Saturday, August 20, 2005

BTK Killer gets 10 Life Sentences

Ten life sentences.

Confessed Kansas serial killer Dennis Rader was sentenced on Thursday to 10 life sentences for a 17-year murder spree that Rader, a former church leader and dog catcher, said was driven by demons and sexual fantasies.

Sedgwick County District Court Judge Gregory Waller said the 60-year-old Rader will not be eligible for parole for at least 40 years because at least one murder qualified as "especially heinous."

Parole? Parole?

What am I missing here? What would justify the death penalty? Kansas has the death penalty.

If you can't find someone to do it, I'll volunteer. Hell, I'll even bring my own club.

2 comments:

Granted said...

Zactly right.

See you in an hour.

geekwife said...

He was not eligible for the death penalty because there was no dealth penaly in Kansas at the time his crimes were committed. Or at least, he only confessed to (and they only tried him for) murders that happened before the death penalty was reinstated.

So by law, this is the most he could get. Be happy the judge made them consecutive, not concurrent. At least we know he will never again see the light of day as free man.

And sadly, according to a certain law student I know, the dealth penalty ends up costing the state far, far more than life in prison, due to the many appeals allowed. So while this isn't as satisfying as death would be, in the end it will serve justice with the least cost to society.