Texas set to execute man in race-motivated dragging death

**Big Pimpin** · 09-21-2011, 09:41 AM

(Reuters) - Texas is set to execute on Wednesday a white supremacist convicted of helping to kill a black man by dragging him behind a truck, in what some call the most notorious race crime of the post-Civil Rights era.

Lawrence Russell Brewer, 44, was convicted of capital murder along with two other men in the kidnapping and slaying of James Byrd Jr. in 1998.

Brewer, together with John King and Shawn Berry, offered Byrd Jr. a ride home, attacked him on a country road, chained his ankles to the back of Berry's pickup, and then dragged him behind the truck for several miles in the vicinity of Jasper, Texas, according to a report by the Texas Attorney General's Office.

The east Texas killing touched off a national movement to strengthen punishments for crimes motivated by hate.

Brewer is set to die by lethal injection after 6 p.m. local time Wednesday in Huntsville, Texas.

He would be the 11th person executed in Texas this year. In Georgia, Troy Davis is also scheduled to be executed. If both executions go ahead, they would be the 34th and 35th in the country in 2011.

King, another white supremacist who was friends with Brewer in prison, is on death row awaiting an execution date. Berry is serving a life sentence.
The victim's only son, Ross Byrd, said late Tuesday that he wishes the state would show the mercy toward the condemned man that the killers never showed Byrd Jr., who died while his son was in military training.

"Life in prison would have been fine," Ross Byrd, 32, told Reuters. "I know he can't hurt my daddy anymore. I wish the state would take in mind that this isn't what we want."

While Brewer blamed Berry for the killing, prosecutors said it happened because King and Brewer wanted to start a white supremacist group in Jasper, according to the AG's report.

Byrd Jr.'s three children and wife have argued against use of the death penalty against his killers, but other members of his family have said they thought it was the right sentence.

Texas state Senator Rodney Ellis, a Houston Democrat who helped pass the state's James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act in 2001, said the death sentence in Brewer's case "will close a chapter in this tragic story."

"I cannot say for certain that it is a requirement in order for justice to be served," Ellis told Reuters, "but as Mr. Brewer was a ringleader in the most brutal hate crime in the post-Civil Rights era, it is certainly a very appropriate sentence."

Texas has the country's most active death row, executing more than four times as many people as any other state since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

**.V.** · 09-21-2011, 10:01 AM

I don't care about the motive. Murder is murder... execute all murderers, rapists, and child molesters after the first conviction. I like Texas' fast track death penalty. No rehab, no parole, no psychobabble...I mean therapy just get rid of them. Be it forcible rape of a child...or if it's just two teens and the guy didn't take no for an answer when she decided that kissing was all she was gonna do... fry his ass too.

**IronAddict** · 09-21-2011, 10:30 AM

Barely!? I remember when this happened, they pulled that guy's head off.
I agree, gruesome crimes like this need to be dealt with quickly and harshly.

Atleast they're gonna kill that guy in primetime, now they just need to televise that shit!

**LightBearer** · 09-21-2011, 12:33 PM

i think its ridiculous to execute this guy, he should suffer the rest of his life in jail.
he deserves much worse than a lethal injection or whatever they use over there

**KelJu** · 09-21-2011, 01:15 PM

Well he shouldn't leech off of taxpayers for the rest of his life. As soon as the trial ends, carry him outside and kill him firing squad style to make it quick and cheap.

**Big Pimpin** · 09-21-2011, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by KelJu

Well he shouldn't leech off of taxpayers for the rest of his life. As soon as the trial ends, carry him outside and kill him firing squad style to make it quick and cheap.

Exactly.

Those dune coons know how to handle a trial and execution in a timely and proficient manner.

**Cgrant** · 09-21-2011, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by KelJu

Well he shouldn't leech off of taxpayers for the rest of his life. As soon as the trial ends, carry him outside and kill him firing squad style to make it quick and cheap.

Yeah. I'm with you. Fuck it. Do that shit on the courthouse steps.

**Gissurjon** · 09-21-2011, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by KelJu

Well he shouldn't leech off of taxpayers for the rest of his life. As soon as the trial ends, carry him outside and kill him firing squad style to make it quick and cheap.

You are assuming the trial courts never convict innocent people...

**KelJu** · 09-21-2011, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Gissurjon

You are assuming the trial courts never convict innocent people...

I am assuming nothing. Our justice system is pathetic when it comes to accurately judging guilt. However, 1 in a 100 cases, and I am just making that number up as a guess or an example, comes along where it is almost unquestionable of the person's guilt. There should be a new sentence called death squad. for the cases where some guy kills a another guy trying to rob him, life in prison.

But for the Iceman Killers, Charles Mansons, serial rapist, child molesters, ect...they get the death squad sentence. Now, the prosecution might have to go the extra mile to to get that sentence. Instead of just convincing the jury, they have to convince the judge as well that the person is guilty as sin, but if they do, death squad out behind the Courthouse is carried out.

**bmw** · 09-21-2011, 02:35 PM

and all over a stolen bike...

**Big Pimpin** · 09-21-2011, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by bmw

and all over a stolen bike...

**.V.** · 09-21-2011, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by bmw

and all over a stolen bike...

I officially retract part of my original statement. IF I EVER FIND THE FUCKER THAT STOLE MY TRIATHLON RACING BIKE...he gonna die too...slowly, painfully, and in tiny pieces...toes first in a woodchipper.

**Gissurjon** · 09-21-2011, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by KelJu

I am assuming nothing. Our justice system is pathetic when it comes to accurately judging guilt. However, 1 in a 100 cases, and I am just making that number up as a guess or an example, comes along where it is almost unquestionable of the person's guilt. There should be a new sentence called death squad. for the cases where some guy kills a another guy trying to rob him, life in prison.

But for the Iceman Killers, Charles Mansons, serial rapist, child molesters, ect...they get the death squad sentence. Now, the prosecution might have to go the extra mile to to get that sentence. Instead of just convincing the jury, they have to convince the judge as well that the person is guilty as sin, but if they do, death squad out behind the Courthouse is carried out.

Now, as you explain it, it makes more sense. Original statement would make one think you wanted everybody that received a death sentence to be taken out back and shot.

Convincing the judge isn't exactly the "extra mile"

**dogsoldier** · 09-21-2011, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Gissurjon

You are assuming the trial courts never convict innocent people...

Well, in many cases DNA has put an end to that augment.

I never bought into the sophomoric thinking of "Better to let 100 guilty go free than convict one innocent man".

**withoutrulers** · 09-21-2011, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by dogsoldier

Well, in many cases DNA has put an end to that augment.

I never bought into the sophomoric thinking of "Better to let 100 guilty go free than convict one innocent man".

If you don't let 100 guilty go free to spare 1 innocent man, you then propagate state power at the expense of the people, then everyone is punished via tyranny. The purpose of sparing the one innocent man is to work from the assumption that one day it may be you.

F.y.i. I'd let 1,000,000 guilty go free to spare one innocent.

**azza1971** · 09-22-2011, 12:41 AM

Death is to easy, this wasnt murder it was cold blooded torture and more hate related than color related, guy should have a bottle shoved up his ass and then jumped on, then he can shit himself to tears……….bit harsh, but…….

**Big Pimpin** · 09-22-2011, 04:56 AM

Originally Posted by withoutrulers

If you don't let 100 guilty go free to spare 1 innocent man, you then propagate state power at the expense of the people, then everyone is punished via tyranny. The purpose of sparing the one innocent man is to work from the assumption that one day it may be you.

F.y.i. I'd let 1,000,000 guilty go free to spare one innocent.

Life isn't fair.

**ExLe** · 09-22-2011, 11:20 AM

Dude ate biggest last meal ever, 3,500 calories

read all the shit he ate

Lawrence Russell Brewer execution: White supremacist gets death penalty for 1998 killing | Mail Online

**yeksetm** · 09-22-2011, 01:06 PM

Obviousley he's having his final bulking meal before he starts his cutting phase (permanent)

**IronAddict** · 09-22-2011, 02:46 PM

And he got the last laugh, 3500 leaves a pretty large log in your pants after you exhaled your last breath.

**KelJu** · 09-22-2011, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by IronAddict

And he got the last laugh, 3500 leaves a pretty large log in your pants after you exhaled your last breath.

Haha, I was thinking the same thing. I was reminded of the Southpark episode where everyone that died shit their pants.

**IronAddict** · 09-22-2011, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by KelJu

Haha, I was thinking the same thing. I was reminded of the Southpark episode where everyone that died shit their pants.

Great minds think alike Kelju.

**ExLe** · 09-22-2011, 04:25 PM

Man vs. Food death row edition

**KelJu** · 09-22-2011, 11:36 PM

Heard on the news today that a senator from a state I can't remember now wants to stop giving deathrow inmates their last meal because the guy apparently ordered all of that shit and didn't eat any of it.

**bmw** · 09-23-2011, 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by .V.

I officially retract part of my original statement. IF I EVER FIND THE FUCKER THAT STOLE MY TRIATHLON RACING BIKE...he gonna die too...slowly, painfully, and in tiny pieces...toes first in a woodchipper.

this guy might have it...

**oufinny** · 09-23-2011, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by LightBearer

i think its ridiculous to execute this guy, he should suffer the rest of his life in jail.
he deserves much worse than a lethal injection or whatever they use over there

Yeah and all of us in TX have to pay for that privilege; fuck that. Deathrow should be that, you are there for a max of 3 years so all appeals (1) can be dealt with swiftly then you die. If you made it there, chances are you don't need to be amongst the living for any longer. These pussy mofos who are all not into the death penalty seriously have no grasp of reality. You want to keep them alive, why don't all of you pool your money together and pay for it. While your at it, let's put people behind bars for selling weed too, that sounds like a great idea America.

**cg89** · 09-23-2011, 03:20 PM

Your dumb if you murder someone in Texas, Alabama, Arizona etc...if your going to murder someone do it in California where death row is so long you will never get executed.

**btex34n88** · 09-24-2011, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by LightBearer

i think its ridiculous to execute this guy, he should suffer the rest of his life in jail.
he deserves much worse than a lethal injection or whatever they use over there

I would prefer to see a guy sit in jail and suffer because its worse on them, but it costs the tax payer too much money and if i was a family member of the victim i'd prefer to kill the guy myself. I think they should let the family members tie him to a chair and take care of him

**cg89** · 09-24-2011, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by btex34n88

I would prefer to see a guy sit in jail and suffer because its worse on them, but it costs the tax payer too much money and if i was a family member of the victim i'd prefer to kill the guy myself. I think they should let the family members tie him to a chair and take care of him

right?

**Calves of Steel** · 09-24-2011, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by ExLe

Man vs. Food death row edition

Thread: Texas set to execute man in race-motivated dragging death

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