Did this inmate deserve to be executed?

Last night, Texas executed Robert Lee Thompson, 34, for a fatal robbery that occurred 13 years ago at a Houston convenience store. Thompson didn't actually pull the trigger. His accomplice, who did, got a life sentence in prison while Thompson was sentenced to death. A state parole board said, look, this isn't fair and recommended that he get life, too. The governor, however, declined to intervene.

Thompson did shoot one of the clerks during the robbery -- four times, in fact -- but that man lived. And prosecutors argued that he'd participated in other stickups where people died. (Though it's not clear if he was ever convicted of those crimes.)

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Man in a Mission, Cripjak and Keith G in PV!

Comments

[AJ]

I shead no tears over it...

[Jellybean]

I think there are such great arguments on either side of the death penalty issue.
But, for those that it appears had a fair trial and really did something awful - I just can't work up a good care.

Maybe it's not exactly equitable with what the other guy got but, like I tell my kids, "What he did/got is none of your business. You worry about you."

[Chuck Rizzo]

I don't know, the other guy actually killed someone and only got life. Thats kinda shady imho.

[Marvin]

If he hadn't shot anyone, then I'd agree. But, he tried to kill someone which to me is no different whether you succeed or not.

[KC1]

I see the only injustice here is that it took 12 years to put the needle in him!

[seven]

So, if you're gonna shoot someone, make sure they die, so you don't.

[Steve]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

[cripjak]

Warden: " Robert, I have some good news and some bad news.The good news is the pardons board voted 5 to 2 for commutation to life without parole."

Robert: "Whats the bad news?"

Warden: "We're gonna kill ya anyway. See ya."

Robert: " Damn the luck."

[kbp]

Since TEXAS standards for determining should an "inmate deserve to be executed" do not require sound evidence that the inmate actually committed the crime, I'd say this guy met the standard ...and then some.

[Anarchanon]

It's not fair... but I can't get motivated enough to care, given the other stuff he seems to have done.

[Stu Padazzo]

I'm sure if they let him live, he will contribute SO much to society.

[Chuck Rizzo]

I agree Marvin attempted murder is pretty much murder but you suck at murder, BUT the other guy got let off lighter and thats crap, if both had been executed I'd have less of a problem.

[Ralfred]

I suspect the other guy took a deal to avoid the death penalty. The story doesn't directly say so, but it only mentions a jury verdict for Thompson.

[Kevin]

Life in a Texas prison is nothing to sneeze at. Although this guy deserved life in prison, the death penalty was not appropiate if he was not the trigger man and especially when the trigger man didn't get the same punishment. I'm sorry..either death for both, life for both, or death for the trigger man and life for this guy.

[Ralfred]

What if the prosecutor offered both men life and only the shooter took it. The other guy rolls the dice at trial and loses. Does he get to go back and accept the life offer now?

[Ralfred]

Okay, I did some research and they were tried in separate trials. Due to the inconsistency of the verdicts I am surprised his sentence wasn't changed.

[sickoftheidiots]

So, Ralfred, you feel it is appropriate for prosecutors to strong arm guity pleas with the threat of execution? Sure does make it a pretty tough nut for the actually innocent guy to assert that innocense.

Most guilty pleas are, in a sense coerced. The carrot is that the punishment is usually less than if you are convicted at trial. Plenty of people take plea deals on minor charges offering probation because they don't want to risk jail tim. But there is a huge and fundamental difference between rolling the dice on a sentence enhancement and rolling the dice on being executed.

One more in a long line of reasons why the DP should be abolished.

[D-man]

I guess that he didn't provide a convincing argument as to why he DID NOT need to be executed. I'm sure glad noone has ever told me that I was to be executed unless I could prove why I shouldn't be.

[Ralfred]

sickoftheidiots,

I do have a problem with pleas, I think defendants should stand trial. While I'm surprised at how this situation played out, I have no problem with it other than the fact that the trigger man didn't get the same needle.

[KC Cicero]

Actually, it really does not matter ot Gov. Perry of Texas whether a person is guilty -- or even if a crime was actually committed. He killed one guy when he knew damn well it was a mistake -- NO CRIME HAD BEEN COMMITTED -- and then he fired a Commission to keep them from embarrassing him about it.

Frankly, he is the moral inferior of a guy who kills in a robbery gone wrong. The Gov does it for ambition. For all the bible-banging he does, he'd best hope there is no just God.

[Marvin]

You know how expensive and slow our justice system would be if the 80%-90% plea bargainers went to trial?

[Greg]

Not really one for the death penalty, but Die. Someone who robs is bad enough. Shooting some working, prolly not making much over minimum wage clerks, repeatedly, is just pitiful. Over how much money? Change the question to, "why didn't everyone involved in the robbery not get the death penalty?"

[Carolyn Cradley]

As a committed Christian, I cannot believe it is ever right for "man" to kill another man. This man should have paid a price, but killing him is wrong.

[roger rabbit]

yes ! no and,if or but he was executed not for this crime but for others God works in mysterious ways

[roger rabbit]

NO! they should of let him go and gave him the key to the city.He was a role model for all the scumbags of society.

[roger rabbit]

this is for the lady carolyn 3 post up ! would you had let him be your roomy?get a grip LADY what do you think should be done with such a nice guy like him INVITE him over for Sunday dinner or date your daughter wich one.

[hangemhi]

Good muslim Robert Lee Thompson shot the clerk who survived 4 x w a 25 caliber pistol, pistol whipped him and smashed him on the head with the cash register drawer. The 2nd clerk ran out the back. the 2 perps ran out the front and got in a car. The 2nd clerk ran after the car probably trying to get the plate #. thompson's buddy leaned out the window and shot the 2nd clerk fatally once with a 38. Oh yeah two other clerks were murdered by these nice guys in a 9 store robbery and murder spree. Thompson and his buddy were tried seperately. seems like Thompson was the trigger man in the other 2 murderers. All this came out during the penalty phase of the 2 trials. Thompson's buddy got life. Thompson got death. You know what I think. Too bad they didn't hang the both of them.