Thread: Quintero juror ` outraged ` over killer`s life sentence

May 23, 2008, 11:37AM
Quintero juror 'outraged' over killer's life sentence


By ALLAN TURNER
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

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A juror who advocated executing Juan Leonardo Quintero for murdering a Houston policeman blasted her fellow jurors who sentenced the Mexican national to life without parole.

In an emotional telephone interview today, Cypress secretary Cindy Bradford, 44, called for a change in state law that requires only 10 jurors to agree to a life-without-parole sentence.

"If it takes a unanimous 12-juror vote for the death sentence," she said, "it should be unanimous for life without parole."

Jurors deliberated about 10 hours this week before sentencing Quintero to prison for the 2006 murder of Houston police officer Rodney Johnson.

Johnson was shot seven times as he filled out paperwork after stopping Quintero for a traffic violation.

Bradford said she and one other juror supported a death sentence. She did not name that juror.

"I'm as outraged as anyone else about this," Bradford said. ". . .We're telling everyone that you can enter this country illegally, plead guilty to indecency with a child, get deported, come back anyway, execute a police officer and that's OK. Now we get to take care of him for the rest of his natural life, and I personally have a problem with that."

Bradford took exception to the argument of fellow jurors, who, she said, suggested police officers are aware of the risks of their profession.

"It's like Johnson somehow deserved to get what he got. . . .I beg to differ," Bradford said. "They don't sign up to be assassinated."

After the jury's decision to spare Quintero's life was announced, juror Letty Burkholder of Houston said she felt the killer's life had "potential."

"He's loved by many of his family and friends," she told the media, "and that was number one."

Quintero, in an interview with the Houston Chronicle, this week said that he was surprised that his life was spared. Earlier he predicted that he would be sentenced to die.

"(The life sentence) is not anything to be happy about," he said.

Bradford said she favored executing Quintero because he "shot the officer in cold blood in the back."

"There's a flaw in the system," she said. "If it took 12 votes to get life without parole, we'd still be sitting there. I'd be sitting there until the judge declared a hung jury."

Other jurors who initially favored the death sentence changed their votes as the deliberations dragged on, Bradford said.

"I got the impression that they were just tired of deliberating and wanted to get it over with and go home," she said.

Bradford said neither she nor her family has been touched by violent crime.

"In my opinion, the death penalty exists for a reason," she said. "I don't necessarily feel it should be handed out like aspirin, but I believe there are cases in which it is warranted. This case absolutely was one of them."

Bradford expressed sympathy for the Johnson family.

"I can't even imagine how they must feel at this point after everything they've been through," she said. "I wish it had turned out differently. I hope that, despite everything, they can move on. We did everything that a couple of us could do, but when you're out-voted, you're out-voted."

Quintero on Thursday was sent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Byrd Unit, an intake facility in Huntsville, said Michelle Lyons, a prison spokeswoman. It's several miles from the Walls Unit, which houses Texas' death chamber.

During his stay in Huntsville, prison officials will determine which facility he should serve out his life without parole sentence, Lyons said. The process could take several weeks or months.

``We'll be looking at his mental health needs, medical needs,'' Lyons said. ``We'll be using that information to determine what unit he should be sent to.''

Chronicle reporter Rosanna Ruiz contributed to this story.

allan.turner@chron.com







http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5798297.html

"We're telling everyone that you can enter this country illegally, plead guilty to indecency with a child, get deported, come back anyway, execute a police officer and that's OK. Now we get to take care of him for the rest of his natural life, and I personally have a problem with that."

I have a problem with that too...

Def

Some countries, like China, refer to people such as Quintero, as "organ donors."

You have got to hear this phone call from a juror in the case against the illegal who killed houston police officer Rodney Johnson.

She said that 4 of 12 people wanted to give this guy the death penalty.

She said the jury was made up of males and females.

She said that one white woman said ‘well, officer Johnson signed up for this’

www.patgray.com scroll down on right to PODCAST, listen to call from SALLY

I would not have caved in , i would still be fighting for DEATH .

(Bradford took exception to the argument of fellow jurors, who, she said, suggested police officers are aware of the risks of their profession.
"It's like Johnson somehow deserved to get what he got. . . .I beg to differ," Bradford said. "They don't sign up to be assassinated."
After the jury's decision to spare Quintero's life was announced, juror Letty Burkholder of Houston said she felt the killer's life had "potential."
"He's loved by many of his family and friends," she told the media, "and that was number one.")

I guess we shouldn’t be surprised over the indifference for the life of the Law Officer and the pandering to the ILLEGAL criminal element!

I'm as outraged as anyone else about this," Bradford said. ". . .We're telling everyone that you can enter this country illegally, plead guilty to indecency with a child, get deported, come back anyway, execute a police officer and that's OK. Now we get to take care of him for the rest of his natural life, and I personally have a problem with that."

I have a huge problem with that also. Illgal aliens commit more crimes than anyone else because they can get away with it. All they have to do is run accross the border or buy a new bogus id. When they are arrested they seem to have several aliases. Its about time that these illegal alien criminals get harsher punishments, even if that means the death penalty.

After the jury's decision to spare Quintero's life was announced, juror Letty Burkholder of Houston said she felt the killer's life had "potential."

"He's loved by many of his family and friends," she told the media, "and that was number one."

Officer Johnson was also loved by many family and friends, where's HIS justice? Is she the same biatch who made the comment about Johnson knowing the risks of his job?

What possible "potential" does this scumbag have? What a total failure of justice!