WASHINGTON (July 29) - President Bush could have commuted the death sentence of Ronald A. Gray, a former Army cook convicted of multiple rapes and murders.

 

But Bush decided Monday that Gray's crimes were so repugnant that execution was the only just punishment.

 

Bush's decision marked the first time in 51 years that a president has affirmed a death sentence for a member of the U.S. military. It was the first time in 46 years that such a decision has even been weighed in the Oval Office.

 

Gray, 42, was convicted in connection with a spree of four murders and eight rapes in the Fayetteville, N.C., area between April 1986 and January 1987 while he was stationed at Fort Bragg. He has been on death row at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., since April 1988.

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While I still don't know exactly where I stand on the issue of the death penalty, I can't really say too much about this one. Judging by this guys laundry list of crimes, the world will be a better place without him...

While I still don't know exactly where I stand on the issue of the death penalty, I can't really say too much about this one. Judging by this guys laundry list of crimes, the world will be a better place without him...

 

:thumb:

Bush is from Texas and a proponent of the death penalty. I couldn't see him commuting this sentence without some major information indicating it was the wrong person or something along those lines.

 

While a few years ago, I changed my stance on the death penalty (I am against but used to be for it), in a case like this, I still straddle the fence a little.

I am a strong supporter of the death penalty, so it should come as no surprise I agree with President Bush's decision here.

 

When you're a member of the United States military you are held to a higher standard of respect and responsibility and to commit these types of crimes is a disgrace. The world will definitely be a better place without this scum.

I am a strong supporter of the death penalty, so it should come as no surprise I agree with President Bush's decision here.

 

When you're a member of the United States military you are held to a higher standard of respect and responsibility and to commit these types of crimes is a disgrace. The world will definitely be a better place without this scum.

 

I thought God decided when people were put on and left the earth?

I thought God decided when people were put on and left the earth?

 

Not in my opinion....God gives people the free will to make their own choices. When they abuse that right (in the case of murder), they lose their right to life IMO.

I'm against the death penalty, but people like this make it awfully hard.

Ron Edmonds, AP

Not in my opinion....God gives people the free will to make their own choices. When they abuse that right (in the case of murder), they lose their right to life IMO.

:thumb::thumb: The four people that were killed and the eight people that were raped had nothing to say about this being done to them, so I can't bring myself to feel bad for this piece of trash.

Apparently like many of you, I have recently been re-weighing my thoughts about the death penalty.

 

However, as is mentioned in the Book of Romans, I have just as much respect for the rule of law. Unless the law changes, and unless there is something here from an evidentiary standpoint to revisit the issue, I think Bush should uphold the military tribunal's decision.

I'm against the death penalty, but people like this make it awfully hard.

:thumb: Agreed

I agree with many above. I have wavered recently on my Death Penalty stance. I used to be 100% for it, no longer.

 

This does make it very hard to not be for it though. This guy seems to be pure evil.

The sad thing here is it has taken 20 years to get to this point.All appeals and whatever else needs to be done should be over in five years at the most.

I'm against the death penalty, but people like this make it awfully hard.

 

Ditto.