Taxpayer Money for Prosecuting a Murder of a Murderer in Prison?

[JonInNY]

My question is, do you think taxpayer money should be spent on a trial and prosecution of a murderer that is serving time in prison for killing another murderer serving time?

I know we have the "presumed innocent" and "due process" doctrine, but this seems to me to be a little overboard.

Am I over-reacting, or is this the price we pay for our society?

Here's the article from my local paper:

Daily Freeman - Prison inmate is indicted for murder

KINGSTON - An inmate at the Shawangunk State Correctional Facility in Wallkill has been indicted by an Ulster County grand jury on nine felony counts, including first-degree murder, in the killing of another prisoner earlier this year.

Luis Rosado is accused of stabbing Larry Davis, 41, to death with a 9 1/2 inch by 1 1/4 inch flat metal shank on Feb. 20.

The two men were among 20 other prisoners in a recreation courtyard at the prison.

Rosado was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, four counts of felony assault, and one count each of criminal possession of a weapon and promoting prison contraband.

Davis was serving a 30-year-to-life sentence for several counts of murder and weapons possession and attempted robbery stemming from a Bronx homicide. He had gained notoriety after he was accused of trying to kill nine police officers who had come to arrest him at his sister's Bronx apartment in November 1986 on charges of killing five drug dealers. Six of the officers were wounded in the shootout while Davis escaped unhurt through a window, setting off a 17-day manhunt that involved hundreds of officers. He eventually surrendered to police.

During his trial two years later, Davis was defended by noted civil rights lawyer William Kunstler and his co-counsel, Lynne Stewart. The defense claimed Davis fired in self-defense and that the officers were out to get him because he had knowledge of police corruption.

A jury acquitted him of attempted murder and aggravated assault in the shootout case. He instead was convicted on weapons charges and sentenced to five to 15 years in state prison.

Davis was recently been convicted in 1991 of fatally shooting a suspected drug dealer in the Bronx. He was transferred to the maximum-security Shawangunk facility in the hamlet of Wallkill in 2004 and had an extensive disciplinary history during his incarceration, according to corrections officials.

Rosado is serving time for a 1982 murder in New York City.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[morintp]

Any bets on a conspiracy theory book or movie coming out based on this?

[retsupt99]

Even if convicted, the judge would probably run whatever sentence he gets...concurrent with his present sentence...waste of $$$.

They should 'accidently' get his exercise routine time mixed with a rival gang's time.

[matiki]

...

They should 'accidently' get his exercise routine time mixed with a rival gang's time.

I think we all know that never happens...

Prison Justice. It's what's for dinner.

[P7fanatic]

Even if convicted, the judge would probably run whatever sentence he gets...concurrent with his present sentence...waste of $$$.

They should 'accidently' get his exercise routine time mixed with a rival gang's time.

Sounds to me like you just want to save taxpayers money from being wasted.

[FN1910]

You need to read "The Final Truth", the story of Pee Wee Gaskins. He was finally executed for murdering a fellow inmate who was on death row. You will find some people that totally doubt the tales in this book and it may have some exaggerations but I can assure you that most of it is true. The number of bodies recovered was over 20 and that was just those that he led them to. One of those was a close friend of my family. Pee Wee's grandson was in my wife's class when Pee Wee was executed. I have not read the entore book because it was too close and to disturbing. But this does tie in with the OP here.

[Bark'n]

What? Luis Rosado is still sucking air? Man that is just a waste of perfectly good oxygen someone else could be using.

And hell no, I don't think taxpayers ought to be footing the bill for this

[SIXTO]

I would think that the state could purchase a rather large spool of rope (bulk) very cheaply. I wouldn't mind my tax dollars spent on that.

[Bumper]

I would think that the state could purchase a rather large spool of rope (bulk) very cheaply. I wouldn't mind my tax dollars spent on that.

You and me both...

[ccw9mm]

Am I over-reacting, or is this the price we pay for our society?

It's one of those "slippery slope" things that those with absolute power would no doubt abuse in time. If this were the start of the line drawn where we the people wouldn't support assignment of a public defender, what then if the line were redrawn ... then redrawn again, until a time came when public defense of "criminals" was eliminated. Then, try defending yourself against accusations.

My view: it's the price paid to force the powerful to at least hear the words of the accused, even if some of the accusations are stout. Without that, there's little hope for many of any fairness in court. Without that, "innocent until proven guilty" would be proven utterly hollow as an ideal.