NEWS: US Bomber Gets Life Sentence

38 year old Eric Rudolph was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, for several bombings that occurred in the United States. He was not given the death penalty, resulting from a Federal plea bargin.



I believe that justice was effectively served, and Mr. Rudolph got what was coming to him. There are right ways to change something, and wrong ways. Killing people is definatley not the proper way to take care of something. I guess the old saying holds true, "don't do the crime, if you can't do the time".

I don't really understand how him admiting to killing more people, would get him out of the death penalty. That's like saying, "we were going to kill you, but since you admit to killing more people, we'll spare your life".

[edit on 18-7-2005 by JBurns]

I don't really understand how him admiting to killing more people, would get him out of the death penalty. That's like saying, "we were going to kill you, but since you admit to killing more people, we'll spare your life".

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that is what he was convicted for....The article states he was convicted for an abortion clinic bombing in Alabama....

However - The fact that he pled guilty to the other bombings means he may be convicted of those counts in separate court cases....

Your right there, he wasn't convicted, however, the plea bargin deal was that he would admit to being guilty for the other bombings, and they wouldn't give him the death sentence for this one.

Jack

If you read the Reuters article, Rudolph will NOT face trial again.

As part of the deal, Rudolph confessed to the 1996 bombing of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta and subsequent blasts at an abortion clinic and gay bar in and around the Georgia capital.
He will be sentenced to two additional terms of life in prison without parole on Aug. 22 for the three Atlanta bombings...

Domestic Terrorism is just as bad as any other kind. I suppose the Prosecution thought there is a reason for a plea bargain in this case, but I can't understand any reason for it.

rawiea: That was my problem too, I can't seem to find any reason why they would want to spare his life. He is a terrorist, who commited an act of terror on the United States.

I wonder if they'll hold any more trials relating to the other bombings?

[edit on 18-7-2005 by JBurns]

Edit: Ah, nevermind, found the "edit" button.

[edit on 18-7-2005 by JBurns]

Could you imagine what a martyr a pro-life'er being executed would create? He would be more damaging to society dead than he would be alive.

Regardless of what I think about the death penalty and abortion I think this is a good sentence. Well thought out, judicious and in the American publics best interests.

I think subz just explained it right there .

Could you imagine what a martyr a pro-life'er being executed would create? He would be more damaging to society dead than he would be alive.

If Rudolph was executed, he would be martyr to very few. You make it sound like everyone who opposes abortion condones terrorism, subz. This is the furthest thing from the truth.

The real reason the prosecution agreed to a deal was to save money. Unfortunately, keeping him on ice for the rest of his life will be cheaper than trying him for four bombings.

Too bad they did not go after the other criminals in this case. No not the hate spewing 'right to life" groups that practicaly preech violence against clinics (Used to be a clinic escort at PP) but the "God Fearing Folk" that helped this deluded murderer out while on the run?

I think the state should renege on their agreement and put this guy to death.

Did you see the photo of that guy strutting out of court? Talk about arrogant and self-righteous. And i am sure he conciders himself a good christian. Asshole!!!

Yet another canned response: This is the News Forum, decorum folks.

Originally posted by grover
Did you see the photo of that guy strutting out of court? Talk about arrogant and self-righteous. And i am sure he conciders himself a good christian. Asshole!!!

It really angers me when I see people characterize Christians in this way, not because I am a Christian, but because this kind of attribution always comes from the left. You know, that group who is always lecturing us about stereotyping, tolerance, understanding, and denying ignorance, ad nauseum.

Let us see what Eric Rudolph has to say about himself. It is my observation that he has a hell of a lot more in common with ATS members than you realize:

Perhaps I should have found a peaceful outlet for my opposition to the government in Washington: maybe I should have been a lawyer and fought (for) decency in the face of this rotten system; perhaps I could have taken up teaching and sought to inculcate a healthy outlook in a decidedly unhealthy society," he writes. "But I didn't do any of these things, and I resorted to force to have my voice heard. However wrongheaded my tactical decision to resort to violence may have been, morally speaking my actions were justified.

USAToday

Let us see just what Rudolph thinks of Christians and Christianity:

Many good people continue to send me money and books," Rudolph writes in an undated letter. "Most of them have, of course, an agenda; mostly born-again Christians looking to save my soul. I suppose the assumption is made that because I'm in here I must be a 'sinner' in need of salvation, and they would be glad to sell me a ticket to heaven, hawking this salvation like peanuts at a ballgame. I do appreciate their charity, but I could really do without the condescension. They have been so nice I would hate to break it to them that I really prefer Nietzsche to the Bible.

USAToday

[edit on 2005/7/19 by GradyPhilpott]

I was not characterizing christians. Nor was it a canned response. It is well known that he belonged to a radical pentacostal church whose preacher urged violence against abortion clinics. I was characterizing an smug attitude of scantimonious self righteousness that is rampant in certian fundamentalist circles and one not limited to christians either...it is the good old fashioned I've got God on my side attitude...we see it in anti abortion preachers, right wing rabbi's of west bank settlements and anti American mullahs among others and regardless....he is still an asshole.

I actually can feel some sympathy for the abortion fighter. While Bush and the US responded to over 3000 people suddenly meeting their maker in a single day by going to war and fighting terrorists, this guy has responded to millions of innocent unborn people getting murdered by going to war against those who were doing it. If you think of the unborn as people minus a few weeks or a few hours in some cases, you have millions dead as if the US had been attacked in a nuclear war. Except when it comes to abortion, the death count is kept quiet and spread out over decades. Who is more moral can become tricky if you really start to think about it. Even now, many want someone to kill this guy. I don't believe as a species we are really as moral as some would like to believe.