The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Johnny Bravo on August 30, 2009, 09:58:30 AM
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PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Florida grand jury indicted seven men Tuesday in the robbery and killings of a couple known for adopting special needs children, and a lawyer for the family acknowledged that a safe in the couple's home contained $164,000.
Byrd and Melanie Billings were shot to death July 9. Surveillance cameras captured men dressed as ninjas and wearing black masks entering the couple's sprawling house, stealing a safe and leaving in less than four minutes.
Family attorney Robert Beasley said in a statement that a second safe was not stolen and contained the money, but no drugs, guns or other items to suggest illegal activity. It's not known if the suspects were looking for the second safe, Beasley said. The one they left with had little in financial value.
"Contrary to rumors of as much as $12 million in the home the night of the murders, the second safe contained $164,000 in cash, some antique jewelry and assorted legal documents," the lawyer's statement said.
The money was a cash reserve for the family's financing business, Beasley said. The family ran Worldco Financial Services next to a used car lot they operated. Authorities have removed the money as possible evidence, he said
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PENSACOLA, Fla. — A Florida grand jury indicted seven men Tuesday in the robbery and killings of a couple known for adopting special needs children, and a lawyer for the family acknowledged that a safe in the couple's home contained $164,000.
Byrd and Melanie Billings were shot to death July 9. Surveillance cameras captured men dressed as ninjas and wearing black masks entering the couple's sprawling house, stealing a safe and leaving in less than four minutes.
Family attorney Robert Beasley said in a statement that a second safe was not stolen and contained the money, but no drugs, guns or other items to suggest illegal activity. It's not known if the suspects were looking for the second safe, Beasley said. The one they left with had little in financial value.
"Contrary to rumors of as much as $12 million in the home the night of the murders, the second safe contained $164,000 in cash, some antique jewelry and assorted legal documents," the lawyer's statement said.
The money was a cash reserve for the family's financing business, Beasley said. The family ran Worldco Financial Services next to a used car lot they operated. Authorities have removed the money as possible evidence, he said
OK leaving aside the LEOs keeping the money as "possible" evidence (WTF?), this case is awful. I am generally opposed to the death penalty as a punishment, as it smack of vengange (vengance is mine saith the Lord and all that). I do, however support it when it can serve as a deterrant. In this case it was a cold blooded premeditated act where the people commiting it had to know enough about the family they were harming to realize what good folks they were. In this case, I would be in favor of the needle.
FQ13
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dressed as ninjas?
what is that supposed to mean?
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dressed as ninjas?
what is that supposed to mean?
Criminals ain't usually the brightest bulbs in the pack. Although the planners here were on the ball - if not for a failed disabling of the security system they probably would not have been caught.
I think the comment meant that at least some of them were dressed in all-black - for a daylight attack! I've only seen a couple of stills from the security camera and none of the ones I saw were dressed that way, though.
Good point, thought, the reporter is assuming things - rather typical these days, lazy and sloppy.
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A dirty, rotten, filthy crime. The senseless taking of lives is a crime without excuse. I hope that the DA's case is rock solid and that the perps go down hard. >:(
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(http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac157/johnnybravo7/smileys/smiley_emoticons_hangman.gif)
Enough said.
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OK leaving aside the LEOs keeping the money as "possible" evidence (WTF?), this case is awful. I am generally opposed to the death penalty as a punishment, as it smack of vengange (vengance is mine saith the Lord and all that). I do, however support it when it can serve as a deterrant. In this case it was a cold blooded premeditated act where the people commiting it had to know enough about the family they were harming to realize what good folks they were. In this case, I would be in favor of the needle.
FQ13
You must admit, it does tend to cut down on repeat offenders. ;D
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OK leaving aside the LEOs keeping the money as "possible" evidence (WTF?), this case is awful. I am generally opposed to the death penalty as a punishment, as it smack of vengange (vengance is mine saith the Lord and all that). I do, however support it when it can serve as a deterrant. In this case it was a cold blooded premeditated act where the people commiting it had to know enough about the family they were harming to realize what good folks they were. In this case, I would be in favor of the needle.
FQ13
Funny how the death penalty was used for thousands of years then you "sensitive types" decided you had a "better idea" and crime sky rockets.
Henry Ford you ain't.
What you touchy feely types can't get through your thick over educated under learned heads is that it has nothing to do with "Vengeance", "punishment" or rehabilitation. It is strictly about removing permanently from society an individual who refuses to abide by the rules that govern ALL societies, You don't Rape, murder, or rob, if you get caught, you die. simple.
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Funny how the death penalty was used for thousands of years then you "sensitive types" decided you had a "better idea" and crime sky rockets.
Henry Ford you ain't.
What you touchy feely types can't get through your thick over educated under learned heads is that it has nothing to do with "Vengeance", "punishment" or rehabilitation. It is strictly about removing permanently from society an individual who refuses to abide by the rules that govern ALL societies, You don't Rape, murder, or rob, if you get caught, you die. simple.
On this issue, it comes down to religion for me. The death penalty is like divorce, the Bible gives us permission to do both under certain circumstances, but its not pleasing to God. Back in the day, in a largely substistence society life in prison with no parole wasn't an option. Now it is. We should pursue that option if we can. If its not an option, than the death penalty should be employed. If death (as in the case of terrorism or well planned out crimes) will deter, than again, fine. Otherwise you don't kill if there is an alternative. Its not about what kind of person the criminal is, its about what kind of person you are, when he's at your mercy. I think we're just going to disagree on this one in most, but not all cases.
FQ13
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It costs $68000 per year to keep a prisoner, with the possibility of him escaping and reoffending, versus $0.50 to put a bullet through his head eliminating all threat to society.
Takes a sick individual to think that it is "more humane" to lock up another human in a cage like a dog at the pound, don't you ever spout your hypocrisy about how SLAVERY is evil.
If your that sick you should seek help.
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Coincidentaly, I just looked up the registry and found that I have a level 3 sex offender living about 2000 ft from my front door.
He's been convicted six times in the last thirty years! These are the folks that need that four bit (.50 cent) labotomy Tom spoke of, instead of liberal asshole judges letting these guys out of prison. This sort of thing really pisses me off!
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It costs $68000 per year to keep a prisoner, with the possibility of him escaping and reoffending, versus $0.50 to put a bullet through his head eliminating all threat to society.
Takes a sick individual to think that it is "more humane" to lock up another human in a cage like a dog at the pound, don't you ever spout your hypocrisy about how SLAVERY is evil.
If your that sick you should seek help.
Sorry Tom, but I'm wearing a glock as I type this. I am not opposed to killing, just UNECESSARY killing. If you have the choice, don't. Your mileage may vary.
FQ13
PS, I thought onrecess was our resident "Dr. Phil" ;D
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Sorry Tom, but I'm wearing a glock as I type this. I am not opposed to killing, just UNECESSARY killing. If you have the choice, don't. Your mileage may vary.
FQ13
PS, I thought onrecess was our resident "Dr. Phil" ;D
Would you kill a rabid dog running around or just let it suffer ? How can you with ANY claim to being a Christian, consider it more humane to cage a "rabid" human ?
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There are 17 registered sex offenders in my zip code and I live in a "good" neighborhood.
>:(
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Would you kill a rabid dog running around or just let it suffer ? How can you with ANY claim to being a Christian, consider it more humane to cage a "rabid" human ?
Thats a fair question, but a life sentence gives the the chance to repent. If they choose to off themselves they know how, I don't feel compelled to do it for them. Besides, its not like the death penalty is exactly quick either. 10 years, 15 years on death row? Hell, half those guys will die of old age before they get the needle.
FQ13
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Thats a fair question, but a life sentence gives the the chance to repent. If they choose to off themselves they know how, I don't feel compelled to do it for them. Besides, its not like the death penalty is exactly quick either. 10 years, 15 years on death row? Hell, half those guys will die of old age before they get the needle.
FQ13
Death penalty reform is another rant entirely.
Studies consistently show that sex offenders do NOT repent. Let me rephrase that.....they may repent. They may actually be sorry they committed their crimes, but the urges that drove them to their crimes do NOT go away. Period, the end. That being the case, would you prefer we castrate them?
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Death penalty reform is another rant entirely.
Studies consistently show that sex offenders do NOT repent. Let me rephrase that.....they may repent. They may actually be sorry they committed their crimes, but the urges that drove them to their crimes do NOT go away. Period, the end. That being the case, would you prefer we castrate them?
With a sledge hammer.
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Back in the day, in a largely subsistence society life in prison with no parole wasn't an option. Now it is. We should pursue that option if we can. If its not an option, than the death penalty should be employed.
Society can not be guaranteed that someone who is a serious danger will truly be locked up for any life sentence. We just saw the Lockerbee bomber freed and Squeaky Fromme was freed from her "life" sentence in this Country. There are truly dangerous and even evil people out there and they should be executed. This is not to be vengeful, but careful. Some day I won't be around to protect my daughters anymore. Hopefully, they'll marry good men who will perform that duty, but if they don't, I want to be assured that the government will remove identified evil from circulation permanently.
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Amen Fuzz +1