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Ind. woman sentenced to die at 16 to be released [stabbed victim 33 times with butcher knife]
yahoo.com ^ | June 17, 2013

Posted on 06/17/2013 11:54:05 AM PDT by grundle

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana woman put on death row at age 16 for killing an elderly Bible school teacher is scheduled to be released Monday after serving a prison term that was shortened after the state Supreme Court intervened.

Paula Cooper's death sentence at such a young age sparked international protests and a plea for clemency from Pope John Paul II. Now 43 years old, Cooper is being given a second chance at her life.

Cooper was 15 when she and three other teenage girls showed up at Ruth Pelke's house on May 14, 1985, with plans of robbing the 78-year-old Bible school teacher. Pelke let Cooper and two of the teen's companions into her Gary home after they told her they were interested in Bible lessons.

As the fourth teen waited outside as a lookout, Cooper stabbed Pelke 33 times with a butcher knife. Then she and the other girls ransacked the house. The four girls fled with Pelke's car and $10.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; US: Indiana
KEYWORDS: clemency; deathrow; ruling
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To: grundle

i remember when this happened... how disgusting that she is being given another chance...


21 posted on 06/17/2013 12:13:37 PM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
She will be arrested for something within a few months.

Months!? I'll give her a few weeks.
22 posted on 06/17/2013 12:17:00 PM PDT by ForAmerica (Texas Conservative Christian Black Man!)
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To: henkster

“I have little expectation that Paula Cooper will ever be a productive citizen”

That’s right. She’ll get all kinds of welfare and free stuff from the government. Hell, here in NY they give full Section 8 housing, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. to sex offenders when they are released from prison.


23 posted on 06/17/2013 12:17:46 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: FreeLuna

Philology, I spoke to soon. Still was a historian.


24 posted on 06/17/2013 12:17:53 PM PDT by FreeLuna (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress...Too harsh for Obama.)
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
The POTUS can only pardon federal offenses, not state ones.

Tell that to the Americans citizens who've have the Constituteion shoved up their a$$e$. These White House clowns will do whatever they feel like and no one, not even cry-baby Boehner will stop them.

25 posted on 06/17/2013 12:18:08 PM PDT by laweeks
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To: FreeLuna
That book (TMIAHM ~ RAH) should be required reading in every American High School.

Give them a break from the approved topics; slavery and the Holocaust.

26 posted on 06/17/2013 12:19:42 PM PDT by Aevery_Freeman (We say "low-information" but we mean "low-intelligence")
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To: headstamp 2

Almost as bad in Virginia. My local violent sex offender (nontrivial offense) got himself onto disability. He is definitely not disabled.


27 posted on 06/17/2013 12:20:26 PM PDT by palmer (Obama = Carter + affirmative action)
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To: PowderMonkey

One glance and you can tell that old lady was a sweetheart.


28 posted on 06/17/2013 12:23:27 PM PDT by yarddog (There Are Three Things That Remain--Faith, Hope, and Love--and,the Greatest of These is Love..)
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To: palmer

“Almost as bad in Virginia. My local violent sex offender (nontrivial offense) got himself onto disability. He is definitely not disabled.”

Exactly. In the old days, garbage like this used to just “disappear”.


29 posted on 06/17/2013 12:23:55 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: grundle

Oh, well, the old woman would have died soon anyway of natural causes. What difference does it make? /bitter sarcasm


30 posted on 06/17/2013 12:28:22 PM PDT by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away.)
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To: grundle

I remember this case. I believe the victim was praying to God while she was being stabbed to death.

The murderer came in asking to use the phone or get a glass of water and the victim was kind enough to let her in.

The wrong person involved died.


31 posted on 06/17/2013 12:32:38 PM PDT by Cowgirl of Justice
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To: ForAmerica

Probably a few days. The hard criminals get arrested again in as little as a few hours after being released.


32 posted on 06/17/2013 12:32:50 PM PDT by wastedyears (I'm a gamer not because I choose to have no life, but because I choose to have many.)
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To: headstamp 2

“may yet contribute to society”... “Maybe she’ll do some wonderful things”. Even though she has a terrible record, even in prison.
Another crime spree has just been given the green light.


33 posted on 06/17/2013 12:33:04 PM PDT by Kanzan
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To: Kanzan

She ain’t gonna contribute to society. She will have trouble fitting in. Think of how the world has changed since she was incarcerated.

When she went in, no iPods, no rap music, no EBT cards. She’s got a lot of catching up to do.


34 posted on 06/17/2013 12:36:48 PM PDT by henkster (The 0bama regime isn't a train wreck, it's a B 17 raid on the rail yard.)
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To: Aevery_Freeman

I agree completely.


35 posted on 06/17/2013 12:40:32 PM PDT by FreeLuna (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress...Too harsh for Obama.)
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To: Kanzan

“Even though she has a terrible record, even in prison.
Another crime spree has just been given the green light.”

It would be great if we could hold judges and parole boards criminally liable for any of her future misdeeds.

Anyone that can consciously stab someone 33 times needs to be either taken off the count or locked up forever.


36 posted on 06/17/2013 12:40:39 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: FreeLuna

I’ve seen statements that his doctorate was in classical studies.


37 posted on 06/17/2013 12:42:16 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Probably first degree murder.


38 posted on 06/17/2013 12:42:52 PM PDT by sport
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To: henkster

I always find it interesting when family members forgive people who murdered someone else. How can you forgive someone who didn’t murder you? Also, does the person have to apologize to be forgiven?


39 posted on 06/17/2013 12:57:43 PM PDT by Phillyred
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To: PowderMonkey

Thanks.


40 posted on 06/17/2013 12:59:38 PM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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