The Governor
of Nebraska, Pete Ricketts received the Rayner
Goddard Act of Courage Award from the comrades of Unit 1012. He favors the
use of the death penalty and is working to retain it in his state.
We have
watched him fight for justice and the death penalty in Nebraska and want him to know that he has encouraged victims' families and
leaders worldwide. We honor and respect him. We hope that more judges and
government officials will follow their courageous character.
Gov. Ricketts' Vetoes Death
Penalty Repeal
May 26,
2015
Urges
senators to stand with Nebraskans, on the right side of history
Lincoln – This
afternoon, Governor Pete Ricketts vetoed LB268, a bill which would repeal the
death penalty in Nebraska. The bill also attempts to repeal the sentences of
convicted murderers currently sitting on death row. Governor Ricketts announced
his veto at a veto-signing ceremony held at the Nebraska State Capitol at
3:00pm today.
Governor
Ricketts was joined at the ceremony by Attorney General Doug Peterson, family
members of a victim of the 2002 Norfolk bank shooting, state senators, and
members of the law enforcement community.
“Today,
I am vetoing LB268 which would repeal the death penalty in Nebraska,”
said Governor Pete Ricketts. “Repealing the death
penalty sends the wrong message to Nebraskans who overwhelming support capital
punishment and look to government to strengthen public safety, not weaken it.
Under this bill, there is no guarantee that convicted murderers will stay behind
bars for life or not harm other innocent victims.”
“The
Legislature’s decision will test whether our state has the prosecutorial tools
to manage the ‘worst of the worst’ cases. Their decision will determine whether
the families of the victims of ten men on Nebraska’s death row will ever
receive the justice meted out by a very deliberate and cautious judicial
process in each of their cases. Their decision tests the true meaning of
representative government. For these reasons, I urge Nebraskans to contact
their senator, and ask them to sustain my veto.”
The
Governor also pointed out that life imprisonment, as proposed in LB268, is not
a thoughtful compromise because it does not guarantee that a convicted murderer
will spend his life behind bars. The case of convicted murderer Laddie Dittrich
demonstrates this. Dittrich was sentenced to life imprisonment, yet after
serving only 40 years in prison, his sentence was commuted by the Pardons
Board. He was then paroled, and shortly thereafter arrested for sexually
assaulting a young girl.
“Heinous
murderers such as the ten on Nebraska’s death row have surrendered their lives
by their own utter disregard for human life,” said
Attorney General Peterson. “The state affirms this
reality through a sentence of death. The state should not be deprived of its
ability to carry out a just sentence.”
“I
watched my daughter die over and over again on the security camera footage
during the trial and then during the sentencing,” said
Vivian Tuttle, mother to 2002 Norfolk bank shooting victim Evonne Tuttle. “The jury said my daughter’s murderer should be put to
death, and I believe it is appropriate for justice to be carried out. Senators
who vote to override the Governor’s veto of LB268 are preventing justice for my
daughter and all of the other families from being carried out.”
“As
I have been visiting with senators, I have informed them that the death penalty
is an important tool used by prosecutors and law enforcement in tough cases,”
said Pierce County Sheriff Rick Eberhardt. “Senators
should listen to their county attorneys, juries, as well as judges. Do not
second guess their work. This is a matter of local control.”
“The
death penalty remains an important tool and protection for Nebraska’s law
enforcement community that works firsthand to protect our state against
dangerous criminals,” said Brian Petersen of the State Troopers
Association of Nebraska (STAN) in a prepared statement.
“The
deterrent effect of capital punishment protects lives, including the lives of our
state’s men and women who wear blue. Law enforcement put their lives on the
line every day, and they deserve every protection our state can provide to
them. Repealing the death penalty strips away one of those protections at a
time when law enforcement faces greater risks than ever before. STAN urges
senators to sustain the Governor’s veto of LB268.”
INTERNET
SOURCE: http://www.ktiv.com/story/29628423/2015/07/24/ricketts-supports-death-penalty-referendum-in-nebraska
Ricketts
supports death penalty referendum in Nebraska
Posted: Jul 25, 2015 5:50 AM
SOUTH SIOUX
CITY, NE (KTIV) –
There's
little more than a month to go until a deadline for petitions to put Nebraska's
death penalty to a public vote.
If
proponents of the death penalty collect about 58,000 signatures, at locations
like this one in Nofolk, under state law they will force a statewide referendum
on the death penalty in November 2016. If the organizers collect twice that
number, the new law repealing capital punishment will be blocked until the
referendum.
It's a
movement Governor Pete Ricketts supports.
That said,
Ricketts admits no one wants to put another human being to death. "We all wish we lived in a society where we didn't have
dangerous criminals," said Gov. Pete Ricketts, (R) Nebraska. "But, the fact of the matter is we do have dangerous
criminals, and we need the death penalty to protect society, and the law
enforcement officers who protect us."
INTERNET SOURCE: http://www.knopnews2.com/home/headlines/Governor-Pete-Ricketts-on-Death-Penalty-321960251.html
Governor Pete
Ricketts on Death Penalty
By Travis
Robinson |
Posted: Sat
1:54 PM, Aug 15, 2015 |
Updated:
Sat 10:41 PM, Aug 15, 2015
The death penalty was repealed back in
may, but ever since then Governor Ricketts has been pushing to get a citizen
vote for the death penalty. A petition is going around to put the issue on the
ballot so that Nebraskans can decide to bring back the death penalty or keep it
away. Governor Ricketts says it's not about wanting to kill people, it's about
trying to protect others.
"We need to make sure
that we've got the right policy in place to be able to protect ourselves and to
be able to protect law enforcement." Ricketts said. "Just think about our corrections officers going to our
prisons every day and deal with dangerous criminals. We need a sanction beyond
just life in prison to be able to make sure we keep them safe."
After the governor spoke with the
Republicans he put his signature on the petition for the death penalty himself.
If you are in favor of the death
penalty and would like to sign the petition you can find a digital version at
http://www.nebraskansforthedeathpenalty.com/sign-the-petition/
YOU ARE OUR HERO
We, the comrades of
Unit 1012: The VFFDP, send our utmost thanks and congratulation to Governor
Pete Ricketts. He is our hero in showing his care and love for the murdered
victims’ families. We wish that more leaders can take his leadership example
and follow it. We will pray for him all the way.
If you are a registered
Nebraskan voter, please sign the petition
and vote to retain the death penalty.
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