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Death row *********, child killer found hanging in San Quentin prison cell
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/30/11952282-death-row-*********-child-killer-found-hanging-in-san-quentin-prison-cell?lite
LOS ANGELES -- James Lee Crummel, a ********* and convicted killer sentenced to die for the 1979 murder of a teenage boy, has hanged himself on California's death row, months before voters in the state are due to decide whether to abolish the death penalty, prison officials said on Tuesday.
The 68-year-old was found hanging in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Sam Robinson said in a written statement.
He was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. local time (8.20 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Robinson said.
Crummel had been housed on death row since he was sentenced to death in 2004 for the 1979 kidnapping, sexual abuse and murder of 13-year-old James Wilfred Trotter.
Trotter was snatched as he walked to meet his school bus in Costa Mesa, California, in April of 1979. His charred remains were found more than a decade later, in 1990, but not confirmed as that of the boy until 1996.
Crummel was also convicted in San Bernardino County, California, for molesting three boys in Big Bear City, and was suspected of abducting and killing 9-year- old Big Bear Lake resident Jack "J.D." Phillips, who disappeared near his home in 1995, the San Bernadino Sun newspaper reported.
It said Jack's remains have never been located, and his father said in June 2004 that Crummel refused to disclose to authorities where the boy's remains were located unless the death penalty was taken off the table.
The suicide comes ahead of a ballot measure in November which asks voters to repeal the death penalty in California, home to nearly a quarter of the nation's death row inmates.
The ballot initiative focuses on the high cost of the death penalty in a state that has executed 13 people since capital punishment was reinstated in the nation in 1976. More than 720 inmates sit on death row pending lengthy and expensive appeals.
Crummel joins another 20 inmates who have committed suicide while on California's death row. According to the corrections department, since capital punishment was reinstated in California in 1978, 57 condemned inmates in the state have died from natural causes and six died from other causes.
A federal judge halted all California executions in 2006 after ruling that the three-drug protocol that has been used for lethal injections carried the risk of causing the inmate too much pain and suffering before death.
California has since revised its protocol but an appeals court has blocked resumption of executions over the same objections.
A 1997 profile of Crummel and the detective who helped secure a key conviction against him, was re-published by the Orange County Register on Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES -- James Lee Crummel, a ********* and convicted killer sentenced to die for the 1979 murder of a teenage boy, has hanged himself on California's death row, months before voters in the state are due to decide whether to abolish the death penalty, prison officials said on Tuesday.
The 68-year-old was found hanging in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Sam Robinson said in a written statement.
He was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. local time (8.20 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Robinson said.
Crummel had been housed on death row since he was sentenced to death in 2004 for the 1979 kidnapping, sexual abuse and murder of 13-year-old James Wilfred Trotter.
Trotter was snatched as he walked to meet his school bus in Costa Mesa, California, in April of 1979. His charred remains were found more than a decade later, in 1990, but not confirmed as that of the boy until 1996.
Crummel was also convicted in San Bernardino County, California, for molesting three boys in Big Bear City, and was suspected of abducting and killing 9-year- old Big Bear Lake resident Jack "J.D." Phillips, who disappeared near his home in 1995, the San Bernadino Sun newspaper reported.
It said Jack's remains have never been located, and his father said in June 2004 that Crummel refused to disclose to authorities where the boy's remains were located unless the death penalty was taken off the table.
The suicide comes ahead of a ballot measure in November which asks voters to repeal the death penalty in California, home to nearly a quarter of the nation's death row inmates.
The ballot initiative focuses on the high cost of the death penalty in a state that has executed 13 people since capital punishment was reinstated in the nation in 1976. More than 720 inmates sit on death row pending lengthy and expensive appeals.
Crummel joins another 20 inmates who have committed suicide while on California's death row. According to the corrections department, since capital punishment was reinstated in California in 1978, 57 condemned inmates in the state have died from natural causes and six died from other causes.
A federal judge halted all California executions in 2006 after ruling that the three-drug protocol that has been used for lethal injections carried the risk of causing the inmate too much pain and suffering before death.
California has since revised its protocol but an appeals court has blocked resumption of executions over the same objections.
A 1997 profile of Crummel and the detective who helped secure a key conviction against him, was re-published by the Orange County Register on Wednesday.
By the way, there is not a criminal in prison that is guilty.... just ask them.
I would agree that the death penalty has taken some innocent lives. With that said, it fails to compare to the numbers of innocent people killed by murderers.
Hahaha....You crack me up...I agree....
Heard on the radio this morning, that here in Texas, the AVERAGE stay on death-row, is 11-years.
Rope is SO cheap. $10-$20 down at Home Depot. Heck, I'll even supply it!
Rope is SO cheap. $10-$20 down at Home Depot. Heck, I'll even supply it!
It is very sad for the victems of this person that I don't want to waste another ounce of time thinking about. He isn't/wasn't worth my energy.
Some people on this planet really don't need to be here. They have done nothing in their life but teach us what evil looks like.
Some people on this planet really don't need to be here. They have done nothing in their life but teach us what evil looks like.
I've got to agree with R Glass on this...
I think they should put a length of rope inside each and every death-row cell, and give the inmate the option of self-execution.
Sure would save us tax-payers a ton of money. Some of these guys sit on death-row for decades.
And before you say, "DNA testing has released inmates from death-row"... if an inmate thinks himself innocent, then he/she won't opt to use the self-induced method.
The rope'll just be there as an OPTION for them to choose of not to choose.
I think they should put a length of rope inside each and every death-row cell, and give the inmate the option of self-execution.
Sure would save us tax-payers a ton of money. Some of these guys sit on death-row for decades.
And before you say, "DNA testing has released inmates from death-row"... if an inmate thinks himself innocent, then he/she won't opt to use the self-induced method.
The rope'll just be there as an OPTION for them to choose of not to choose.
Ah, but humans are fallible and make mistakes. There's no giving a man back his life once you've taken it.
Think of how many death row inmates have been released now that dna testing has proven them innocent.
Think of how many death row inmates have been released now that dna testing has proven them innocent.
"I support the Death Penalty (it should never be used unless their no shadow of doubt."
i Agree......
i Agree......
I support the Death Penalty (it should never be used unless their no shadow of doubt. Being mentaly unstable is not an excuse. I don't care for Lethal Injection (I preferr Hanging ,Fireing Sqaud, or Electricity. Their victims didn't havethe luxery of just going to sleep so why should they. I also think it should be done publicly. As far as the noose comment I made, they don't have to use it. It is there for an option incase they want to use it,
The only reason to understand what leads people to turn into monsters is to prevent it from happening again. At least that's the theory.
I won't lose any sleep either.
Considering how many innocent people have been on Death Row, I certainly don't support giving them all a noose.
In fact,it is because innocent people do land up there, I cannot support the death penalty.
I won't lose any sleep either.
Considering how many innocent people have been on Death Row, I certainly don't support giving them all a noose.
In fact,it is because innocent people do land up there, I cannot support the death penalty.
I won't be losing any sleep over him tonight. I think they should put a noose in all of their cells (Death Row) to give them the option. I don't really care what led him to do it.
I have to wonder what turned this man into the monster he became. I guess I still am undecided about nurture vs. nature? I don't know. I do believe he was in a situation where he could never ever live in society anymore...the risk was to great to the innocents. But I don't think I can ever celebrate a death. On the other hand, I breathe a sigh of relief that he will never again have the opportunity to harm another child. It probably has been a cycle in his life, and sometimes I guess there is only one way to break that cycle. It's still sad.
Teko shows compassion to all.
Often people who do these types of heinous crime usually endured similar things themselves while growing up.
It is horribly sad.
Someone this self loathing, with no empathy does indeed deserve our compassion.
It does not forgive the horror he inflicted onto others.
But the only way I think to have a more compassionate world is to practice compassion ourselves.
I think the system is broken. There's more to this story, why he wasn't recognized and stopped before things got so out of hand, is the part of the story not being reported.
Often people who do these types of heinous crime usually endured similar things themselves while growing up.
It is horribly sad.
Someone this self loathing, with no empathy does indeed deserve our compassion.
It does not forgive the horror he inflicted onto others.
But the only way I think to have a more compassionate world is to practice compassion ourselves.
I think the system is broken. There's more to this story, why he wasn't recognized and stopped before things got so out of hand, is the part of the story not being reported.
He burned his victim after kidnapping him...He also molested and killed 3 more boys.....Sorry if I sound Cold hearted but this DOUCHE(Sorry for mispelling earlier) BAG deserves it....That poor boy and his other victims were most likely Terrified and endoured an Horrific end to his life...Screw this dude and other like him. He should've killed him self sooner...IMO
You know, I will probably get beaten up over this one, but when I read this, I just had a deep sadness. Sadness for the children, families of the children, families of this person and yes, even this monster. What it must feel like to think you are this worthless and desperate and hopeless. But then, I think about those victims and their choices. Theirs was made for them. This monster made his own. Its just awful and sad.
How unfortunate it is that this guy went and hung himself before he could waste so much more of the tax payer money. I'm sure he could have conjured up at least 2-3 appeals, keeping him housed, clothed, fed and somewhat cared for for a few more years....
Anyhow, the money California saves on this a$$ hat won't make a squirt of difference to their financial status. Perhaps they ought to issue rope to all death row inmates and put them in isolation for a while....
Anyhow, the money California saves on this a$$ hat won't make a squirt of difference to their financial status. Perhaps they ought to issue rope to all death row inmates and put them in isolation for a while....
What a DOUCE BAG.....Good riddens....That helps the state save money no?!.....Doesn't it cost more money to keep them in jail forever, feeding them, providing them medical coverage, clean clothes, JOBS.....I mean c'mon.....
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