tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post6200366635572932849..comments2024-03-26T11:27:35.814-07:00Comments on Tom Stephenson: A dog's lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-68122744260690799932010-06-19T11:24:13.572-07:002010-06-19T11:24:13.572-07:00Yes, as I understand it, he had asked to be shot, ...Yes, as I understand it, he had asked to be shot, because when they convicted him over 25 years ago, execution by firing squad was legal in the state, and they could not refuse his request. They still kept the poor fucker in isolation, on death row for 25 YEARS before doing it though.<br /><br />You have a good point about abdication of responsibility Sarah, but I think that if you volunteer to shoot someone, the intent is there, and - if you cannot take it as an individual - then you should not volunteer in the first place. If the state takes full responsibility, then surely, if you are pointing one of 5 guns, the shared is taken for granted?Tom Stephensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979590950587415840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-58703571085234413752010-06-19T10:29:27.872-07:002010-06-19T10:29:27.872-07:00Tom, you've just brought up something interest...Tom, you've just brought up something interesting with the blanks and thanks mollygolver for encapsulating the perspective on man and dog. <br />Every rifleman knows, yes, when they've shot a blank. But that is not the point. It's not about the abdication of responsibility but the sharing of it.<br />It's funny, i knew nothing about Ronnie until I read your post and then the next morning I was in a petrol station buying a coffee and one of those odd conversations (that happen early in the day with people who are still waking and trying to cope with a new day in this world)happened and it was all about this man.<br />The woman who made my coffee said that he had asked to be shot. Is this correct?sarah toahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12412812914705725798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-66148768206094875882010-06-19T10:07:37.225-07:002010-06-19T10:07:37.225-07:00I had (rather arrogantly) assumed that, Sarah!
...I had (rather arrogantly) assumed that, Sarah! <br /><br />I have just seen a photo of the back of the chair in which Mr Gardner was shot - some rather tastefully painted, tongue and groove black boards, which - no doubt - had half a ton of sand behind them. The grouping of 3 of the four rounds is very tight, but one of the State Troopers was such a bad shot, that he missed the white target pinned to Gardner's chest by about 3 inches. That's three inches, with a sighted, .30 calibre rifle from a distance of 25 feet... Not that it makes much difference, as one round through the heart would have been enough.<br /><br />The procedure went as follows: The assembled press and witnesses knew that the execution was about to take place, because the music changed from 'The Eagles' and 'SuperTramp' to a more fitting and sombre, 'Debussy'. How thoughtful of the wardens to turn off their iPods for a couple of minutes.<br /><br />Gardner was strapped to the chair, then hooded. 5 troopers were issued with identical, .30 calibre, Winchester rifles (deadly from about 1 mile and John Wayne's favourite weapon), but only 4 were loaded with live rounds, the 5th had a blank, in case one of the troopers wanted to deny responsibility.<br /><br />If you have ever fired any sort of firearm, you will know that - from the recoil etc. - you will always know if you fired a blank, so issuing one blank round is just plain bollocks.<br /><br />They then poked their weapons through a slot in the wall and fired, leaving the press watching the left arm of Gardner moving for a while, his fist clenching and unclenching.<br /><br />They even supplied a small tray to catch the unsightly blood - how thoughtful.Tom Stephensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979590950587415840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-91778529758697855142010-06-19T02:17:41.590-07:002010-06-19T02:17:41.590-07:00Just to say that I meant 'I've' nothin...Just to say that I meant 'I've' nothing to bring apart from disappointment! Rather reads like I meant you, how rude would that be! I wasn't concentrating, it was all that disappointment! xfen and nedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16416167106222051257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-83011476596757159432010-06-19T01:04:51.470-07:002010-06-19T01:04:51.470-07:00Nothing intelligent to bring to the table as alway...Nothing intelligent to bring to the table as always, just disappointment at some peoples behaviour....walks away blubbing with chicos face etched in the mind.fen and nedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16416167106222051257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-88377854172044301682010-06-18T15:33:59.152-07:002010-06-18T15:33:59.152-07:00I agree with all you say Molly. Chico ran out of ...I agree with all you say Molly. Chico ran out of luck. She actually asked me to take him back to England, but I thought she was joking. I didn't realise he was so ill thought of.Tom Stephensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979590950587415840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-8705920000543730612010-06-18T14:35:49.380-07:002010-06-18T14:35:49.380-07:00Tom - I read this post through twice and feel the ...Tom - I read this post through twice and feel the same compassion you obviously feel about Chico and Ronnie Lee Gardener. Little Chico was such a gorgeous little dog. Why couldn't they have have let someone else love him and care for him! Our cats will catch and kill birds with half an opportunity, that's why the bird table is way up. But they don't know they're doing anything wrong and that's what they do! As for Ronnie Lee Gardener until any of us have walked in someone else's shoes, how can we judge? Thanks for putting that post up.Mollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604864977387798470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-50523517659198701032010-06-18T10:54:15.968-07:002010-06-18T10:54:15.968-07:00I wonder if it would have worked if they had tied ...I wonder if it would have worked if they had tied a dead lawyer around the neck of Gardner for a few weeks? <br /><br />I put this post up so people would think about Gardner and Chico, despite the fact they have met neither.<br /><br />You have added another dimension to your fascination, now that you have admitted to finding beatings with dead chickens strangely satisfying, Sarah. It's not doing much for my sea-legs.Tom Stephensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979590950587415840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-52022678313195704422010-06-18T06:25:42.569-07:002010-06-18T06:25:42.569-07:00Poor Chico, poor Ronnie.
I used to have a lurcher ...Poor Chico, poor Ronnie.<br />I used to have a lurcher who left cleanly killed chickens on the back doorstep for me. She really thought she was doing the righht thing. I tried the chicken around the neck thing. I tried beating her with dead chickens. (strangely satisfying) In the end, I got rid of the chickens.sarah toahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12412812914705725798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-32302829481755544132010-06-18T04:16:36.957-07:002010-06-18T04:16:36.957-07:00I question Capital Punishment for this man and for...I question Capital Punishment for this man and for Chico. This is humanity?Razmatazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02757164543598076420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-52723583631788937372010-06-18T04:08:30.379-07:002010-06-18T04:08:30.379-07:00So...the moral of the story (for me)...a rescue pu...So...the moral of the story (for me)...a rescue pup, it has to be!<br />(sorry...didn't mean to make that rhyme).<br /><br />Bad enough to think about Chico, I'm trying desperately hard not to think about Gardner.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00728645243327906117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2505385214324438018.post-15380902032454737162010-06-18T04:05:21.948-07:002010-06-18T04:05:21.948-07:00They used to recommend tying the dead chicken to t...They used to recommend tying the dead chicken to the dog's collar, and leaving it there until it rotted. Whether this put them off doing it again, I've never heard.<br /><br />I didn't know they shot their baddies in the US. A wee bit extreme, n'est pas?Cro Magnonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06840670227576695352noreply@blogger.com