Talk About Bad Timing

Some idiot judge in California decided that the death penalty is unconstitutional.
From Fox News: A federal judge ruled California's death penalty unconstitutional Wednesday, writing that lengthy and unpredictable delays have resulted in an arbitrary and unfair capital punishment system.
The decision by U.S. District Court Judge Cormac J. Carney represents a legal victory for those who want to abolish the death penalty in California and follows a similar ruling that has suspended executions in the state for eight years.  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/07/17/federal-judge-rules-california-death-penalty-unconstitutional/
Yeah, he was appointed by George Bush, but he is still an idiot.
And today, from Stockton, CA: The investigation into the bank robbery, hourlong chase and gunfight that left one hostage and two bank robbery suspects dead is "active and likely lengthy," Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones said at a news conference Wednesday night.

A multi-agency protocol investigation has begun involving not only the Stockton Police Department but the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department, San Joaquin County District Attorney's office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

But based on the Police Department's preliminary investigation, here's how the events unfolded that, Jones said, "basically put our entire community at risk."

At 2:10 p.m., three armed men went inside the Bank of the West in the 7800 block of Thornton Avenue.

A security guard spotted them immediately and called police before the robbers tied him up.

At 2:11 p.m., a Stockton policewoman was at the bank and saw the suspects taking three women hostage at gunpoint; two bank employees and one customer.

At 2:16 p.m., the gunmen forced their hostages inside an SUV that belonged, the police said, to a civilian. The vehicle then sped off.

Within a couple of blocks, Jones said, one of the employees was shot and "(the suspects) either threw her out or she jumped out."

A one-hour chase took the suspect SUV and the following police vehicles through Stockton, to Lodi and Acampo, and back through north Stockton. Police were under gunfire most of the time, Jones said.

"At least 14 police vehicles were struck by bullets," Jones said. "This was one of the most dangerous, tense situations a police officer can be in.

"The firing on officers was constant. ... It was dangerous not only for police officers, but for other vehicles and homes."

At one point during the pursuit, the SUV had stopped around a corner, turned and was facing in anticipation from where oncoming police cars would come, Jones said.

One of the gunmen was leaning out of the vehicle, taking aim with a rifle. An officer saw the suspect from another vantage point and shot at the man, which resulted in the SUV taking off again.

It would have been an ambush, Jones said, saying the officer had most likely saved lives by the action.

At another point in the chase, a second hostage, the other bank employee, was injured and ejected from the SUV. It is unclear if her injury is from a gunshot or from leaving the moving vehicle.

About an hour after the chase began, police shot out the tires of the SUV, Jones said, and the vehicle stopped at Thornton Road and Otto Drive.

There, "one of (the suspects) used the (remaining) hostage as a shield," Jones said. "It will not be clear for some time when the hostage was shot or by whom."

The gunmen were intent on killing officers and others, Jones said, calling the days events "unfathomable" and "reckless."  http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140717/A_NEWS/407170327

1 gunman thug survived.  Please tell me why this thug should not be sentenced to die for a innocent hostage being killed and another 2 injured.  In addition, the hour long shootout put cops and civilians at severe danger.

Just another idiot California judge who had some bad timing.