I'll Bet They All Take The Valium

Constant Readers,

As many of you know, I have done a few video posts in the past but haven't done one in a while (mostly because the production quality is so crappy on my little iMovie program).  Well, I have been toying with new ways to do the videos and filmed the one here back in late January.

When I read about the Baze v. Rees case before the Supreme Court, I thought it might be an interesting (albeit unfunny) topic for a video. Plus, it provided a perfectly good excuse to drink bourbon (you'll see what I mean) which I totally did whilst filming. And because the Supreme Court takes a bajillion years to issue a ruling, I knew there'd be enough time to find a better editing method. And by "editing method", I mean "Angel/production guru named Hage van Dijk" who did all the work for me. 

In case you are wondering, the Petitioners in this case are Ralph Baze and Thomas Bowling. This is how the State of Kentucky described the men's crimes in its Response to the Petitioner:

On January 30, 1992, petitioner Ralph Baze ambushed and murdered Sheriff Steve Bennett and Deputy Sheriff Arthur Briscoe of Powell County, Kentucky, when the officers attempted to serve several Ohio felony warrants on Baze. Baze shot Sheriff Bennett three times in the back with an SKS semi-automatic assault rifle, killing him.  Deputy Briscoe returned fire with a pistol until the ran out of ammunition. Briscoe was attempting to run for cover when Baze shot him twice in the back with the assault rifle. As Deputy Briscoe lay face down and bleeding, Baze punched him with the muzzle of the rifle, then executed him with a shot to the back of the head from point-blank range.

On April 9, 1990, petitioner Thomas Bowling shot and killed Eddie and Tina Earley, and wounded the Earley's two-year-old son, as the victims sat inside their automobile in the parking lot of a dry cleaning business in Lexington, Kentucky.  Bowling's automobile had crashed into the driver's side of the Earley's vehicle. After the impact, Bowling got out of his automobile, shot the victims, then returned to his vehicle and fled from the scene.

So, not exactly sympathetic characters.

Still, I am against the death penalty, in case you are wondering, though this is not the right post for that debate. From a legal analysis standpoint, because the Eighth Amendment doesn't guarantee the "most painless" punishment, just not "cruel and unusual" punishment, I don't think the Baze case has traction. Also, establishing that "cruel and unusual punishment" is defined as the "least painful" method of execution can mean that this issue will have to be re-litigated whenever a new, less painful alternative is found. 

Though, if we use an overdose of Sodium Pentathol (or other barbituates) to put down animals because it is painless and effective, I think the states should choose to extend at least that much to human beings.

• On the moratorium
• On death penalty methods in the states
• Petitioner's Brief
• Respondent's Brief

I could have done an hour-long video on this case, but didn't want to bore my beloved Constant Readers. If you have questions about this case, email me or leave them in the comments section, and I'll try to answer them.   

Love to Dan the Camera Man and Hage the Producer. And a big Thank You to the fine folks at Citizen Cake for letting me and Dan drink and film at their bar.

--Melissa

PS - Yesterday my friend Andre compared my site to SCOTUSblog and here I am with some Supreme Court action for y'all. We did not coordinate. Well, maybe spiritually. 

Comments

[DJTennessee]

That's funny that you address us "Constant Readers" even when we are watching rather than reading you.

[Sweet Melissa]

First, let me state that I a huge fan of yours, DJTennessee. I always enjoy your comments on my blog and SFist.

Second, I consider "Constant Readers" to be more of a team name than a literal construct. I like to think of you all as group of people that I can hug!

[Be_Devine]

Only SweetMelissa could make the death penalty sexy.

You totally need to be a commentator on the TeeVee. While Greta VanSustrand and Nancy Grace are in Aruba looking for Natalee Holloway, this is Melissa's chance to bring some intelligence to the airwaves.

See ya at the Nerd Convention.

[Bethy]

Everyone is ripping of my coining of Nerd Convention. You bitches are lucky I'm going.

Oh, and that video? HOT!

[Be_Devine]

Bethy, what's that saying? Imitation is the purest form of flatulence?

[Daniel Gerber]

Hey, that came out really good! Now we just need a boom operator.