Parents of missing W.Va. woman fighting death penalty in S.C.(Alice Donovan & Samantha Burns)

The Sun News Online ^ | 1/28/03 | AP

[2nd amendment mama]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The parents of a missing West Virginia teen are fighting to keep an escaped convict off of death row in South Carolina.

Branden Basham, 21, and Chadrick Fulks, 25, are charged with kidnapping and carjacking resulting in death in the disappearance of Alice Donovan of Galivants Ferry. The two escaped from a Kentucky jail on Nov. 4 and are accused of taking part in a two-week crime spree across five states.

Donovan has not been seen since shortly after her Nov. 14 abduction, and authorities think she is dead. U.S. Attorney Strom Thurmond Jr. has said he is considering seeking the death penalty in the case.

West Virginia State Police also suspect Fulks and Basham in the abduction of Samantha Burns of West Hamlin, but no charges have been filed. The 19-year-old Marshall University student was last seen Nov. 11 - the same day Fulks and Basham checked into a hotel in Huntington.

Her burned-out car was found Nov. 12 on a rural road in Wayne County near Huntington. Authorities are treating her disappearance as a homicide.

Court documents in the South Carolina case show Basham has given some information to police relating to Burns' disappearance.

But since prosecutors have threatened to seek the death penalty against Fulks and Basham, the men have not wanted to help authorities in West Virginia.

Samantha Burns' parents, John and Kandy Burns, began running newspapers ads this week asking people to write, call or e-mail Thurmond and urge him to not seek the death penalty against Basham. The Burnses believe the convicts will never tell police what happened to their daughter as long as they face capital punishment.

"Basham has said he would tell all if he did not face the death penalty. South Carolina is not budging though," John Burns says in the ad. "We need to pressure South Carolina to help us."

Scott Schools, an assistant U.S. attorney for South Carolina, would not comment on the advertising campaign.

"We would be happy to discuss that matter with the Burns family at their convenience, but we're not going to discuss it with the media," Schools said Tuesday.

[2nd amendment mama]

PrairieLady2 asked for this to be posted here....

This is outrageous. They should not diminish one case just to satisfy theirs. Basham wouldn't cooperate in Alice's case so why do the Burns family believe that he would help them?

[LilithUnfair]

" Donovan has not been seen since shortly after her Nov. 14 abduction, and authorities think she is dead. U.S. Attorney Strom Thurmond Jr. has said he is considering seeking the death penalty in the case."

How exactly do you seek the death penalty for an unsolved case.....

How exactly are the parents wrong here? Aren't they allowed to exhaust every avenue to find out what happened to their child? Or does that only apply to certain people that get a higher media outlet... like Laci Peterson.

[Paleo Conservative]

The Burnses believe the convicts will never tell police what happened to their daughter as long as they face capital punishment.

As if there were any doubt what they did. It's only the location of the corpse that is unknown.

[First Amendment]

Being a parent, with a parent's feelings, i would assume that they are desperate for any information about their daughter.
My viewpoint is that the law should threaten to torture the SOB's if they don't reveal what they know, and then kill them quickly. Until the death penalty is instituted in a very quick, preferably public manner this viciousness will continue.
The whole "cruel and unusual" punishment thing is misunderstood. When the Constitution and Bill of Rights were written, there were public executions. I think they would definitely be a deterrent.

[azhenfud]

The removal of one fingernail every other day until confession might jog these two perps' memory - esp. if needle-nosed pliers were used without any local....

[Velveeta]

bumping heartbreaking thread

Basham led LE on a wild goose chase for the location of Alice's body and she hasn't been found. These dung-creeps won't talk (IMO)regardless of a death penalty charge.

Prayers, as always, for Alice and Samantha's families.

[artifactual]

I often wonder what we could have learned had McVeigh not been executed. I don't see why they have to rush in to the death penalty. Get all the info first.

[AppyPappy]

They'll just tell you what you want to hear. Fill them full of truth serum and hypnotize them.

[Velveeta]

pinging you to a new thread

[2nd amendment mama]

Let's see here: 1. They have been charged with the kidnapping and death of Alice (There is video evidence that they took her and they have admitted to that and more - they just won't say where her body is).

2. They have NOT been charged in the Samantha Burns case.

3. Do you prosecute to the fullest extent possible on the case you do have or do you let pond scum get leniency on the HOPE that they might say something about where Samantha's body is?

I can understand the Burns' frustration but imagine the frustration of Alice's family! Put yourself in their place. They want these creeps punished to the fullest extent of the law!

[cherry]

I am very torn on this.......here we have two heart-broken parents just wanting to try anything to find the body of their dear dtr....but..

how can we let these two sons of satan affect two cases on the chance that they might lead them to one body....

for Alice's body..what will need to do?.....pay them a bounty?

lesson number one is: criminals need to stay in prison forever or until they reach age 75 minimun...

[Otta B Sleepin]

How exactly are the parents wrong here? Aren't they allowed to exhaust every avenue to find out what happened to their child?

They're not wrong for wanting to do anything they can to find out what happened to their daughter. My concern is trying to "give" anything else to Basham and Fulks who have been so hardhearted and closemouthed from the start. Alice's family wanted to make an agreement like this in the beginning - no death penalty in exchange for leading LEOs to Alice - but B & F wouldn't cooperate. Instead Basham has given six different stories to authorities about what happened to Alice and she STILL hasn't been found.

Meanwhile Basham and Fulks have been warm, fed, clothed, and given far more consideration and comfort than they ever showed their victims or their victims' families. They've not been truthful up to now and it doesn't make sense to me for a family involved in a separate case (whether we believe they should be separate or not) to try and affect the judicial process in another. These two perpetrators must be convicted and never again released to society - my fear is that without the death penalty, some fast-talking lawyer will find a way to get them off.

That said, I think it's despicable that the defense attorneys have been able to keep WV authorities from questioning Basham and Fulks about Samantha. Samantha's family deserves some answers, just as the Donovan family does, but those answers have not been forthcoming and I don't think any further "deals" with the perpetrators will make any difference.

[beachn4fun]

Yeah, that would work. The criminals would feel you a small morsal of information once a month? once a year? just to stay alive.

[azhenfud]

"lesson number one is: criminals need to stay in prison forever or until they reach age 75 minimun..."

Pop quiz: Why on earth should anyone like that be allowed to continue existing - just to burden the society they so abhor??

[azhenfud]

Might - but after a two-finger discount, one or the other WILL break....

[Velveeta]

Well said, my friend, well said.

[Velveeta]

Link to the original Alice Donovan thread here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/789797/posts

Link to "Missing Adult Alert Petition" spurred on by the need for FReepers to *do something* to help here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/828395/posts

Link to Alice Donovan website here:
http://www.alicedonovan.com/

[2nd amendment mama]

Thank you for the links... ;-)

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Thanks for the ping, velveeta!

You know, my empathy for the Burns family has been extremely high, as it has seemed that Samantha was abducted plus who knows what, by Basham & Fulks. There is no doubt in my mind that the Burnses are hurting, too.

However, comma, the tactic of placing any pressure on the Donovans is almost disgusting, to me. Really guys...I am shocked and appalled. There's no other way to say this. Someone close to the parents should have had some sense and stopped them from doing this.

That said, the original reports stated that Samantha's parents were encouraging the public to help place a little heat under Thurmond, Jr.'s chair. That's understandable. It's their daughter; it's their case to decide what is best for them and their needs. This is going to be a long road for them, as well.

But, to encourage a lobbying campaign against the Donovans, too...because that is what it is...is plainly sickening. Did they even contact Barry before their media campaign? They wouldn't be doing this if they had, and had the Donovan family said "yes." So they either didn't contact him, or the family said, "no." What else is one to think?

And didn't at one time early in the search for Alice... didn't the Donovans offer a reduced sentence hoping for the inmates' confession & information which would lead them to finding Alice? Maybe my memory is failing me, but I thought B & F were given their chance, and their response was to clam up.

But, someone correct me if I'm wrong...I thought the crew representing these guys have ironed the charges out into separate cases?

[Velveeta]

You are most welcome.

[Velveeta]

And didn't at one time early in the search for Alice... didn't the Donovans offer a reduced sentence hoping for the inmates' confession & information which would lead them to finding Alice? Maybe my memory is failing me, but I thought B & F were given their chance, and their response was to clam up.

Yes, Prairie Lady posted a while back that the offer was made and B & F rejected the offer.

Have you seen the actual ad that the Burns' took out? I'd love to see it.

I understand and have tremendous empathy for their pain, but the Burns family should see these dirtbags aren't going to talk no matter what.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

"Meanwhile Basham and Fulks have been warm, fed, clothed, and given far more consideration and comfort than they ever showed their victims or their victims' families."

Well said. :)

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

That's what I thought. Good...memory hanging in there.

I'd love to see it, too.

[VadeRetro]

These creeps need killin'. Considering the needs society at large, the point of finding the bodies is to make full disclosure of all crimes, and thus the maximum penalty, more likely. Trading penalty severity for one body--and only one of two--makes almost no sense.

My heart really goes out to the Burns family, and I hope I understand something of their agony of not knowing. Nevertheless, this case is another example of why you don't negotiate with terrorists. They should fry as much for how they've acted after they were caught as for what they did while free.

[Velveeta]

2nd amendment mama, would you be able to obtain the wording of the ad that was taken out by the Burns family?

I've got both my girls home sick from school today, so I'm just popping in and out of FR cause they're running me ragged!

[2nd amendment mama]

They should fry as much for how they've acted after they were caught as for what they did while free.

ABSOLUTELY!!!!! Very well said.

[2nd amendment mama]

I'll try.....will do a search.

[VadeRetro]

Considering the needs society at large ...

... the needs of society ...

[Velveeta]

I didn't mean to try to put you to work, I thought perhaps PL had the wording handy....?

[2nd amendment mama]

Can't find the exact ad...I suspect that they don't have it online.....but I did find these 2 stories about it:

http://www.huntingtonnews.net/index2.html

http://www.lincolnjournal.com/

[valleygal]

Thanks, Velveeta, for beinging this to everyones's attention. I was over at TB2K last night and PL sent me to their thread over there concerning this.

What a tough situation for both families. I feel for the Burns, but I, personally, think Basham still deserves the death penalty. I don't think he could or would tell the truth...he's just a two bit punk and a liar. PL is right.

And thanks for the links.

[valleygal]

Sorry, mama...it was you I meant to thank for starting this thread and Velveeta, for the links. Getting fuzzy-brained with everything going on.

[valleygal]

Hope your girls are feeling better soon.!

[2nd amendment mama]

Heheheh...no problem. Know quite well what you mean about "fuzzy-brained".....I've been having a case of that for a while now.

[valleygal]

I often wonder what we could have learned had McVeigh not been executed. I don't see why they have to rush in to the death penalty. Get all the info first.

I've always found something "strange" about how fast he was put to death. Some of these criminals sit on death row forever. "Conspiracy Theory" is one of my favorite movies (even though Julia Roberts is in it) and I have a lovely tin foil hat. :).

[Velveeta]

Thanks! It's like a TB ward around here today. Next dose of Robitussin coming up soon.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

**Happy Belated Birthday**, valleygal!! You are hereby granted the night off!!! (LOL!) (...some things just can't be kept a secret!)

[Otta B Sleepin]

Happy Birthday, valleygal (which day was it?) !!!! No secrets around here, eh? LOL

Great graphics, gmo!

[LilithUnfair]

Well I will put myself it their place and I still would want to help the other family. Afterll, who better to understand wht the Burns' are going through than a family that is going through the same thing. AND I disagree strongly with the death penalty when govt is in control of it. I'm not saying I don't believe these men aren't guilty, I simply don't trust govt in general. Especially in a case of life and death. I, like the poster above, also wonder what would have happened if McVeigh hadn't been executed so soon.... then again, that pretty much HAD to happen soon for the govt's sake.

[2nd amendment mama]

Well....I'll let Alice's sister respond to you directly...I'm going to e-mail her what you posted. Since you're NOT in their place (either the Burns' family or Alice's - you truly don't understand). I talk to Judy (Alice's sister) on a daily basis and while I don't want to put words in her mouth I do believe I know how she feels about this.

[LilithUnfair]

And?

[2nd amendment mama]

And....I just e-mailed her and will let her speak for herself or....you can go to Timebomb2000 and read her words yourself.

[LilithUnfair]

Thank you for the link. I may check out HER words as she, not you or I, and her family are going through this. However, this still does not make the Burns' wrong in their quest. My thoughts are with all of them.

[Velveeta]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLFRIEND!!!!

[PrairieLady2]

Lillith,

Hello! :)

I appreciate your questions very much and I am glad you asked them! There are many people who have the same concerns YOU have.

Many of the posters here have put forth some very good..excellent posts, but I welcome opportunity to talk to you myself. I may answer other people's comments etc also as I go along and...errrr...ummm...this might get a little lengthy..sorry in advance. Maybe multiple posts? Don't know the customs here very well.

First of all, it is very easy for my family and I to put ourselves in their place. No sweat at all. We ARE in their place. Our hearts went out to them, one of my family members called and expressed condolances to them, I have attempted to contact them through a middle agency, but hadn't heard anything from them personally.

Secondly, the indictment handed down by the Federal Grand Jury (not the south carolina state jury..but the FEDERAL one)dealt with crimes committed by 2 men against Alice Donovan. None of the legal dealings concerning Alice has Samantha's name on it. So, it is IMPROPER for them to interfere in the Justice sought for Alice L. Donovan and her family.

In simple words, what they are doing is just plain wrong.

That isn't the same thing as being able to understand their FEELINGS. And it looks to me like they have allowed their FEELINGS (emotions) override good judgement. Good judgement says that when people are murdered, they deserve Justice, and the murderer deserves PUNISHMENT.

It has got to be HELL on them to think they might get the electric chair doncha think?? It would scare ME spitless if *I* were in their shoes! I might even want to wrangle out of it so bad that I might be willing to lie. Why? because it's a VERY uncomfortable and scary position to be in, that's why. AND, that discomfort is PART OF the punishment for raping and murduring an innocent mother of 2 children who happened to go grocery shopping that day.

Furthermore, we don't know that she was actually raped and strangled with her purse strap do we???? MAYBE, just MAYBE basham is confusing Alice with Samantha ....ever think of that? Maybe that's why Samantha's car was burnt, Alice's wasn't. Alice's doesn't have the evidence to support rape, strangulation, and stabbing. And maybe that also means Basham is talking ANYWAY!!! He doesn't need to be made more comfortable. He's running his mouth just the same, and he may well be confusing the two, OR he's telling a jumbled tale because he can't put it strait in his head of which came first..but the events he describes may well have happened.

So, what does this mean for Alice? How did SHE die? Maybe she was tied to a tree after all??? Maybe she was stuck by herself in the woods crying out for help and nobody came????

And we should lift away the punishment and make them comfortable thinking that if we are nice, maybe they will be too???? I know Alice was a nice person. I don't know Samantha, but she looks like she might have been a nice person too. Where are they? They were nice, are they alive?

Basham and fulks got Alice's pin numbers to all her accounts. Did they promise HER that if she was "nice" and gave them what they wanted, that they would let her live??? Maybe she gave them those numbers..gave them the benefit of the doubt...and they ....well...you insert the words - - - - - d her and let her die. We should trust them now to to do right buy us???

Honey, I'm not going to spell it out for you altogether because I think YOU need to think for yourself. Maybe you are a tender hearted kind person and maybe you havn't had enough kicks in the teeth yet to be able to recognize someone who should never be trusted ever again..like basham and fulks.

You read ALLL the news, the answers are all there.

The other family needs to appeal to investigators in their own state to gain clues for their case. If their state doesn't have investigators smart enough to do that job for them, why should they interfere with another state?

You say you don't trust the gummit to handle the responsibility of capitol punishment. This implies to me that YOU think YOU could do a better job of making a decision for or against capitol punishment. There is nothing wrong with that. THAT is why we have Jurys. Jurys are the every day working person like you and me, who gets to listen to all the evidence, view all the tapes of them kidnapping Alice, forcing her into the back seat of her car, tying her up, and driving away with her. And it's tapes that show them stealing her money, buying gas with her money, and pop, and what ever else they bought..like tape. And they will look at those tapes and decide if what b & f did was right or wrong. :) They will do that knowing what the sentence for those things are. We must rely on the Judgement of the common person. NOt the government.

It will be six months to a year before the trial even happens unless the guys plead guilty before a trial. Further more, this kind of crime carries a death sentence penalty. They chose to commit the crime anyway, and when they did, THEY decided their OWN fate. They actually CHOSE it themselves. The government didn't choose their fate for them, neither did the families they hurt, and neither did a Jury. The jury will decide if what they did was right or wrong. That's all.

McVeigh decided HIS fate as well. He ASKED for the death sentence. He had several years to decide. It was NOT a sudden thing.

PL

[PrairieLady2]

However, comma, the tactic of placing any pressure on the Donovans is almost disgusting, to me. Really guys...I am shocked and appalled. There's no other way to say this. Someone close to the parents should have had some sense and stopped them from doing this. But, to encourage a lobbying campaign against the Donovans, too...because that is what it is...is plainly sickening. Did they even contact Barry before their media campaign? They wouldn't be doing this if they had, and had the Donovan family said "yes." So they either didn't contact him, or the family said, "no." What else is one to think? THANK_YOU getme! This came as such a horrifying shock to me that my physical reaction was frightening...just awful. It set me back to week one all over again! The good news is that in reality, the decision for the death sentence is out of our hands. It's out of the Burns hands too. All of the legal beagles will consult with each other and make a decision, but they can be satisfied knowing that their going toward a capitol punishment sentence isn't going to be opposed by us. I believe strongly that there are times when certain criminals need to be put out of societies misery. BTW, there are also times when as i read about some cases I too have a difficult time deciding if I think this one should get the chair simply because of the circumstances surrounding things. In Alices particular case, I have no doubts. I can be comfortable in this case. PL

[PrairieLady2]

Happy Birthday Valleygal! :)

To address the "quick death theory" on some of the posts..(not just valleygals lol):

I'm not a pro, but I've been told that the average time for a federal death sentence to be carried out is 5 years. It's been a long time since McVeigh, I don't know anymore how long it took to investigate, go to court, and then how long the courts took to hear the case etc, but it took some time. Then there were several years before the sentence was actually carried out. IIRC, McVeigh was urged to appeal upon appeal, but he himself chose not to do that. It wasn't sudden.

BTW, I am a "Conspiracy Theory" movie lover too !!! Easy enuf to construct the tinfoil hat, but at one time I even had a tinfoil tissue holder lol! :)

PL

[SeattleTiger]

Hats off to you, PL. That was beautifully, poignantly said. How articulate and persuasive you are!

Velveeta, thanks for the ping. Hope your family is feeling better -- we are on the slow mend here. Valleygal, happy birthday.

SeattleTiger

[SeattleTiger]

Oops. The ping I attributed to Velveeta was from you. Sorry about that! Thank you for the ping!!

Incidentally, I once lived in Ft Lauderdale. Loved the beach and the water. Was astounded the first time a 'lady' driver my grandmother's age cut me off on the entrance ramp to the highway and added insult to almost injury with an obscene finger gesture. Interesting place, south Florida.

[cherry]

you have a way with words PL....

when these two animals are convicted, then there will be time for them to plead their case....if they can remember what they did......perhaps then, there can be proper burials...

it has happened before and Idon't know the outcome, but a convicted murderer of children was trying to get the parents to pay his family big money for him to reveal where he hid their kids bodies....pretty disgusting....

bartering is no way to deal with criminals...

except, and I am ashamed to even think this up,, but if we had two kinds of death penalties...one quick and easy, and another not so quick and not so easy....