FOREVER FIGHTING IN MEMORY OF MICHAEL LYONS (DIED: MAY 16, 1996)

            To celebrate the first anniversary of Unit 1012: The VFFDP, We, will remember Michael Lyons and post an article from his mother, Sandy Friend who fought to preserve California’s death penalty in 2012.

Michael Lyons (PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=601742139849382&set=pb.601603449863251.-2207520000.1380190203.&type=3&theater)

INTERNET SOURCE: http://www.change.org/petitions/forever-fighting-in-memory-of-michael-lyons

Petitioned The Governor of CA

Forever Fighting In Memory of Michael Lyons

Petition by

Sandy Friend

Marysville, CA

My name is Sandra Friend. I am the mother of Michael Lyons.  Michael was brutally murdered in May 1996 in Yuba City, California. He was only 8 year old when he was kidnapped while he was walking home from school.  Michael never made it home that day, for there was a sexual predator stalking him.

This monster took Michael, tortured him for 10 hours, inflicting 70 to 80 non-lethal stab wounds to my little boy. Yet he was not finished; he continued to rape Michael the entire time.  He ultimately took his life the following morning.

The monster who took Michael is no stranger to the criminal justice system.  Robert Rhoades is a serial killer and a rapist who preys on the innocent.  In April, 1984, he kidnapped, raped and murdered Julie Connell in Alameda County while she studied at a Pleasanton Park.  Four days later, he robbed another woman in San Lorenzo, CA.

One year later, in April 1985, Rhoades kidnapped, robbed, sexually assaulted and tortured a woman at knifepoint in Yuba County.  Rhoades told the victim that he was taking her to the river bottoms in Marysville to kill her.   This victim jumped from a moving car to save her own life.  In 1993, Rhoades sexually assaulted a 4-year-old girl in Amador County.  A few years later, he murdered my little boy.

Rhoades rightfully received the death penalty in both Michael and Julie’s case. Our communities could see the pure evil monster that our children came across on those fateful days. Members of our communities delivered the only punishment deserving of his crimes-the Death Penalty.

Rhoades is the poster child for the death penalty. He is the reason we all need to stand up and be heard, because these monsters will never stop. Rhoades is a master manipulator, meticulous in each crime he does as he says, "the good ones never get caught." He is a monster who targets our children; he has no remorse for the crimes he has committed. He is pure evil.

Can you imagine the criminals he will be in contact with if left to live out his life in prison? He will breed a new type of criminals and killers. He has 725 equally sadistic evil monsters to spend his life with if we abolish the death penalty.

Rhoades was hiding amongst us year after year, destroying our communities and our lives by taking the things we cherish most- our loved ones. Rhoades may have thought he silenced Michael, but Michael will never be silenced. I will be Michael’s voice and I will continue to fight for Michael’s rights- for the Victims’ rights. I may have been a Victim but now I am a Survivor. Thank you for your time.

PLEASE BE THE VOICE OF THE VICTIMS WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THESE MURDERERS SHOWED NO MERCY FOR THE LIVES THEY TOOK... VOTE TO KEEP THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THESE HEINOUS KILLERS.

Visit www.waitingforjustice.net to see the truth about the ACLU's effort to abolish the death penalty.

Sandy Friend  

Michael’s Mother

Michael Lyons (PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=601742136516049&set=pb.601603449863251.-2207520000.1380190203.&type=3&permPage=1)

To:
The Governor of CA
California Voters, Death Penalty

I just signed the following petition addressed to: California Voters:

Vote To Keep the Death Penalty In California.

I just want to share some facts with you on the Death Penalty and the killers who make up death row in California.

There are 725 men on death row; 17 more are women. These killers are the worst of the worst. They are cop killers, serial killers and child rape killers. 135 cases involved sexual assault and murder. 126 cases involved torture before murder. 220 victims were children. 44 victims were peace officers

Countless more people were victimized by these murderers and fortunately survived.

These killers earned the death sentenced given to them by juries across this state. The families of these murder victims and citizens of California deserve to have the punishment carried out.

The system is broken because those who want to abolish it have broken it. These murderers don't deserve to benefit from a system their lawyers broke. We need to Mend It-Not End It.

Abolishing the death penalty will cost taxpayers millions of dollars every year to pay for their housing and healthcare. Housing them for life and giving them luxuries that many people never have in life is simply wrong. Executing them and carrying out the will of the people not only saves money but serves justice.

Robert Rhoades should not be in general population where he can teach other criminals about his crimes. He deserves to stay on death row where he has little interaction with others. Life on death row is not inhumane; it is deserved.

If you believe for one minute that these Monsters are being punished or are suffering you are wrong. Our prisons are overcrowded; more and more murderers, child molesters and rapists are being released. That is a fact.

Any claims that innocent people are on death row are just wrong. Even Governor Brown has said there are no innocent people on death row. Death row is made up of killers of different races and backgrounds. Michael's killer, Robert Rhoades, came from a very wealthy, upper class family in Yuba City.

The claim that families and victims seek death for revenge is just wrong. We want JUSTICE. We are waiting for justice.

I stand united with victims. I will be the voice for my son Michael. I ask each of you to stand with me; stand up for victims. Stop the ACLU. Preserve the Death Penalty for California's worst killers.

Visit www.waitingforjustice.net to learn the truth about this cause.

VOTE THIS COMING NOVEMBER...

Sincerely,
[Your name]

OTHER LINKS:

http://www.michaellyonsfoundation.org/news.htm

Team Michael T-Shirt (PHOTO SOURCE: http://www.michaellyonsfoundation.org/prod01.htm)