Police officer Ralph Ablanedo probably wasn't expecting to die when he stopped David Lee Powell's automobile on a routine traffice violation on May 18, 1978.
Three juries later Powell has been convicted three times and sentenced to die three times for opening fire with a Russian-made AK-47 machine gun, hitting the unsuspecting police officer at least four times.
Powell is scheduled to be executed Tuesday, June 15, 2010 for the cold-blooded execution of Officer Ablanedo, by lethal injection in Huntstivlle, Texas.
Lieutenant Tommy Collins was the last Wichita Falls police officer to be killed in the line of duty in 1989. Wichitans hope he will be the last.
Collins was bravely going to the aid of fellow officers who were under sniper fire when he died as the result of a gunshot wound.
The death penalty is not available for all murder cases in Texas.
The Texas Legislature believed that the law enforcement officers who risk their lives for normal citizens should have the ultimate protection of the law in the form of the death penalty.
The thought process behind the law is that criminals will hesitate to kill a police officer or a deputy sheriff if they know they face the death penalty.
Certain requirements must be met to transform a murder case into a capital murder case for which a jury may consider the death penalty in most cases.
The murder of a law enforcement officer is one situation which qualifies a killer for the death penalty.
A recent study published by the Associated Press indicated the death penalty in the past year has probably saved approximately 600 lives in Texas.
The study was done by researchers at Sam Houston University and Duke University, and is the first done on monthly statistics from the State of Texas. It was published in the respected magazine The Criminologist.
The research indicated that the number of murders was reduced each month there was an execution and each month after an execution during 2009.
Most law enforcement officials in Wichita Falls believe the possiblity of the death penalty for those who kill police officers do make their jobs safer.
Supporters of Powell argue his life should be spared since he graduated from high school a year early as a valedictorian, was in the honors program at the University of Texas and taught other inmates on Death Row how to read.
Wichita County District Attorney Barry Macha has successfully prosecuted several death penalty cases from Wichita Falls.
The familly of slain police officer Ralph Ablanedo do not believe that the fact Powell was a good student should cause the death penalty to be thrown out in this case. Ablanedo's son David Mills said, "It's been a long time. I think the process has been more than fair to him, and I think he's had an opportunity to make his case."
The execution is set for "after the hour of 6 p.m." Tuesday.
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Comments
One of the core texts of Western Civilization says "Thou shall not kill". David Lee Powell ignored this when he coldly murdered Officer Ralph Ablanado. But "an eye for an eye" is Hammurabi's code, not the code of the West with it's Judeo-Christian and Classical heritage. We can find a better way to protect society than to execute this pathetic man.
... but until we do, the lethal injection is the best way to dispose of this trash.
David Lee Powell executed Officer Ralph Ablanedo in cold blood. Now it is time for The State of Texas to become his executor.
Correction to previous statement. I meant to say The State of Texas should be David Lee Powell's executioner.
Powell was carrying $ 5000 worth of illegal drugs to sell in the neighboring city of Kileen TX armed with an automatic AK 47 and a number of hand grenades when stopped by Officer Ablanedo when he killed the officer in cold blood at the moment when Officer Ablnedo was no threat to him. He was a good man. After the incident Powell ran away like a coward rat later to be cornered by police where he tossed a hand grenade at the confronting officers which failed to explode because Powell forgot to disengage its safety before pulling out the pin. He was not only a drug dealer but a cold blooded murderer and now should face the music by facing the execution.
Thanks for your message, Supereagle. We all need to remember the brave law enforcement people who risk and sometimes sacrifice their lives for us like Officer Ablanedo did. Thank you again.
Thanks for ridding us of a shit cop
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