Sedgwick County Deputy District Attorney Kevin O’Connor last week criticized state corrections officials for giving BTK serial killer Dennis Rader some modest privileges, such as being able to watch TV and listen to the radio, based on good behavior. "We’re having a hard time understanding why somebody like this is allowed to earn privileges when all the evidence was presented as to how he can turn what most people would consider to be innocent into something that is evil," said O’Connor.
To be sure, Rader’s reading material should be closely monitored and controlled. But it’s pointless to start second-guessing what might feed his fantasies. Beyond the obvious, who knows? And who cares?
Corrections officials are in a position to determine how best to dole out Rader’s punishment — and incentives for good behavior are an established, proven method of controlling the inmate population.
The important point: Rader is in lockup, in an 8-by-10 isolated cell, and he’s never getting out.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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18 Comments
Important point in support of the death penalty:
If Dennis Rader were dead, Dennis Rader would NEVER KILL AGAIN!
Too bad, he committed his crimes before capital punishment was legal here in KS.
He HAD his 15 minutes of glory. I don’t want to read his name, I don’t care what he does/doesn’t do in prison. I don’t care if he gets to read papers or watch tv. I don’t care if he picks his nose with a shovel.
Enough of Rader. He is a sick, twisted, glory hound who is where he deserves to be—preferably in total anonymity–for the rest of his miserable life.
Let him draw! Let him talk to any brain doc that wants to go listen to him. No books and no exposure at large to the public he craves. But let the experts pick his brain and learn what he is made of.
Of course it’s important to have him off the street, but some people seem to be ignoring the punishment part of the sentencing. In my opinion, what the officials at El Dorado are doing is just wrong! Where is the repayment to society and the victims’ families? Where? This man is probably living a better life now than he was before — he has unlimited time to live in his fantasy world now.
It’s almost an invitation to other serial killers to relocate to Kansas. After all, if you get caught, all you get is your own cell equipped with TV, magazines to read at your leisure and time to shower and exercise five days a week.
The poster above did have one good point…who is picking this guy’s brain apart? Who is using him as a learning tool so that we may deter or capture other serial killers?
The lack of empathy for the victims’ family the El Dorado officials is appalling.
Sorry, last line from the post above should read:
The lack of empathy for the victims’ families on the part of the El Dorado officials is appalling.
Kevin O’Connor is just trying to score points for his next run as DA somewhere. Thanks for giving Rader more publicity.
It is sad that Rader won’t be put down. But give the folks at El Dorado credit for knowing how to run a prison.
There are far worse people than Rader in prison who get their priveleges. Since Kansas doesn’t have the guts to actually execute someone who deserves it, Rader should be treated just like the rest of the prisoners.
Unknown to most Kansans, Mr Radar’s situation is very similar to that of approximately 100 inmates that Kansas used to house for very lucrative payments because other states simply could not handle them.I delt with these inmates every day for more years than anyone in the state ever had, and can tell you first hand that to place someone in an isolation cell, with nothing to occupy the mind or consume the time will create the most vicious, mindless sort of animal that man can imagine.The greatest mistake people make is in their assumption that because a man has 175 years before he can see the parole board, it means he will never get out. Nothing can be further from the truth. At some point, if they don’t die in prison they always get out. I didn’t realize it myself until one day in the old A&T building at Lansing. There was an inmate by the name of Lavell Hannon, who had a paticularly violent past. In 1957, he and another 17 year old robbed and beat a train condutor to death with a 2×4. Lavell pleaded guilty and was given a life sentence. Fast forward to that day in 1989 when Lavell lost maybe his 20th attempt at freedom through the courts. I asked Lavell why he chose to keep inventing new reasons, and continuously filing filing phoney appeals, lawsuits etc, instead of just getting out of the hole and making the best life for himself that he could in general population? I remember his exact words. He said, “My Name”, you don’t understand how things work. I have to do this and never quit. Sooner or later we all get out. People get old, people die and their memories fade. Sooner or later I will run across a dumbshit judge that is going to believe every word I say and he is going to set me free. Everybody gets out sooner or later, “My Name”.I never thought much of it until about a year later when after 30 years of phoney filings, and lots of practice for Washburn law students, an idiot judge in topeka ruled that Lavell’s cofession was invalid, and ordered his immediate release despite covictions for other crimes while in prison. Fortuntately for all, it was appealed and his further crimes kept him incarcerated until his death a year or two later. Unfortunately though, after doing some serious research, I found that what Lavell said was true. It is the rule, not the exception that all inmates get out at some point.
Gee, You’ll be sorry!, So what does an inmate given the death penalty do with her/his time for the 10 to 20 years between conviction and possible execution?
It all depends on the State they are in Brian. In most they do the very same thing that Rader and other Admin Seg inmates do, and that is watch cable television (at your expense) Read, exercise, scam the public with the telephones placed in the cells compliments of the KDOC and AT&T, plot, plan, scheme. They seek out “Mud Ducks” to do their bidding, con media types to take up their cause, find ways to get drugs in, attempt to develop relationships with staff and administration types. They write thousands of letters to politicians telling of the horrors they face, and how they are the victims. There really is no end or limit to the things they can do to pass the time, however it is almost always a continuation of what they did to get there in the first place. Manipulate, harm, and destroy everything they come in contact with. There is really no limit to what they will do as long as it causes harm to society and the system itself, it is acceptable.
Scum like Rader and da carr brothas and all killers and sex offenders should swing at the end of piano wire nooses. There should be one appeal and the scum should die within one year of being sentenced!
Viva La Revolucion Blanco!!!
You’ll Be Sooory,
That’s my point, if they have 15 or 20 years until the execution date to exhaust their appeals, it seems to me that they’re almost as likely to find a judge who’ll find fault with either the trial or the sentence. Unless you’re willing to execute them immediately or really speed up the appeals process, they’ll do the same things as the lifers do. I’d imagine given that it is a death penalty case, judges would scrutinize the whole thing a lot more seriously (for lack of a better word). I would suspect that the odds of finding a judge as you describe are pretty good given that no judge wants to be the one “caught” issuing the final judgement that ends in the execution an innocent person.
Brian,Your point is well taken and it is absolutely correct, however in death penalty cases there is a whole new set of obstructionay barriers to justice, besides that of judges that have no problem with interjecting their personal preferences above the law. Beleieve it or not there have been many attempts to reign in the out of control delays and countless appeals, however as soon as they do, the special interests find new ways to extend it further and drive up the cost to carry it out.In the case of Kansas however, the latest delay was intentionally built into the law by our legislators, with full knowledge that it was defective. This served the purpose of A) Allowing them to appear tough on crime B) Allowing prosecuter’s a highly questionable tool to get confessions. and C) Allowing them blame someone else when it is called into question.There was never any real intention on their part to carry an execution out as they and almost every law enforcement officer involved with the process new it would be declared unconstitutional just before time to carry it out.As far as no judge wanting to be the one caught issuing the final judgement that ends in the execution of an innocent man. I’m sorry but they are just not that noble as a group. It is more a matter of the longer they are in a position that is a lifetime appointment, the more they tend to view the law as a reflection of their personal opinion, instead of viewing themselves as a servant of the public and enforcer of the law.Another thing that I have noticed about judges is that as they get older, they tend to worry more about their own legacy and eventual demise, so their views tend to change radically if it will help them be viewed as compassionate. The term “Honorable” should always be taken with a grain of salt, as we should never forget that almost all judges are in reality glorified lawyers.
What do you suggest, then, given the current realities?
The solutions to the problems go well beyond the current issue I am afraid. The actual problem is the fact that our elected representatives do not work for the people that elect them, they work for the corporations and special interests that fund them. These people have in recent months become so bold as to have the audacity to actually legalize bribery and allow “certain” state employees to be paid by private interests, hidden from public scrutiny. They have effectively seeded and corrupted Kansas government from the top down to the lowest levels of public service with a mindset of superiority above the people. It simply does not matter if elected officials are democrats or republicans as they are both being paid by the very same sources. The only potiential solution is an anti incumbent movement like Kansas has never seen before, with an emphasis, or mandate on very strict term limits and the elimination of corporate special interest, and most importantly, out of state funding.Yes, I am aware that this is something of a pipe dream, but if people get fed up enough to start voting out incumbents as a matter of habit, sooner or later we will run across a crop that will have learned that they really do work for the people, instead of ruling over them. The first need however is to get Kansans to realize there is not a Democrat vs Republican divide, there is a government vs people divide in this state.Of course an aggressive FBI office and an AG of the caliber that New York has would be a huge help, but don’t hold your breath on that. State Farm, AT&T and Koch Industries would never allow anyone like that to get on the ballot.
I can understand the corruption issue, but could you please explain your logic on how this affects the death penalty. I can be dense sometimes.
You’re not dense, it is just a very complex and well disgused game that is played.As I said, the actual problem is drilled very deeply into the culture that has developed over the past 20 years within the governmental circles of this state. It has become common practice to introduce and pass defective, deceptive and misleading legislation based solely on the potiential profits that can be gleaned from it. In the case of the death penalty, they accepted huge amounts of money from proponents and inmate advocates, countless PAC’s, religious organizations, and never forget the unbelievable cash cow that stringing out the issue is for self serving lawyers. The introduction of faulty legislation also allows for huge amounts breaucratic spending as in the case of the KDOC’s “death chamber”, a project that allowed for massive amounts of money to be justified and promptly misspent. Along with the 2,000 dollars spent for the little white room with knock down walls, and a holding cell built entirely with materials already on hand, it provided for for a shiny new trainning center, computer lab and huge offices for the vast ocean of assistants, and assistants to the assistants, of the Warden. Tons of state of the art audio visual equipment, an I&I office and countless other little luxuries the public was never aware of.In short, it affects the death penalty because, in a state where in excess of 70% of the population supports it, it is profitable to keep the issue unresolved and forever on the table. With the inevitable ruling that the law is unconstitutional, it provides these people with the opportunity to return to the same well yet again… and they will.I know this seems rather incredible and somewhat conspiratory, but the fact of the matter is, these people are that far removed from the actual issues and see themselves as “Understanding the big picture”. The bastard facing death, and the wishes of the people have little or nothing to do with the “Big Picture” in the state of Kansas.
Why dont all of you faceless people who hide behind false names do something but bit#h about the laws.Get up off of your lazy butts and start contacting the people who write the laws and quit voting for the “hand ringers ” who think Cap. punishment is too harsh.