Yesterday, Coloradans were outraged when Democratic Governor Hickenlooper cast aside the wishes of Nathan Dunlap’s victims’ families and granted him a “temporary reprieve” from his death sentence for slaughtering four innocent people at an Aurora Chuck E. Cheese 20 years ago. Given the visceral reaction to the announcement, we have to admit even we were surprised when a reader tipped us off that Governor Hickenlooper had attended one of Denver’s most prestigious dinners last night, and partied with Denver Broncos players past and present.
We can hardly blame Hick for wanting to attend. It is, after all, one of the most anticipated events of the year in Colorado, usually honoring a great contributor to the Colorado community, and exceptionally well attended. Among the nearly 2,000 attendees last night, were the Bronco’s four Hall of Famers and numerous other Broncos alumni. Attendees even had the opportunity to take a photograph with Vince Lombardi trophies. But, this isn’t about the people who were there, or even the event itself.
During yesterday’s press conference, Hick noted that this was a difficult decision for him. He said, “We heard a variety of sides and obviously this has weighed heavily on me for over a year now.”
Perhaps the decision weighed so heavily that he needed a reprieve himself. But, when do the families, some of whom spoke out against Hick’s decision, get a reprieve from their grief over their missing loved ones? Here is what the family of victim Benjamin Grant said to Hickenlooper prior to his announcement: “Sit back, make no decision, allow the one that 12 people made after listening to all the evidence 17 years ago stand.”
With Hickenlooper’s decision ignoring the pleas of the victims’ families, we have to wonder, how did the families spend the night last night? We’re pretty sure it wasn’t toasting Denver’s finest.
In regards to Chickenpooper's recent stay of execution on that dipshit that gunned down his co-workers at Chuck-E Cheese in the 90s that was due to be executed on the 18th…. He & Roxanne basically held off on giving that monster the needle, at much objection by both the families, the state & prosecution, and the majority of the local public… As if that wasn't bad enough then the self-righteous windbag was seen that very same night drunk off his ass at a Denver Broncos dinner, toasting the players and totally ignoring the fact that he'd just blown off multiple victims families only means of getting justice, all because his defense lawyers were able to make his 'crocodile tear BS act of "Oh look I've reformed" actually fly in staying Dunlap's execution…. Where's a real life Dexter Morgan when you need him?
In my college Ethics class, the text reported when they had public hangings and people were being executed for theft, pickpockets would work through the crowd. It doesn't seem to work as a deterrent, but then I'm not sure that was your point anyway.
I keep saying we need to step up the death penalty & hold public executions (televise them in the same manner presidential crap takes over all major networks during election season)….
Hickenlooper needs to be impeached, as does Roxanne White (or whatever the equivalency is for outing a Governor / cabinet member), and both need be held accountable for their blatant disregard of due process, the victims families, or the sentence at hand. Dunlap should have been executed on the 18th. We shouldn't have had to house him this long to begin with. A law should be made so that Death Penalty sentences should be carried out within one year (or less) of a guilty verdict being rendered. No appeals, none of this whiny 'I've changed' don't kill me I'm afraid to die, BS….' These monsters knew exactly what they were doing when they committed their crimes, and they knew what the consequences of those crimes were then…. They shouldn't have any leniency on being held accountable to those crimes either.
Typical Liberal Democrat! Nathan Dunlap deserves the death penalty! Maybe those who are against it should start ponying up more tax money to house these monsters! Oh and can someone please give Hickenlooper a real haircut!!! Augh!
He is putting his personal philosophy and wants to move up the ladder of the progressive party (Democratic).
Oh lord.. I just listened closely to exactly what he said. A more perfect system to put a man to death? Is this man an idiot? ANY SYSTEM MADE BY MAN WILL BE IMPERFECT.
The death penalty was recently re-confirmed by the Colorado voters. By doing this, he makes an end-run around the voters, around our constitutional system of trial by jury, around the prosecutors, around the police, and around justice for the victims.
Our systems will NEVER be "perfect" and mistakes do and will happen. This case is unambiguous, it is cut and dried and very clear – this man murdered in cold blood 4 innocent people. If he believes that our government will never be perfect enough to commit the ultimate punishment then they need to change the laws. That is our constitutional process. To end run that process shows the ultimate disrespect for the very system that elected him to office.
To leave is to surrender, we must not.