More details on Shawna Forde verdict---she may face Death Penalty

[hlthe2b]

The face of unrepentant hate


Border killing garnered national attention
Forde convicted in killing of Arivaca man, daughter

A Pima County jury convicted Shawna Forde today of two counts of first-degree murder in the May 30, 2009 deaths of Arivaca residents Raul Junior Flores and his 9-year-old daughter, Brisenia.

The jury also convicted Forde of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of Flores' wife, Gina Gonzalez, as well as related aggravated assault and robbery counts.
--snip--
Jurors must now decide if the facts of the case warrant the possibility of the death penalty.

If they unanimously say "Yes," both sides will begin presenting evidence as to why Forde should or should not be executed.
Much more at link: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/article_6ae561fe-386c-11e0-9555-001cc4c002e0.html


*********************
From David Neiwart at Crooks & Liars which has been phenomenal in continuing to follow this much ignored, important story, so closely:
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/shawna-forde-guilty-all-eight-counts

I was there to observe. The jury's verdict came in relatively short time this morning in Tucson, and it was an efficient affair: Forde, wearing a light plaid suit jacket and pants, entered with her attorneys, looking confident and smiling. The jury then filed in, and delivered their verdicts to the judge. The court clerk then read them aloud, along with the jury's findings: guilty, guilty, guilty, with no doubts at all about any of the qualifying issues.

Strangely, Forde was almost perfectly emotionless: She looked straight ahead, chatted with her attorneys, and even smiled occasionally. Indeed, she continued to exude the bravado that has been her style from the outset -- even as she was led back out of the courtroom to her awaiting prison cell.

There were plenty of emotions flowing, though -- much of it directly in front of me. As the verdicts were announced, Brisenia's mother, Gina Gonzalez -- who not only survived the shootings, but delivered damning testimony in the trial -- began weeping softly, as did her sister and mother, who accompanied her.

--more at the link--
RIP, beautiful little girl

[11 Bravo]

1. I hope she has the opportunity to look into her executioner's eyes and beg for her life ...

just like little Brisenia Flores.

[blondeatlast]

13. Brisenia Flores.

:hi:

[11 Bravo]

18. Thanks, I edited it.

:hi:

[sharp_stick]

2. While I oppose the death penalty

If this kid killing bitch gets the needle, I'm sure as hell not going to lose any sleep over it.

[hlthe2b]

5. I know....

I've had very firm opinions opposing the death penalty for decades, after really taking considerable time to research the issues.

Yet, when we get a case like this, where this person acted on such a level of hate--with a focus that was indifferent to the innocence of a young child-- and is so unrepentant.....

I still believe she deserves life without parole and that would be my sentence, but I will not be here criticizing a jury that decides in favor of the DP.

[LiberalAndProud]

3. perfectly emotionless...

One must wonder what happens in a life to cause a person to value life so little. I wonder if she really doesn't hold any reverence for life -- her own or anyone else's. It's hard to understand this act from any other perspective, really.

[hobbit709]

4. she wants to be a martyr for her cause.

[hlthe2b]

8. Yes....

and in a way, the irresponsible lack of media coverage, may actually be a blessing--in thwarting her ability to become a celebrity figure for this hate movement.

[LiberalAndProud]

9. Seems like she chose her victims poorly, if that's the case.

She could have found a less sympathetic target if she was hoping for martyrdom. This is all just supposition and conjecture. I doubt that we'll ever understand the backstory in this tragic episode.

I will join Jesus as he weeps, as there seems to be no way to assuage our hate against one another.

[hlthe2b]

11. Her legal team's jury consultant certainly underestimated...

They apparently worked very hard to get a nearly all female jury (including the alternates), hoping, I guess that women would be swayed by some irrational fear of illegal immigrants, border crime, or related.

I would have predicted this would backfire on them. How many "normal" women, after all, would be unmoved by the intentional murder of that young child, begging for her life?

[malaise]

6. Seriously how does a woman

look at that beautiful child and kill her.

[gratuitous]

7. I oppose the death penalty

And I do in this case, too. I think a more fitting punishment is for Ms. Forde to spend the rest of her natural life in forced, close contact with people she so obviously despises. I see two possible outcomes: She will learn something, or she will stubbornly resist learning anything and be a prisoner to her misery by her own choice.

[stevedeshazer]

12. +1

I agree.

[BuelahWitch]

14. I agree

Life would be much worse for her, both physically and mentally, doing time.

[blondeatlast]

15. Absolutely agree. nt

[malaise]

16. Agree 100%

[superduperfarleft]

19. Well said. n/t

[mike_c]

36. I agree completely....

No to state murder.

[aikoaiko]

10. Based on the evidence I read, I'm ok with the death penalty being applied.

[malaise]

17. Why was she blonde in court?

[superduperfarleft]

20. Because blonde is in this year, girlfriend! n/t

[jmowreader]

28. Did the State of Arizona pay for her to become blonde?

Getting someone to come in and turn you blonde ain't cheap.

[hlthe2b]

34. Actually, I think the blonde was her "old look"

and she apparently surprised the jury with her bottle brown appearance later in the trial.

"Another surprise - when Forde appeared in the courtroom on the first day of the trial, she had brown hair, instead of blonde - her hair color when she was arrested." http://www.kvoa.com/news/shawna-forde-found-gulity-of-2-murders/

Perhaps her attorneys thought it would give her credibility? :eyes:

[Upton]

21. Put her down.

[backscatter712]

22. If the death penalty is out of the question, can we supermax her until she cracks?

Grab a snickers, you murdering animal, you're not going anywhere for a while...

Unlike Bradley Manning, she deserves it.

[Sonoman]

23. I don't think it matters. She won't survive the General Population.

I would be amazed if she lives out her term, whatever it may be.

Here's hoping for the worst for her.

Sonoman

[superduperfarleft]

25. She'll be fine. Lots of Aryan Nation in men's prison. Not sure about women's, though. n/t

[blondeatlast]

26. Difficult to say, but she killed an innocent kid. How many of her fellow inmates will be missing

their own children?

Maternal love doesn't know color or politics--but thanks to Sanctimonious sarah Palin, we all know what mama grizzlies are capable of, right?

I wouldn't lose a moment's sleep if an inmate for a lesser crime (Perryville houses all levels) releases her anguish and frustration on Ms. Forde, except I wouldn't want to see that inmate's sentence extended.

[superduperfarleft]

27. Very good point. While I think she'd be more predator than prey in general population

she'll probably end up in protective custody.

[Left coast liberal]

24. What kind of person does something like this? And, to not be...

...weeping with remorse?

How her parents raised her?

horrible. Just horrible.

[backscatter712]

32. She's a sociopath.

She has no empathy or conscience. She knew what she was doing when she killed that little girl, and she knew it was wrong. She just doesn't care.

I expressed my opinion about sociopaths in a different thread a few days ago, but that thread got locked.

But locking my threads won't change my opinion about these animals...

[Carolina]

33. Totally agree with you about sociopaths

She surely is one and since there is no treatment, society and those in the prison population are better off if she is executed.

[fascisthunter]

37. I missed it.... If I had seen it, I would have joined you

people have no idea how dangerous and destructive sociopaths are. Too many have accepted their behavior... I see a lot of it in DC especially in the GOP. Wall St. is a cell pool of sociopaths.

[Generic Other]

29. Wikipedia is certainly getting some weird edits about Forde

Forde's lawyer quickly vowed an appeal. "My client was entitled to a trial by a jury of her peers, and she absolutely did not receive one," he said in an interview on the courthouse steps after the verdict. "There was not a single fat, acne-ridden, meth-addicted white trash slut on that jury. I am confident of a reversal on appeal."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Raul_and_Brisenia_Flores

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. PLEASE let this end the minutemen

PLEASE. They so need to go.

[blondeatlast]

31. They are DESPERATELY tryiong to disavow her. From an AZ Minuteman site

(sorry, but it tells the story): http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/06/trouble-finds-shawna-forde-youre-going.html

This was written before the verdict.

NOTE TO THE MINUTEMAN AND TEABAGGERS: YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY. WE'VE ALL SEEN THE DESPICABLE, RACIST, VIOLENT GARBAGE ON YOUR PROTEST SIGNS. YOU OWN THIS CHILD'S MURDER.

[fascisthunter]

35. throw her in prison for life

the death penalty is the easy way out...

[blueamy66]

38. Good.

If anyone deserves the DP, she does.