The very question of justice has become a question of politics. Not unusual the pairing of the two, but in this case, Gov. Hickenlooper suggests that if he loses the impending gubernatorial race that he will grant clemency to convicted and sentenced mass murderer, Nathan Dunlap. Dunlap was sentenced to execution for the murders of 4 Chuckie Cheese employees and attempted murder of one other. Dunlap was scheduled to die in 1913 at which time Hickenlooper signed a temporary reprieve. Hickenlooper appears to be playing a cruel game with Dunlaps life to satisfy his own vengeance in the event of a win by a political opponent. IS THAT WHO YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE AT THE HELM, COLORADO. (CNN) -- With a signature on a piece of paper, convicted quadruple murderer Nathan Dunlaps life was spared. For now. A year after Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed that temporary reprieve, Dunlaps sentence still has not been carried out. Thats painful for many of the loved ones of the four restaurant workers Dunlap shot to death in 1993. It also upsets the sole survivor of the shooting, Bobby Stephens. Its not fair, Stephens told KRDO TV. Precedent on temporary reprieves is murky. No one knows for sure when the reprieve may be lifted, and Colorado hasnt executed anyone since 1997. But if Hickenlooper, a Democrat, loses his re-election bid in November, the legal landscape for Dunlap could change dramatically. Dunlaps attack inside a Chuck E. Cheese pizza restaurant more than 20 years ago sparked a wave of anger reflected on local news broadcasts. Prosecutors said Dunlap was seeking revenge after being fired from his job there as a cook. He entered the restaurant, hid in a restroom, and emerged after closing, prosecutors said. He then shot Sylvia Crowell, 19; Colleen OConnor, 17; Ben Grant, 17; and Marge Kohlberg, 50, who was the mother of two children. Stephens, 20, who also worked there, survived. After Dunlap shot him in the face, he played dead until the killer fled the building. Unanimous death sentence Nathan deserves to face his maker Lethal injection explained A high-profile trial provoked a raging debate about how society should best deal with those who commit heinous crimes. Dunlaps jury delivered its verdict in 1996, convicting him on four counts of murder and unanimously sentencing him to death. During years of appeals that followed, prison doctors officially diagnosed Dunlap with bipolar disorder, CNNs Death Row Stories reported. Dunlaps attorneys appealed, claiming his mental health wasnt properly taken into account during his trial. Dunlap apologized to Stephens in a letter, saying he was sorry for what hed done to me, Stephens told KRDO TV. But Stephens said he doubted his would-be killers goodwill. When the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Dunlaps final appeal, he and his attorneys took their plea for a stay to Hickenlooper. Because of that and the horrible things I did, I dont feel I have the right to ask for clemency, Dunlap wrote in a letter to the governor, reportedly saying,Id like to spare my family and friends from the same pain that I caused the victims families and Bobby Stephens and his family and friends. Rather than give Dunlap clemency, the governor issued a temporary reprieve, explaining that his decision was made not out of compassion or sympathy, but because there is a legitimate question whether we as a state should be taking lives. Colorados system for capital punishment is not flawless, Hickenlooper wrote in his executive order. Read the governors executive order Mob justice The governors decision reignited the years-old Dunlap debate. Let him suffer and think about what he did. Let him rot. Jodie McNally-Damore, mother of murder victim Colleen OConner The mother of victim Colleen OConnor, Jodie McNally-Damore, told Death Row Stories shes hoping Dunlap will avoid execution. I think that he deserves to stay exactly in the hole that hes in, and let him suffer and think about what he did. Let him rot. Bob Crowell, father of victim Sylvia Crowell, told KCNC TV that the governors decision resulted in backdoor clemency. Hickenloopers Republican challenger, former Rep. Bob Beauprez, told The Associated Press that the governors reprieve for Dunlap showed an unwillingness to even make the tough call. The governors temporary reprieve has no time limit, so theoretically, as long as Hickenlooper remains in office, he can continue to block Dunlaps execution. But a new governor could end the reprieve, clearing the way for Dunlap to die by lethal injection. In a way, Dunlaps fate rests in the hands of Colorado voters. Critics say that amounts to mob justice. The governor issued Dunlap a \ The governor issued Dunlap a temporary reprieve, putting his execution on hold indefinitely. Dunlaps prosecutor, District Attorney George Brauchler, told Death Row Stories, Theres one person in the state of Colorado who is more interested than the governor being re-elected than even the governor -- and thats Nathan Dunlap. This isnt Auroras only high profile death penalty case involving mental health and a gunman. James Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to 166 charges surrounding a movie theater shooting in 2012 that left 12 people dead. His trial is set to begin December 8. Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 23:00:08 +0000
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