The Judgment of Sharon Keller
As she goes on trial this month, nearly everyone—journalists, lawyers, and even some of her colleagues—is calling for her head, but is the presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals the monster she’s been made out to be?
12 comments
Friday, August 21st, 2009, 7:46 pm
joe says:
And Suzanne, what kind of thing is that to say: compassion is not a word in law texts. Does it have to be? Do you really think that compassion plays no role in judging a person in court? Of course it does. And do you really mean to say you want a legal system that does not consider its impact on the suffering of human beings and some way to relieve it? Compassion is fundamental to all major religions and should definitely be fundamental to our legal system. In fact, compassion for the victim in this case is probably what sealed the murderer’s fate. A truly moral society must consider people’s suffering - in and out of court - and how to relieve it. If this guy was truly retarded and abused by a sadistic father, surely that should be (and was) considered. But you want it otherwise. Hmmm.
Friday, August 21st, 2009, 7:37 pm
joe says:
It’s ironic (and not a little sad) to hear Christians howl for someone’s death. I guess they don’t understand the idea of forgiveness. Does killing a mentally retarded guy really satisfy people’s lust for retribution? Seems like it’d ring a bit hollow, like beating a dead horse.
Thursday, July 30th, 2009, 9:59 pm
Suzanne says:
As a die-hard Democrat I view Sharon Keller as a professional following the letter of the law. Compassion is not a word in law texts. However, lazy, slacking attorneys could be more culpable than the guilty death row inmate in this sleazy good-old boy trial.
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009, 2:48 pm
SportsPrincess says:
I am not anti-death penalty. I do believe the ultimate punishment is required in certain cases. While I appreciate the effort that has been given to better representation of defendants, it’s completely wasted by such callousness from the CCA’s top judge. If we are going to mete out the ultimate punishment for a crime, we must be better than the criminals and do everything in our power to see the system works. This is just another blow to my confidence in the Texas legal system and in many ways, my confidence in my fellow Texans.
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009, 2:04 pm
Danny says:
That woman who was raped and murdered was my cousin’s wife. The animal who did this left a family in shambles. There were daughters and sons left behind to put their lives together.
There was no reason to rape or kill this woman.
20 years on death row and you bozos complain about an late afternoon call on the day of this scum’s execution make me sick.
Embarrasment to the state of Texas. You people are the embarrasment.
Sunday, July 26th, 2009, 7:02 pm
Pamela says:
Judge Keller is the type of Judge that makes Texas a subject of ridicule in the rest of the United States, and even the world.
While we may be "tough on crime and criminals" we should also make every effort to be fair and just. No Judge should be allowed to make a mockery of the justice system or this State. Her subsequent behavior -- the failure to disclose assets, the application for the State to pay for her attorney’s fees -- is revealing. She still does not get it. She never will.
Sunday, July 26th, 2009, 3:24 pm
dude says:
[At 4:59, Keller called Marty and asked if the TDS had filed anything.]
If this is true, it blows the judge’s position that she was just making "a statement" to bits... Why call back if you didn’t know anything or have a bias? Weird.
Saturday, July 25th, 2009, 11:02 am
Interesting says:
I have followed this case closely. Thanks for a good review of a very complex situation.
Friday, July 24th, 2009, 8:17 am
R.J. MacReady says:
This is a lamentable situation and deserving of some attention, but not the hue and cry worthy of the early stages of the French Revolution. This is as much a stalking horse for the abolition of the death penalty as it is about [Sharon Keller's] conduct.
Friday, July 24th, 2009, 12:28 am
Jack says:
Judge Keller has made Texas a national laughingstock as Tom Price correctly mentioned. She is an embarrassment and I really wish the Commission would remove her from office. She violated Michael Richards constitutional right to due process when she closed the court house at 5 PM and she should be removed from office because of that.
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Harvey says:
Sharon Keller has made mistakes, that is for sure.
I think that she will get a reprimand at least.
I do not think that she will be removed from office.
But she does need some additional legal education about DNA and a few other things.
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009, 4:38 am
Sharon Killer says:
Sharon Keller is an embarrassment to the state of Texas. She has brought shame, discredit and ridicule on the Texas judiciary. She should be convicted and removed from office.
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