The judge made the exact decision i would've. Why should GOD have mercy for this man? Did he have mercy for his family? No he didnt. So death penalty is the least he deserves. He killed innocent people. GOD forgives many sins but i dont now if he will forgive him for killing his family. Its called justice. For the people who do not believe in the Death penalty put yourselves in the same situation and think before you comment.

What's God have to do with this sordid affair? If God had gotten involved earlier, mom and kids would still be alive. Showing mercy for this, forgiving that seems rather after-the-fact.  

The Harpers are truly amazing people. They are able to forgive and show compassion in a time of pain and anguish. The death penalty is not vindication for them. It wont bring back their loved ones nor does it make them feel better. It's for the community and people who feel it is the correct response when one is convicted of heinous crimes. I'm against the death penalty but the reality is if he is ever executed most people will have forgotten by then. The ruling today was anticlimactic to all the other events that took place during and after the trial. Did anyone expect anything different?

Despite having the fairest possible trial, the possibility remains that the convicted is innocent. An execution cannot be reversed. The mandated appeals only look at errors in the administration of the law, not the validity of the outcome. Many convicted have been ultimately found to be innocent due to improved ways of dealing with evidence.

In the Brothers case, the evidence was circumstantial leaving the possibility that he is innocent.

The heinousness of the crime and Brothers own behavior make it seem immoral to even think of the possibility that he may someday be proved innocent, When considering the death penalty, we need to keep in mind that this is both unlikely, yet possible.

Let us add to this case the fact that the judge is going to be holding CONTEMPT OF COURT hearing in November for the defense lawyers for their actions during the trial. I doubt that anything will happen to them, but it is refreshing that this will happen. It is not often the defense lawyers are held to the same degree of accountability as the prosecution... did I say "not often", I should have said NEVER.

I agree, freethinker. This is why I see the Harpers as "classy" and "dignified" as Sagefever put it. It's hard to let go of those feelings of anger and be willing to forgive. An execution (more killing) doesn't rectify the situation. It only makes people feel better for some morbid reason. I don't see how Howard's comments insult the jury. The problem with circumstantial evidence, Steve, is that it's... well...circumstantial. He even explains his logic behind his position (Irreversible, slim possibilities of errors, etc.).  The jury did their job and had no personal vendetta to kill someone. I think they looked at the evidence that was presented and made a decision accordingly (even though I don't agree with it).

I hope he lives long enough to feel the worst San Quintin has to offer. Then they can execute him.

Alright, so Brothers killed five members of his family. He is a monster, and for that reason, he should be put to death. But does killing five people, including children, make him more of a monster than a murderer who has only killed one? If we are going to kill someone like Brothers, not that I agree we should, we would be morally obligated to execute perpetrators of single murders, don't you think? Otherwise, we are sentencing a man based on the lives of his victims. If Brothers killed five gang members instead of family members, would he keep his right to live? Who are we to judge whether someone's life is worth committing another murder, or sentencing them to life in prison? I suppose I'm just not on that pedestal.

Furthermore, I hate that this murderer is now a victim, and I hate the fact that the word victim triggers empathetic feelings in any rational human being. He's a murderer, a brutal, twisted man with psychological problems I doubt any of us can understand. And I would like to treat him as such. But now, I just occasionally feel bad for him. He's going to die, and I don't want anyone to die. Capital punishment turns murderers into victims, and that isn't right. I would love to just be disgusted with him, and I am, but it would be hypocritical to disapprove of the murders of his family, but not his.

We are legally not allowed to let a patient in a hospital in constant pain kill HIMSELF, but our government can take a life. If you get cancer and are in insurmountable pain, you're not allowed to do anything about it. It's against the law, you MUST live. But if you commit a crime, the government CAN kill you. The government has more of a right to YOUR life than you??? Does that sound right to anyone?? 

Oh! And another thing! Has anyone seen the electronic billboards that say, "Vincent Brothers sentenced to death!" With a freaking exclaimation mark?! Classy, very classy. Only in Bakersfield, I'll tell ya.

When I first saw Brothers my first thought was he doesn't look like a murderer. He doesn't look like someone who could do something like this.

I have lived life enough to know that you cannot judge a book by its cover. But what he did transcends just killing another human being. Some of us have been called upon to do that in the course of doing our duty. Some of us have done that without really knowing it during H&I ops in war where you are just lobbing mortar rounds into the air. But that is vastly different than killing another human in a non-war situation. But he not only did that, he killed his babies.

And when his daughter said what she did (and she is an articulate, bright, young lady IMO) it cemented in my mind he surely is guilty. Forget Lisa Green, the trial, etc.

What I propose to you now is:

If he is put in general population, he won't last 6 months. If he is on death row he will (at great cost to taxpayers) live out his natural days.

Given our system in CA, these people that push for DP should reconsider their position if they really want these guys to be put to death.

Tangled,

I emailed Lamar Advertising about this and got the following response:

"Why would we be singled out in comparison to the Bakersfield Californian, NBC KGET, ABC KERO, CBS KBAK, Fox News,
Am. General Media, Buckley Broadcasting, KUZZ, Clear Channel Media [sic]?

We were only reporting the local news."

Nice cop out. I just don't see why they couldn't have honored the victims instead.

It was the exclaimation mark that got me. It is like Merry Christmas! or Happy Birthday! or We win! I don't think anyone really wins when the death penalty is involved. If they consider that reporting, they should keep the editorializing out of it.

The exclamation mark is no different than "Breaking News" on TV.  And the families HAVE been honored..the decision is news.

As for the decision.  The amazing thing is that people demand we presume innocence and to let the court handle the whole "alleged" crime.  Then when the justice system finds the defendent guilty, they STILL complain.  So just what is it these people want? 

"And the families HAVE been honored..the decision is news."

Really? The Lamar Billboards mentioned the victims? I must have missed that. All I saw was Brothers' name.

The families HAVE been honored in the news.  I didn't say they were honored on that billboard, and I think you  knew what I meant with my comment.  What WOULD you liked to have seen on that billboard that honored the family and was considered "breaking news?"  People have been wondering for months what the outcome would be..the billboard announced it..nothing more.

Was the sarcasm really necessary?

timec, you just go ahead and support Vincent. And are you going to help his mother "deliver justice" and find the real killer who "done dat?"

TangledUp, I see what you are saying. However, I am 100% in favor of the State executing cold blooded killers like Vincent Brothers. It is difficult to find any reason why he should be able to breathe the same nasty old air that we breathe. He made his choice, and the law abiding citizens of our community convicted him for the mass murders he committed.

Why does everyone seem to forget about the 5 victims he slaughtered?

I say he should rot in hell....