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Mercy For Killer Who Says He Didn’t Mean To?
The Christian Diarist ^ | April 3, 2013 | JP

Posted on 04/03/2013 10:17:28 AM PDT by CHRISTIAN DIARIST

Autumn Carter, a Mansfield, Ohio girl, was raped and killed in 1998. She was six-months old (that’s right).

Her convicted killer, Steven Smith, has a May 1 date with the executioner. Yesterday, he appeared before the Ohio Parole Board, where he pleaded for mercy.

Smith, 31 years old at the time he took baby Autumn’s life, has not repented his evil. He says his life should be spared because he really didn’t mean to kill the infant. He just wanted to have sex with her.

The convicted killer’s public defenders, Joseph Wilhelm and Tyson Fleming, had his back yesterday at his clemency hearing. They argued that, under Ohio law, a death sentence requires intent to kill the victim.

“The evidence suggests that Autumn’s death was a horrible accident,” Mssrs. Wilhelm and Fleming asserted. “Despite the shocking nature of this crime, Steve’s death sentence should be commuted because genuine doubts exist whether he even committed a capital offense.”

Accident? I don’t think so. Under Satanic influence? No doubt.

Baby Autumn was no random victim (not that it makes any difference). She was the daughter of Smith’s girlfriend (that’s right), Kesha Frye. When mom didn’t have sex with him on the night of his crime – probably because Smith was wasted on beer – he took revenge on her by sexually assaulting her baby girl.

At Smith’s trial, prosecutors presented evidence that his sexual assault lasted as long as 30 minutes.

“Expert” witnesses who testified in the killer’s defense suggested that Baby Autumn probably didn’t suffer the entire 30 minutes; that Smith accidentally suffocated the six-month old within three to five minutes while he lay on top of her.

“Steve is basically a decent person,” Wilhelm, his public defender, told the Ohio Parole Board yesterday. The convicted killer “got into trouble because of his alcohol dependence,” he added.

The Parole Board, which will issue its recommendation on Smith’s clemency petition to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has the final say on whether Smith dies or lives, wasn’t too sympathetic to the killer.

“Here’s what I take issue with,” said board member Kathleen Kovach, “People say Mr. Smith cared for Autumn and he took great care of her. No, he didn’t.”

As a Christ follower, I don’t believe anyone is beyond redemption. Not even someone, like Smith, who has committed a most unspeakable crime.

But there is no redemption, no salvation for unrepentant sinners, like Smith, the child molester, the baby killer.

He deserves what’s coming to him May 1.


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: clemency; deathpenalty; deathrow; ohioparoleboard; stevensmith
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

“Steve is basically a decent person,” Wilhelm, his public defender, told the Ohio Parole Board yesterday”

The standard for criminals today...aren’t they always!


21 posted on 04/03/2013 11:24:25 AM PDT by caww
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To: Phillyred

Execution has a 0% Recidivism rate.


22 posted on 04/03/2013 11:26:56 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: ZirconEncrustedTweezers

I’m with you.


23 posted on 04/03/2013 11:26:59 AM PDT by Jeff Winston
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To: Westbrook

“Steve is basically a decent person,”

Well God will make that decision on May 1st about a minute after Steve takes his last breath.


24 posted on 04/03/2013 11:35:27 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: Westbrook

This clown will hopefully get his on May 1. Equating what he did with using farm tractors? While ill-advised, I’m not sure why it should be any more illegal than using any number of non-human devices. I don’t think you’ve gone from bad to horrific. You’re saying, “If they let this guy go, they’ll EVEN let people use TRACTORS.” Ummm okay.


25 posted on 04/03/2013 11:45:37 AM PDT by cizinec ("Brother, your best friend ain't your Momma, it's the Field Artillery.")
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

Well, OK, I’m willing to compromise. We don’t execute him for murdering an infant. We execute him for raping her.


26 posted on 04/03/2013 11:49:08 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST; Anitius Severinus Boethius; Georgia Girl 2; Billthedrill
There are convicted killers who have come to repentance, who deserve to have their death sentences reduced to life in prison

I think the repentant thief, his cross adjacent to Christ is the model. To wit:

"You are the Christ!"
"Today you will be with me in paradise..."

27 posted on 04/03/2013 12:05:40 PM PDT by jonno (Having an opinion is not the same as having the answer...)
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST
I agree, he shouldn't be executed by the government. To quick and painless. For what he did, he really does need to suffer here, as a prelude to what he can expect after he dies.

I honestly don't consider myself a cruel man, but I can think of all sorts of disgusting things this guy needs to experience before his death.

Mark

28 posted on 04/03/2013 12:46:18 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: OldNavyVet
The Commandment “Thou shalt not kill” seriously needs some rational justice thought.

Technically, it's "Thou shalt not murder," big difference.

Mark

29 posted on 04/03/2013 12:48:08 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: clee1

I am not sure I could come up with a sufficiently agonizing death for such a person.


30 posted on 04/03/2013 12:55:17 PM PDT by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (I'll stop being a cynic when the world stops giving me reasons to be cynical.)
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

In my opinion they can’t kill this guy fast enough.


31 posted on 04/03/2013 1:03:14 PM PDT by History Repeats (sic transit gloria mundi)
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To: MarkL
Technically, it's "Thou shalt not murder,"

Rewriting the Bible can't be tolerated, it's technical heresy.

32 posted on 04/03/2013 2:59:40 PM PDT by OldNavyVet
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To: ZirconEncrustedTweezers

Oh, I could. Guaranteed. He’d beg for death long before I’d be done with him.


33 posted on 04/03/2013 3:03:08 PM PDT by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and I'm tired of smiling.)
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To: OldNavyVet
Rewriting the Bible can't be tolerated, it's technical heresy.

The word in Hebrew translates to "murder" in English: "Lo Tirzah," "Thou shall not commit murder." It's not an exact translation, but far more specific than just "kill." Mark

34 posted on 04/03/2013 3:58:25 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: OldNavyVet

That is NOT what the Commandment says.


35 posted on 04/03/2013 4:05:31 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

No. Freaking. Way.

My oldest was born in June of 1998. She would be about the same age as this little girl (if Mom hadn’t decided her sex life was more important than her own child). My daughter has had the opportunity to do so much more than this child ever got the chance to. My daughter is getting ready for high school, plays in the band, and is just so much fun to be around. I wonder if the mom of this poor baby thinks the sex was worth it now...


36 posted on 04/03/2013 4:08:37 PM PDT by Hoosier Catholic Momma (How long till my Arkansas drawl fades into the twang of southeast Ohio?)
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