The government website petitions.whitehouse.gov allows citizens to submit petitions online, directly to the White House. If the petitioner manages to collect 100,000 signatures, the White House will issue an official response.
On Oct. 5, a petitioner identified as “J.R.” submitted a petition entitled “Publicly hang Benjamin Taylor.” The petition reads as follows:
On Oct 4, 2016, it was reported that Benjamin Taylor, of Cottageville Wv, sexually assaulted a 9 month old baby girl. As of the time of this petitions creation, the baby was pronounced brain dead as a result. Prison is too good for child rapists and their ilk. I would move to say that our ‘justice system’ is even a part of the problem, in that incarceration is hardly justice when it comes to such an awful act. Maybe if these people were actually afraid of what would happen to them if/when they were caught, they’d be less likely to do such vile things? When it’s an open and shut case such as this, let us hang these creatures publicly. Let us make examples of them, and allow the American people to attend these hangings so that the accused may be ridiculed, as they should be.
Currently, the only states that allow hanging as a method of execution are Washington and New Hampshire, notes ABC News.
Since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, there have been only three death-by-hanging executions. The most recent was 23 years ago, in 1993, when Washington State hanged convicted child murderer Westley Allan Dodd.
Furthermore, West Virginia abolished the death penalty more than 50 years ago, as the Daily Mail points out. So despite the fact that J.R.’s petition had 32,000 signatures as of Oct. 7, it seems unlikely President Barack Obama will grant his wish to have a hanging in West Virginia.
The 10-month-old victim mentioned in J.R.’s petition is Emmaleigh Barringer, reports the Daily Mail. Her mother, Amanda Leigh Adkins, reportedly found Emmaleigh naked and bleeding on her basement floor at 5 a.m. Oct. 3.
According to a criminal complaint, Emmaleigh suffered extensive bleeding indicating a brutal sexual assault, and showed signs of having been shaken and struck in the face. She died later at the Charleston Area Medical Center, after being taken off life support.
When police arrived at the house in Ripley, West Virginia, they found Benjamin R. Taylor wiping the baby’s blood off his groin area, according to WSAZ. Blankets and clothes covered with blood were found nearby.
Taylor, who is not the victim’s father, originally told police he did not know how the baby was injured, and said he “blacked out” while doing laundry with the baby. He was described by relatives as a “Prince Charming” who swept the baby’s mom off her feet.
(via: Opposing Views)
