Post by SoulTrainOz on Jun 17, 2006 19:47:28 GMT -5
Burlington, Vermont - June 15, 2006
A small group of friends and family of Teri King gathered outside the federal courthouse where Donald Fell will be sentenced to death.
"We've been looking forward to it. We'll be glad when it's over and behind us," says Barbara Tuttle, King's sister.
Fell was found guilty for the kidnap and murder of the Clarendon woman six years ago. Because the crime crossed the state line into New York it was a federal offense, making Fell eligible for the death penalty. A jury of twelve Vermonters unanimously agreed that Fell should die.
"The death penalty system fails victims' family members because it doesn't provide them any healing and it is a waste of valuable resources," says death penalty opponent Rachel Lawler.
Lawler helped organize a competing demonstration just a few blocks away from the pro-death rally. Her group claims it was wrong for federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in Vermont, which abolished legal execution long ago. They also say many victims' relatives initially support the death penalty as a means of vengeance, but later regret it.
"And many of them were at the place where the King family is now, where they wanted an execution," says Lawler. "Some of them did go through execution and it didn't bring closure. And then it was six years later and they still had to cope with the loss of their loved one."
"I guess I would have to totally disagree with that," counters Tuttle. "Our family has thought about this for a long time. We're talking about almost six years and we realize that it's probably going to be another ten before he's actually executed. But we feel that punishment fits the crime."
Donald Fell's sentencing hearing begins Thursday at 9:30 AM. Because it's a death penalty case, his conviction is automatically under appeal.
Roger Garrity - Channel 3 News
A small group of friends and family of Teri King gathered outside the federal courthouse where Donald Fell will be sentenced to death.
"We've been looking forward to it. We'll be glad when it's over and behind us," says Barbara Tuttle, King's sister.
Fell was found guilty for the kidnap and murder of the Clarendon woman six years ago. Because the crime crossed the state line into New York it was a federal offense, making Fell eligible for the death penalty. A jury of twelve Vermonters unanimously agreed that Fell should die.
"The death penalty system fails victims' family members because it doesn't provide them any healing and it is a waste of valuable resources," says death penalty opponent Rachel Lawler.
Lawler helped organize a competing demonstration just a few blocks away from the pro-death rally. Her group claims it was wrong for federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in Vermont, which abolished legal execution long ago. They also say many victims' relatives initially support the death penalty as a means of vengeance, but later regret it.
"And many of them were at the place where the King family is now, where they wanted an execution," says Lawler. "Some of them did go through execution and it didn't bring closure. And then it was six years later and they still had to cope with the loss of their loved one."
"I guess I would have to totally disagree with that," counters Tuttle. "Our family has thought about this for a long time. We're talking about almost six years and we realize that it's probably going to be another ten before he's actually executed. But we feel that punishment fits the crime."
Donald Fell's sentencing hearing begins Thursday at 9:30 AM. Because it's a death penalty case, his conviction is automatically under appeal.
Roger Garrity - Channel 3 News