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Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A Shame'

By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 09:05:21 AM EST
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Donald Beardslee was executed in California last night, following Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's denial of clemency.

In the nearly quarter-century that he waited in San Mateo County Jail and on San Quentin's death row, Beardslee is reported to have become a model prisoner. According to testimony read at Friday's clemency hearing, he even assisted corrections officials on prison security.

Former San Quentin Warden Daniel Vasquez described Beardslee as a rare inmate with no discipline record. "Killing him would be a shame," Vasquez said.

But Schwarzenegger was not swayed by the good behavior argument. "I expect no less," he said.

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    Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A Shame' | 7 comments (7 topical)
    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#1)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 10:41:36 AM EST
    I guess killing people for real is just as easy as doing it in a movie. More's the pity. Moderate? In a pig's eye, maybe.

    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#2)
    by jondee on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 11:47:06 AM EST
    He's had his nose in the Texacutioners caboose for years - this isnt that suprising.Sorry to say.

    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 11:55:22 AM EST
    Arnold --- the master of "good behavior". I guess he expects less of himself that of others.

    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 01:20:06 PM EST
    I am not sorry to see man like that executed. He killed 2 defenseless women during parole of another murder. He has killed enough people. And the good behavior argument is silly. He is being executed for crime commited outside, not inside of prison. With all the guard and locks and buffed-up criminal neighbours, I don't think he has any choice *but* to behave inside prison. Thank god Arnold has some common sense. I am sure all the child molesters are behaving nicely inside prisons too so that stupid people will release them early and they get more chances to commit more crimes. The only way to deal with these kind of people are a) execute them or b) lock them up and throw away the keys.

    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 03:46:26 PM EST
    Hate to say I agree with the red-meat poster, but this guy picked up a woman at a bar and killed her that night. He was back on the street after seven years, at which time he murdered two more women after first binding them. I don't have any faith that he wouldn't somday be back on the streets again--maybe this time in 14 years? I don't care if he sucked up to the warden, he deserves more than the loss of his freedom. The best reason to oppose the death penalty is that it is applied in a discriminatory fashion. I sympathize--I really do--with those who feel that this principle outweighs the need to cleanse the world of homicidal scumbags like Beardslee. Maybe you can discuss it with him over a beer--in HELL.

    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 03:49:44 PM EST
    Most criminals I have came into contact with during my tenure as a law enforcement office were actually model citizens while in jail. It's only when they're out that they deviate.

    Re: Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A (none / 0) (#7)
    by Patrick on Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 07:57:47 PM EST
    It's easy to be a model prisoner on death row. You're in solitary and have no contact with GP or other death row prisoners. Come on, that's a fallacious argument. So is the argument that life without parole is a more harsh sentence than death.

    Donald Beardslee Execution: Warden Calls It 'A Shame' | 7 comments (7 topical)