NEWS: Death Penalty Tossed Over Bible Verses

Not the whole jury mind you just a few. And which version? Is the Old Testament that warm and fuzzy?

Best that they not deliberate on the Sabbath:

The LORD then gave these further instructions to Moses: 'Tell the people of Israel to keep my Sabbath day, for the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between me and you forever. It helps you to remember that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Yes, keep the Sabbath day, for it is holy. Anyone who desecrates it must die; anyone who works on that day will be cut off from the community. Work six days only, but the seventh day must be a day of total rest.
Exodus 31:12-15

Can we get a dueling banjos playing in the background for the back and forth bible quotes?

[edit on 3/28/05 by FredT]

This was the resentencing, which resulted in a life sentence. The prosecution may ask the Colorado state supreme court to reconsider and/or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

From May 2003

All 12 jurors testified at a hearing earlier this year. Several jurors, including Lana Eaton-Ochoa, said they wrote down references from the Bible on note cards, brought the cards into the deliberation room and read them aloud.

Among the Bible citations was Leviticus 24:20, which reads, "fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him."

Vigil said the sequestered jury discussed the biblical passages in the deliberation room "for the purpose of guiding and directing certain jurors to a particular verdict."

"This and other passages the jurors considered do more than simply encourage jurors to follow the instructions of the court," he said. "The passages mandate that death be the penalty for murder."

Defense attorney Kathleen Lord expressed satisfaction with the judge's ruling.

"The eye for an eye. That's just not the law in Colorado or in any state," Lord said. "Bible passages that were used by the jury in this case were Bible passages contradictory to Colorado law."

The judge criticized court officials for failing to make sure jurors were not exposed to outside influences. "The jury supervision performed in this case was extremely negligent and appallingly lax," he wrote.

www.kansascity.com...

I say we put a bunch of moonies and Raellians in the Jury, make Jack Chick head of the jury and let them practise their religion, pretty soon you can be hung for being Roman Catholic or listening to rock n roll filth .....

D-mn Fred, you of all people know about 'selective' quoting. In your most current mis-statement- what does Exodus 31:1 refer to?

What had the Israeli's been doing for the last few hundred years? Do you think that maybe God was trying to impress some kind of point on them?

You NEED a river ride Fred, 'git ya thanken rat!'

Originally posted by JoeDoaks
For your edification Fred

Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

This clearly shows that had the people (jury) been Christians the guy would have walked

Turning the other cheek.
I'm of the opinion that this phrase means NOT to forgive..
But to face your opponent with pride and self-dignity.

Instead of being insultingly backhanded by your oppressor, you stand and face them, without cowardice. you look them in the eye.

Originally posted by JoeDoaks
Why the death sentence for fornication? Why? You Fred are a medical person, you should understand sexually transmitted diseases. These people of the Old Testament did NOT have a neighborhood ER to run to or a pharmacist that could give them a cure for 'crotch rot.' These were wanderer's in the desert that died because of infections.

What would you do to prevent your wife from bringing home a disease that could kill you? You would make the punishment so severe that the likelihood of that occurrence would be remote. You know- AIDs. What is the punishment for deliberately infecting someone with AIDs?

So...are you saying the tales and parables in the bible are outdated? That's what I am gathering...and have seen for a while...

"Over simplify and you breed in weakness"

Is that "Ghost in the Shell?"

And to the actual issue at hand. I have no problem with them doing that. That is what people base their morals off of. And their morals help in the deicision of punishment for a heinous crime. The only thing I do have a problem with is the judge overturning the punishment.

Originally posted by lmgnyc

That is a major problem.

Using the bible for spiritual guidance is one thing--using your spiritual guide to sentence someone in a court of law is illegal.

Think of it this way--what if instead of a Christian bible, the five jurors in this case consulted the Quran, the Vedas, Dianetics, or even Tarot Cards as a basis for sentencing?

Exactly now this will open the door to debates at how the Jurors believes will influence decisions, anybody can bring their own set of believes to take over the laws and the evidence.

Doesn't it sounds preposterous, well it is, so get ready.

Originally posted by OXmanK
So...are you saying the tales and parables in the bible are outdated? That's what I am gathering...and have seen for a while...

Not from me I hope. I am saying they (Biblical directives) were given at a specific time for a specific audience in a way that they could understand. Theoretically we are more advanced and can easily see the messages. I say theoretically because - - - well, see how this all swirls around?

While much of the Bible is difficult for many to understand (myself included), most of the Old Testament is directions for survival. Disease was not easily curable in those days and entire civilizations could disappear because of simple exposure to diseases.

Deuteronomy 14 goes into what animals are acceptable to eat and which ones are not, including fishes. Modern science explains to us things these simple desert folks would not have had the hardware (microscopes) to see nor perhaps the learning to comprehend. It is much easier to accept microbes when they can be seen then it is when they are unseen.

Pork- (CDC page) trichinellosis.
CDC page meat diseases.

Fish- must have scales and fins.

Birds- no birds of prey.

All this is to protect people from infections that could debilitate or kill them. Modern man may understand and have preventative measures for these, the ancients in the desert did not.

I see nothing particularly hard to grasp from this. From all our advancements people still die year by year from food infections.

Back to the thread-

Mat 22:21 . . . Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

These jurors were misguided and wrong. They had all taken an oath to uphold the law of the state they were in. The jurors that brought the writings as well as the ones that did not report to the judge the wrong should all do some jail time to get their minds right. People like this do us all a disservice.

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