convicted killer David Lynn Jordan on Monday.
Jurors unanimously issued the sentences against Jordan, 42, for the
killing of his estranged wife, Donna Renee Jordan, Jerry Hopper and David
Gordon at the Tennessee Department of Transportation garage in Jackson in
January 2005.
The death sentences prompted a wide range of opinions from Jackson
residents interviewed by The Jackson Sun.
"I think in a situation like this, I am for the death penalty," said
Jared, a 19-year-old theater/English major. "In the case of a person like
this, who not only went in and killed one person, but many, he is
obviously a cause of danger to many people."
Sitting on the front porch of Lambuth's Sigma Phi Epsilon house, Kimberly
Campbell, also 19, agreed with Jared.
"I believe the death penalty is a bad thing if you have no hard evidence
and you have to try and prove it," she said, "but a lot of people saw him
do it."
Several witnesses identified Jordan as the shooter at his murder trail in
Madison County Circuit Court, including survivors James Goff and Larry
Taylor, who were wounded in the January 2005 shooting.
About 2 miles south of Lambuth, however, outside the Shell Express station
on Hollywood Drive, Tonya Chapman disagreed.
A former undercover Fulton County police officer in Atlanta, Chapman said
she believes in rehabilitation.
"I've counseled a lot of prisoners," said Chapman, 31. "When you know some
of their backgrounds, and talking to these people, it changes your mind."
Chapman has held firm to her belief, even after her cousin was "gunned
down" in St. Louis in 1995.
"He was shot 16 times," she said.
Jordan's shooting rampage, his conviction and death sentences have many
Jackson residents discussing the jury's decisions.
"Me and my husband were talking about this last night," said 49-year-old
Cassandra Smith, who opposes the death penalty.
"I feel like if someone kills, they should be locked up for life," she
said. "It is not our place to get revenge."
Back at Lambuth, however, 20-year-old James Dozier remained undecided
about the use of lethal injection.
"The death penalty brings a lot of closure to the family," he said, "but
sometimes people should remember that there are a lot of things worse than
dying."
Katherine Cumpton of Wichita Falls, Texas, however, said there is no gray
area when considering someone's life.
"I am very much against the death penalty. I don't think it solves
anything," said Cumpton, 18, and also a Lambuth theater major. "A crime of
passion like this obviously deserves a severe penalty, but not the death
penalty. He clearly had emotional problems."
Some city residents, however, like 41-year-old John Burse, don't think
emotional problems should protect a person from obvious guilt.
"I don't know if he had a psychological problem," Burse said. "but if he
out-and-out, cold-blooded did it ..."
But at the Shell Express, 78-year-old Monroe Dotson said these types of
decisions are better left to God.
"I ain't even going to try and judge that," he said. "I'll just let the
good Lord judge him."
(source: Jackson Sun)
Jordan's sentence; others withhold judgment
Lambuth student Nick Jared believes jurors acted properly when they issued
3 death sentences to convicted killer David Lynn Jordan on Monday.
Jurors unanimously issued the sentences against Jordan, 42, for the
killing of his estranged wife, Donna Renee Jordan, Jerry Hopper and David
Gordon at the Tennessee Department of Transportation garage in Jackson in
January 2005.
The death sentences prompted a wide range of opinions from Jackson
residents interviewed by The Jackson Sun.
"I think in a situation like this, I am for the death penalty," said
Jared, a 19-year-old theater/English major. "In the case of a person like
this, who not only went in and killed one person, but many, he is
obviously a cause of danger to many people."
Sitting on the front porch of Lambuth's Sigma Phi Epsilon house, Kimberly
Campbell, also 19, agreed with Jared.
"I believe the death penalty is a bad thing if you have no hard evidence
and you have to try and prove it," she said, "but a lot of people saw him
do it."
Several witnesses identified Jordan as the shooter at his murder trail in
Madison County Circuit Court, including survivors James Goff and Larry
Taylor, who were wounded in the January 2005 shooting.
About 2 miles south of Lambuth, however, outside the Shell Express station
on Hollywood Drive, Tonya Chapman disagreed.
A former undercover Fulton County police officer in Atlanta, Chapman said
she believes in rehabilitation.
"I've counseled a lot of prisoners," said Chapman, 31. "When you know some
of their backgrounds, and talking to these people, it changes your mind."
Chapman has held firm to her belief, even after her cousin was "gunned
down" in St. Louis in 1995.
"He was shot 16 times," she said.
Jordan's shooting rampage, his conviction and death sentences have many
Jackson residents discussing the jury's decisions.
"Me and my husband were talking about this last night," said 49-year-old
Cassandra Smith, who opposes the death penalty.
"I feel like if someone kills, they should be locked up for life," she
said. "It is not our place to get revenge."
Back at Lambuth, however, 20-year-old James Dozier remained undecided
about the use of lethal injection.
"The death penalty brings a lot of closure to the family," he said, "but
sometimes people should remember that there are a lot of things worse than
dying."
Katherine Cumpton of Wichita Falls, Texas, however, said there is no gray
area when considering someone's life.
"I am very much against the death penalty. I don't think it solves
anything," said Cumpton, 18, and also a Lambuth theater major. "A crime of
passion like this obviously deserves a severe penalty, but not the death
penalty. He clearly had emotional problems."
Some city residents, however, like 41-year-old John Burse, don't think
emotional problems should protect a person from obvious guilt.
"I don't know if he had a psychological problem," Burse said. "but if he
out-and-out, cold-blooded did it ..."
But at the Shell Express, 78-year-old Monroe Dotson said these types of
decisions are better left to God.
"I ain't even going to try and judge that," he said. "I'll just let the
good Lord judge him."
(source: Jackson Sun)