Texas executes convicted killer with IQ of 67

[brooklynite]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Texas inmate who had been described as intellectually disabled by civil rights advocates was put to death Thursday, officials said.

...snip...

Ladd was convicted in the 1996 killing of a Tyler, Texas, woman who was found beaten to death with a hammer, according to correctional records. He also set the woman's body on fire and robbed her after the slaying, records show.

...snip...

Ladd has an IQ of 67, and his pending execution has drawn stark criticism from civil rights advocates.

...snip...

Ladd had previously served prison time after he pleaded guilty to killing Vivian Thompson and her two children, Latoya and Maurice, in 1978. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison but paroled after serving 16 years of that sentence. He killed Garner two years later, court records show.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-texas-executes-robert-ladd-iq-67-20150129-story.html

[forest444]

1. And no,

it wasn't Dubya.

[Kennah]

2. My first thought was Perry

[forest444]

3. Bazinga.

[roamer65]

30. Darn.

[Kennah]

34. It's OK. Just means there's a chance to imprison him.

[Mnemosyne]

4. He makes * look like a piker now, surprisingly. Despicable. nt

[SoapBox]

5. Pukes and Baggers will kill, jai, send away...

Anyone they desire.

They...are...terrifying.

[candelista]

6. Some people shouldn't be in the world.

This guy, for example. Being a dim bulb has nothing to do with it.

[Ykcutnek]

7. Beat her to death with a hammer and set the body on fire?

Damn, it's hard being against the death penalty sometimes...

[duhneece]

12. And still I am

Some folks should be locked away from the public, but not killed by the stated because to prevent killing or punish for killing, we will kill them. Doesn't make sense, even knowing the facts.

[FLPanhandle]

13. Except then some will then argue against life without parole as too cruel.

They would even support paroling this guy after 10 years or so.

[Scootaloo]

32. No it's not

The only way I would be for the death penalty is if killing a murderer brougth hte murdered back to life with no trauma. Obviously it doesn't, and I'll securely bet that it never will.

Killing someone does not fix anything. It doesn't help anyone. it doesn't end any suffering, it doesn't heal any wounds. it just creates new holes.

[marshall]

40. It would have helped this woman if he had been executed for his earlier killings

I'm not arguing for the death penalty, but clearly if he had gotten that sentence when he killed a woman and her two children he would not have been able to kill his hammer victim.

[davidpdx]

8. Had to click on the link to check

But no surprise he was an AA. What is it with Texas and the pleasure they get with frying people? Sick, sick bastards

[christx30]

9. What was it with this guy

that made him want to club a woman to death with a hammer, then burn her children to death?
Maybe it's not about racism. Maybe sometimes, just sometimes, it's about making sure a monster can't hurt anyone else again.
And before you say that he was in prison and couldn't hurt anyone else again, I'd like to point out that he was out on parole, after murdering another woman.

[FLPanhandle]

14. The people that approved his parole should have been charged with manslaughter too.

Idiots.

He should have been in prison for life without any parole. However, someone probably thought that was "too cruel" also.

[christx30]

15. "He doesn't know that killing is wrong."

then I guess the best thing to do is to put him around a whole bunch of people out in the world, with no way of controlling him, right?

Agreeing with you. The sarcasm is directed at the well-meaning idiots on the parole board.

[davidpdx]

22. He should have been sentenced to life with out parole

Executing someone who has that low of an IQ is wrong. That's what I was referring to.

[christx30]

24. Then you're going to get people that claim

that sentencing someone with a low IQ to live without parole is cruel and unusual. But with him gone, we don't have to worry about some idiot in the future letting him go like after the first murder.

[davidpdx]

26. I'm oppose to the death penalty regardless as is most of DU

As to what other people claim, it is those kind of people who thrive off seeing people die.

[Thinkingabout]

28. Many are silent, don't make your judgement by those are speaking.

[davidpdx]

33. Are you talking about those who support it?

I have no doubt there is a small minority who do on DU.

I myself was on the fence for many many years and it took one thing to crash me off the fence and come down against it. While it may sound ridiculous what it was, it really got me thinking hard about it for once in my life. Looking back I can't honestly understand why I was ever on the fence.

[Thinkingabout]

35. Do you have information on how many do or don't or do you base this on your own thoughts?

There is the silent majority, those who do not get out and express their opinions.

[davidpdx]

38. It's a guess

We could never know how many are for sure. I'll admit that.

[Thinkingabout]

39. Good answer.

[christx30]

36. I don't thrive off seeing people die.

Quite the opposite. I believe in protecting people. Ladd was a terrible person. Low IQ or not, he was a dangerous, unpredictable child murderer. He didn't just kill them, he burned them alive after killing their mother. This man was a monster. And after all that, some brain dead piece of crap decided to unleash him on the population and he killed again.
His execution will stop any more brain dead idiots from taking pity on him and giving him a chance.

[840high]

29. I do not feel sorry he's gone.

[geek tragedy]

19. Eh, better than giving him a chance at parole I guess nt

[davidpdx]

23. He could have been given life without the possibility of parole

Executing someone who has that low of an IQ is wrong. That's what I was referring to.

[geek tragedy]

25. I guess you're right.

But given the extreme violence of this individual and the absence of prospects for rehabilitation, meh. No longer a threat to others.

[davidpdx]

27. He should have never seen the light of day regardless, but executing him was only one choice

He should have been in a max security prison.

[Major Nikon]

37. That option didn't exist in Texas until 2005

[secondvariety]

10. The saddest thing

about the story is the fact he served only 16 years for killing a woman and her children.

The world is a little safer without Mr. Ladd.

[bulloney]

11. The governor who authorized it has an IQ of 57.

[dembotoz]

16. that high huh

[christx30]

17. Wish that it happened after his first murder.

but some idiot on the parole board let him go. And now a woman and her children are dead.
The governor isn't the one with the low IQ. Now we know he'll never be able to do it again.

[geek tragedy]

18. They should have thrown away the key after he killed the first three people.

People who murder entire families for their own entertainment are beyond redemption, and should never have the possibility of setting foot in society again.

[Reter]

20. He killed a woman and her two children in 1978

How the Hell was this piece of shit let out after 16 years?

[christx30]

21. Parole board probably thought

it would be cruel to put someone with such a low IQ in prison for life. They were absolutely wrong.
I'd love to hear what those people have to say after this man's latest murder.

[MannyGoldstein]

31. As Governor of Arkanasas, didn't Bill Clinton allow the same thing?

IIRC, as a candidate for President he allowed a mentally-retarded man to be executed. I'll look it up.

I remember that being one of the things that made it clear to me that Clinton was not a helpful person.

Edit: yep, http://www.fdp.dk/uk/ment.htm