This morning, the Alabama District Attorneys Association called on Troy King to apologize to Shelby County DA Robby Owens for attacking him w/r/t the LaSamuel Gamble case. They happened to mention Troy’s extreme lack of courtroom experience. They also pointed out a DA’s obligation to seek justice, something Troy isn’t all that concerned about. As you might have expected, Troy immediately and graciously retracted his remarks.
Just kidding. Of course he didn’t. He fired back with his own statement, accusing the Association of trying “to distort and spin this issue from now until eternity”. Troy tends to get a little flowery in his rhetoric.
…This is a shocking, inexcusable violation of his oath of office and a betrayal of those who depend on him for protection and justice. He states that his decision is a matter of conscience so he can lay his head on his pillow at night.
I think he and the district attorneys condoning his behavior should think more about the tear-stained pillows upon which the murder victims’ families lay their heads every night, alone and hurting. The Supreme Court was wrong when it directed that teenage killers be freed from Death Row [once again with the "freed" rhetoric, as if life in an Alabama prison is some kind of cakewalk]. District Attorneys are wrong when they advocate that these adult accomplices also be freed. I have never agreed with any of them…
Now the DA’s Association has issued a second statement. It goes into a bit more detail, but that doesn’t take away from its impact or change its conclusion:
The Attorney General, whatever his motivations in choosing to disparage the good name and character of Robby Owens, should apologize to his learned colleague and learn something from him about making hard decisions and effective public service. If he cannot recognize the error of his needless attack on the District Attorney, perhaps he should consider his fitness for the position he now holds. [emphasis added]
Too bad he won’t.
H/T, Peggy
Where does Bob Riley find these appointees who combine minimal qualifications with gigantic egos?
Yeah, it’s a sad day when our current AG makes Bill Pryor look moderate and brilliant.
As much as I disagreed with him on some social issues, Bill Pryor was at least competent (at least that’s the impression I got but I was out of state at the time).
And I thought Riley was at least competent, too. He sure stepped in it when he appointed this bozo. What in the world was he thinking?
[...] H/T Birmingham Blues [...]
“What in the world was he thinking?”
I bet he’s wondering the same thing right now.
Supposedly Riley called Troy King his biggest mistake. I’m not sure where that rumor came from but I hear it all the time.
Where does Bob Riley find these appointees who combine minimal qualifications with gigantic egos?
The same place he found his appointees for Argo’s leadership, apparently.
I have read and heard alot of strong words and comments
about Troy King.
I have kept my thoughts to myself, but now must speak out.
Troy King would not expect me to defend him but I feel
that he is being treated unfairly.
Therefore, I will say a few words in his defense.
Even a pancake has two sides.
1.Troy King cares about real people. He also loves kittens, puppies and is sensitive others.
2. Troy King has struggled all his life. Worked his way
through school. We need someone who understands how
real people feel can suffer.
3. Troy King does have a youthful look. He appears
younger, and less wrinkled than most of the political players in Montgomery.
If you were to see him on stage you might mistake him
for an Ewan McGregor, Pat Boone, or a young Wayne Newton. You almost expect him to break out in “Danke Schoen”!
I don’t know if he can sing, but it would not suprise me.
We need to include young people in state government.
Let’s give them a boost and encouragement
and a helping hand.
5. Troy King has suffered and endured pain. He saw his small town of Elba flooded and nearly destroyed.
6. Troy King defeated two tough opponents. I watched him
debate John Tyson on APT. Tyson looked corpulent, bloated as if he had been inflated with gas!! Troy looked dapper and well dressed!
7. Troy King looks good on television. I would not be embarrassed to have his on National television representing our area.
Troy King this message is for you if you read this blog,
which I think you do!!
” Hang tough Troy, we are behind you all the way”!!
Signed,
Your Friends
Tom, if you want to write love letters to Troy King, please get your own blog space to do it. And that pancake metaphor got old some time ago.
Kathy:
I am shaking in my Ferrigamos!!!
I’m honestly hoping it’s an attempt at satire, because I was laughing so hard that I was in tears the first time I read it on Danny’s blog. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that John Q. McWhitey himself was behind that comment. It was even funnier the second time around, with the kittens and puppies comment. I’m just waiting for the “He has values” comment.
“I am shaking in my Ferrigamos!!!”
Huh? No need to shake; just go check out WordPress, Blogger, or some other free software. Set up your own blog, and you can slobber all over Troy King to your heart’s content. Maybe you can even get him to guest-post at your place. It’s more rewarding than cutting and pasting the same comment around the local blogosphere.
Kathy:
You dissapoint me. I thought you of all people would be open minded. Do you only want cheerleaders for your personal point of view or do you welcome other viewpoints?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Tom, there is a difference between disagreeing with me on Troy King and writing a paen to the man signed “your friends”. The first would constitute a comment. The second constitutes a blog post.
The problem isn’t just that your comment is very long, it’s also unbelievable. When you start to walk back these screw-ups on behalf of Troy, you need to take baby steps. Your message is about a trillion miles from where public opinion is right now.
And those traits are irrelevant to performance of his job as Attorney General — we need competence first; beauty, youth, etc. are much further down the qualifications list.
Mooncat:
I appreciate your taking the time to comment. I understand what you are saying. A trillion miles is along way. We need to join together on the friendship train.
In the movie “Mars Attacks” Jack Nicholson tries to bring Earth and Mars together. Failure to do so resulted in catastrophe.
I hope I can count on your support.
troy king is the biggest dummy in the world, i would be btter at his job than him! and i didnt even go to law school..
We are seriously debating the quality of a man who believes that acts committed as a juvenile are subject to the death penalty? Troy has real issues if he needs to execute juvenile offenders to show off his manliness. Maybe he has a very small peepee. Or maybe his constant quest to defend “family values” is to hide his meetings in airport restrooms. I’m sure his good looks will be useful there.
I prefer an Attorney General with a conscience.
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! You’re all KILLING me!!! lol!
Albeit, if Tom is serious… Well that pretty much says it all about the type of person who would support Troy King. Loopy as I’ll get at. The “Mars Attacks” reference nearly made me pee my pants!
Dear Tom,
To be clear, I think Troy King should resign or Bob Riley should fire him. So, you really shouldn’t count on my support.
I do respect your right to defend him, but it’s a losing proposition.
To all that don’t think Troy King did the right thing. One question for you. Our case was affected by the supreme courts ridiculous decision and Mark Duke came off of death row leaving Brandon Samra on death row. An injustice was done to us when Mark Duke came off should a second injustice be done and pull Brandon Samra off death row because that is what will happen if Gambles conviction is not overturned. It will affect our case and let me ask you if a 19 year old had decapitated your little 6 year old daughter would you want YOUR attorney asking the judge to pull him off of death row. HECK NO! The victims family went to Troy King. While I will agree yes we are emotional when it is your loved one that has been killed, we should NOT have to go through another trial or sentencing. A jury of 12 peers convicted Brandon Samra so will he be the next to be overturned by Robbie OWENS? I like Robbie Owens, and respect him he did us a great job but he is WRONG on this one. Our little girls got the death penalty who will defend them? Think of how you would feel if this was your family and the attorney that is suppose to defend you.
TROY KING DID THE RIGHT THING ON THIS ONE. He would have to take the case and defend it to overturn the life without parole, so while yes the AG office takes all death penalty cases HOW in the HECK did Robbie Owens get it overturned? UNBELIEVABLE. If it isn’t fair in this case I’m sure our case is next. Just my 2 cents.
I can tell you exactly how I’d feel, as I have been in as situation such as that. I’d feel like the last thing on earth that I’d want to do is kill someone in my loved one’s name. I don’t think that my loved one would have wanted that. And I don’t believe it would do anyone any good. It wouldn’t bring my loved one back, that’s for sure. I want justice– not revenge. Being imprisoned for life isn’t the party that people make it out to be. I doubt you’re on a waiting list.
The thing is… The perp in this particular case wasn’t 19 years old. He was younger than 18. The man who is still sitting on death row never pulled the trigger. How is it fair that he still be sentenced to death while the perp is not? How is that justice?
I understand that losing someone creates a need for SOMETHING. I know. I’ve been there. Someone very close to me was beaten outside his home with baseball bats in front of his wife and kids. He died slowly and painfully while watching his brain leak onto his front lawn. There’s nothing specific you want, and you don’t know what it is. You just want something to make that big old hole go away. In the end, you start believing you want “justice,” but when you think of it, it’s really only revenge you want. Then, when you get what you want, you realize that nothing has really changed after all. That feeling doesn’t go away.
Then I turn to my religion, and I wonder what my God would have me do. My God says that vengeance is His, and I know why. It’s because He’s protecting my own soul, which would be horribly changed forever if I decided to pursue it on my own. His instructions for me are to love and forgive and to reap souls for His Kingdom. Vengeance accomplishes none of that. As a matter of fact, I could be responsible for sending a soul to hell when I could have prevented it. I don’t want that on my conscience, and I REALLY don’t want to have to explain that to my Creator.
Troy King merely pandered to a group of people who are bloodthirsty with grief or bloodthirsty with self-righteousness. That’s all. There is nothing comforting or moral about putting a child to death– regardless as to what that child has done. Take it from someone who knows.
AL Mod,
AMEN and AMEN! I am truly sorry for the victims’ families. But I concur with your view. In fact my wife has my explicit instructions that if I were to be a victim of a capital crime, she is to communicate my express opposition to capital punishment. In my faith, only my Creator should have the right to choose who lives and dies. Certainly not a political prostitute like King.
Gamble was convicted of murdering 3 Alabama citizens.
Gamble was an adult when all three of these citizens of Alabama were murdered.
A Shelby County jury voted to give him the death penalty.
A Shelby County judge sentenced him to death 10 years ago.
The death penalty is a legal punishment in Alabama. No matter how much the liberals who publish and visit this website hate it, it is still the law.
Maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to pass judgment on these victims until your Father/Mother/Child is brutally murdered by a vicious predator like Gamble.
Attorney General King is defending the laws of this State and defending the rights of victims. He should be commended.
Daniel, since you are so fond of the law, why don’t we discuss the law for a minute or two.
For many years, it was THE LAW that slavery was okay. Was it okay?
For many years, it was THE LAW that segregation was okay. Was it okay?
For many years, it was THE LAW that only white men who owned property could vote and that many others, including women and people of color, could not vote. Was it okay?
My point? Just because something is LEGAL doesn’t mean that it’s RIGHT. If you need further proof, just take a quick look at some of the stupid laws that still exist in this country. There are websites everywhere.
The truth is that over the years, many people who are innocent (not just “not guilty”) have been executed in this country, whether by law or by lynch mob, and were later shown to be innocent. At the time they died, each one of the people calling for their death was just as self-righteous as you sound right now. So if they partook in taking an innocent life, what does that make them? If you call for the death of another human being, regardless of your reasoning, and thus contribute to his death whether or not you are the official executioner, what does that make you? Judges and juries are not unbiased and free of outside influence, no matter how much you want to believe that. And as such, it makes them fallible. Do you really want any human life placed in the care of a fallible system?
Let’s say your child was killed by her sibling. What would be your judgment then? Would you still seek the death penalty? Would your perception of “justice” still be the same?
I don’t know what my perspective would be in the situation you described. I do know that it would not be up to me to decide, it would be up to a Judge and a Jury. In Gamble’s case a jury of 12 Shelby county citizens sat through the trial heard all of the evidence examined Mr. Gamble’s defenses and weighed the circumstances of his 3 murders against all the mitigators. After all the evidence was in, they recommended that Gamble should pay for his crimes with his life. With all due respect, I have more faith in their judgment than yours.
In Alabama, a jury doesn’t have to recommend death. I don’t know if they did in this case or not. I don’t even know if they were asked their opinion.
Not to mention… a jury is essentially made up of human beings. Fallible, imperfect human beings. I don’t trust a life or death decision to such a flawed system– particularly if they’d recommend that someone deserves to die if he never even fired a shot. Would you presume that they knew that person’s very intentions?
Which is why death row cases are appealed automatically. Not only must you have one jury and one judge recommend death– you must have SEVERAL of them do so. Apparently, the second jury/judge did not feel the same as the first. So do you now not trust their judgment?
I’ve been thinking on the quaint little phrase “jury of your peers” and think it laughable in these situations. Under what circumstances do you think that 12 citizens would look at a man in shackles and prison jumpsuit who is accused of a heinous crime and think of him as their “peer”? I can guarantee that at least 9/12 of those minds are made up before the evidence is ever shown.
Almod: I know in our death row cases the defendents not allowed to be shackled, or in a jump suit in front of the jury for this very reason. It does change the peoples way of thinking. Both of our defendents wore suits or regular street clothing and were not handcuffed until they went ot the back or the jury left. I believe that this is the same all over Alabama but I know they were in regular clothing WITHOUT handcuffs in Shelby County in 1997.
I’ve never attended a Shelby County trial, but I’m not completely sure that those standards apply for the entire state or even for Shelby County. I could be mistaken, but it would be extremely helpful if you could provide the law stating such.
Either way… You’re saying that, as long as shackles and prison jumpsuits aren’t involved, you could look at a convicted or accused killer and call him your equal? Your peer?
Almod: Again I am not sure if this applies all over the state. I’m not an attorney I am just speaking in regards to what I witnessed with our specific case, maybe an attorney who visits here can give you the specific law stating this.
But yes I am saying in my opinion I think the Shackles, handcuffs, and prison attire do make a difference verses just an american joe in a suit in tie. Well they are innocent until proven guilty so if I were sitting on a jury I wouldn’t be there if I could not take a fair look at the evidence against the accused. so Yes, i could look at someone accused and think of them as my equal UNLESS they were convicted and proven guilty then NO I would not look at them as my equal.
Just My 2 cents.