John Brownlee - REPEAL THE "TRIGGERMAN RULE" - Will Ken Cuccinelli Stand With Tim Kaine Again?
I bet he does.
Republicans in the Virginia House and Senate, as well as a few right-minded Democrats, voted in 2007 to abolish the Triggerman Rule. The bill passed overwhelmingly, but was vetoed by Governor Kaine. Every Republican - and several Democrats - in the House of Delegates voted to override the Governor's veto, and they were successful. Unfortunately, the Senate voted to sustain the Governor's veto and the bill died.
Pro-law enforcement legislators tried again in 2008 to repeal the Triggerman Rule and again the bill passed both the House and Senate by wide margins. Once again, Governor Kaine - who is opposed to the death penalty -- vetoed the legislation. Once again, the House overrode the veto. And, once again, the Democrats in the Senate, with the assistance of only one Republican -- Ken Cuccinelli - sustained the Governor's veto.
Law enforcement have been begging for years to repeal the rule. Read the rest of the email.
How important is repeal of the Triggerman Rule to the pursuit of criminal justice in Virginia? Take a look at those who agree with John Brownlee that this rule needs to be eliminated:
Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling - long-time, solid supporters of law enforcement and victims' rights in Virginia - support repeal of the Triggerman Rule.Even more interestingly, all three Democrat candidates for Governor support repeal of the Triggerman Rule. Tim Kaine is so far outside the mainstream on this law enforcement issue that all of his own Party's candidates to replace him disagree with him on this issue.
The Virginia Sheriffs' Association supports its repeal.
The Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys supports its repeal.
The Virginia Crime Commission supports its repeal.
The likely Democrat nominee for Attorney General, Steve Shannon, supports repeal of the Triggerman Rule, as does one of John's Republican competitors, Dave Foster.
Earlier today, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police issued a press release calling for the legislature to override Governor Kaine's veto (the text of that release appears below).
Repeal of the Triggerman Rule is an important step in making Virginia's citizens safer from violent crime, and will assist law enforcement in its efforts to rid our streets of the most violent, despicable criminals in our midst.
PLEASE contact your legislators right away, prior to the "Veto Session" of the General Assembly on April 8, and ask them to vote to override Governor Kaine's veto of the Triggerman Rule legislation. Information on contacting your legislators can be found here.
Together, we can remove this anti-justice rule from Virginia law and give law enforcement another weapon against violent crime.--------------------------------------------------------------
The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police strongly urges the Virginia General Assembly to overturn Governor Kaine's veto of 2009 passed legislation which redefines the "Triggerman Rule" as it pertains to capital punishment.
As an organization comprised of law enforcement leaders, our members have seen firsthand the negative impact that Virginia's Triggerman Rule has had on the pursuit of justice in our Commonwealth's most heinous crimes.The Triggerman Rule is clearly a loophole in Virginia's death penalty laws, benefiting the most brutal criminals in society while standing in the way of justice for many victims of violent crime. We strongly support the repeal of this rule.
As a matter of public safety, we encourage the Virginia General Assembly to overturn Governor Kaine's veto of the repeal of this anti-justice rule during the reconvened session on April 8.March 30 Press Release from The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police
For Cooch to refuse to support this is a slap in the face to law enforcement.
posted by Carl Kilo at 9:10:00 PM
Comments on "John Brownlee - REPEAL THE "TRIGGERMAN RULE" - Will Ken Cuccinelli Stand With Tim Kaine Again?"
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Rtwng Extrmst said ... (10:47 PM) :
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Old Cop said ... (8:00 AM) :
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Lester said ... (8:10 AM) :
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Rtwng Extrmst said ... (12:34 AM) :
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Old Cop said ... (8:27 AM) :
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Nova Voter said ... (8:34 AM) :
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Rtwng Extrmst said ... (11:31 PM) :
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Anonymous said ... (11:32 PM) :
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Anonymous said ... (8:36 AM) :
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Old Cop said ... (8:43 AM) :
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Anonymous said ... (9:47 AM) :
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Tim said ... (3:27 PM) :
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Carl Kilo said ... (3:34 PM) :
post a commentCan you show me one example where someone got away with murder in VA because the current law including the exemptions in the code today for murder for hire, terrorism, and criminal enterprises were insufficient? Senator Cuccinelli supported and endorsed those exemptions to the triggerman rule (something you and Mr. Brownlee seem to overlook). Be honest. Your claims in the past that Senator Cuccinelli sides with Tim Kaine on the death penalty is a mischaracterization at best and a lie at worst. His stance on the death penalty is nowhere near Tim Kaine's. Ken opposes complete repael of the triggerman rule because of the increased potential for someone being executed for a crime where they did not intend for a murder to be committed.
Ken Cuccinelli is a traitor on this issue. If it is ok to repeal this rule for a judge it is ok to repeal this rule for anybody.
I will vote for Foster or Brownlee.
RWE you are the liar! Kilo has been fair with Ken so face the facts that every republican and all of law enforcement have endorsed this repeal and yet the patent lawyer sides with the Senate dems and Kaine.
Old Cop, it is already ok to repeal this rule for anybody, as long as the perpetrator actually intended to have someone murdered. If it was part of gang activities and criminal enterprises, murder for hire, or terrorism, all people are covered today under the existing exemptions to the rule that Ken Cuccinelli endorsed and voted for, and even voted for over Tim Kaine's veto. Judges or not.
Lester, please show me where I have lied. On the other hand, Here's Kilo's headline from his post on this subject on 10 FEB 09: "Cuccinelli Stands With Tim Kaine and the Democrats on Capital Punishment and the Triggerman Rule". That is an outright lie! Ken may have voted with a number of Dems and in favor of Kaine's veto of COMPLETE REPEAL of the rule, however he is not "standing with Tim Kaine" on Capital Punishment. That could not be further from the truth!
In that same 10 FEB post there is a video from Brownlee's campaign where Brownlee uses a characterization to explain the Triggerman Rule (one bank robber telling another to kill a teller). He then goes on to claim that Ken Cuccinelli opposes removal of this rule. There's one problem, Brownlee forgets to tell you that the very example he uses is one that is covered by the exemptions listed above that Ken supports! To say that Ken opposed the bill for complete repeal of the rule is accurate, however to do it in an ad where you highlight a vignette like the one Brownlee did in order to castigate Ken on the issue, is indeed a mischaracterization of Ken's position, since Ken has supported and voted for the exemptions that cover that example.
If Brownlee and Kilo want to make an issue of Ken's opposition to further expansion of the death penalty beyond those that actually intended to commit a murder, then have at it, it's fair game, but they need to stop mischaracterizing and lying about his position on the death penalty itself.
RWE you sir are a liar. The repeal does not apply to everyone.
"Cuccinelli Stands With the Tim Kaine and Democrats on Capital Punishment and the Triggerman Rule "
That is a true statement. Lets look at what else he wrote.
"The bottom line here is - The Virginia Sheriffs Association, the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, Virginia's Crime Commission, the Attorney General's Office, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling all supported repeal of the Triggerman Rule. Ken Cuccinelli stood with Tim Kaine and the democrats. I find it amusing Ken left that part out of his statement."
"We're killing enough people in Virginia," said Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax), who voted against the repeal of the triggerman rule but for the bill on slayings of judges. "We already have three very big exceptions [in the triggerman rule], so it isn't like it's something we don't cover to some degree now."
Why should we have an AG who opposes capital punishment when one of the AG's most important responsibilities is to defend capital convictions vigorously in the state and federal appellate courts. I cant wait to vote against Ken in may
NOVA Voter: You say "Why should we have an AG who opposes capital punishment ". Well, quite honestly in Ken Cuccinelli you do NOT. I made that patently clear above. Again, to characterize Ken's position as being anti-Capital punishment is an absolute falsehood!
Old Cop, you are wrong. The exemptions Ken supports and that are in the law today apply to EVERYONE. Again, I challenge you to show me where anyone ANYONE has gotten away with murder because the exemptions under the trigger rule today are not broad enough.
There have been many cases that more crimianls could have received the death penalty. Dont even try to make yourself look like a bigger ass than you already are. The Virginia Sheriffs Association, the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, Virginia's Crime Commission, the Attorney General's Office, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling all supported repeal of the Triggerman Rule. I support them, not your dumb ass and some failed Marine and patent lawyer.
OUCH!
"We're killing enough people in Virginia," said Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax), who voted against the repeal of the triggerman rule but for the bill on slayings of judges.
RWE...That says everything.
Cap Pun is not "killing"...it is punishment. Very revealing statement by Ken.....very Tim Kaine in fact.
If all you want to do is "spark it up!" with outlandish "truthy" headlines, then go ahead.
But the devil is in the details. Ken's position on capital punishment is NOT at all like Tim Kaine's and anyone with half a brain and access to the voting record could figure that one out.
I prefer my journalists, and I use the term loosely in Kilo's case (as loose as a two-bit whore), to be honest in their factual depictions.
Tim...please keep your Mom out of this.