David Lee Powell Executed in Texas For Ralph Ablanedo Murder

Many people in prison can say that they are not the same person that commited the crime after good behavior. What mad him so different? I am not one way or the other I just dont understand the argument here. I mean im sure the officer didnt deserve to die yet this man took his life... just a little confused. People are saying we believe in the death penalty but lets have compassion? Doesnt make sense..

I cant say I am against the death penalty nor for it but after 32 years on death row its certainly cruel and undeniably unusual a punishment any human could endure I have ever heard of but thats only my opinion.

Personally glad he is gone ..... what took so long? Ralph A. Ablanedo, 26, (May 18, 1978)Officer Ralph Ablanedo was killed in the line of duty during a traffic stop in the 900 block of Live Oak Street. Officer Ablanedo had ticketed the driver of the car, Sheila Meinert, for driving without a license, then ran a routine check on the passenger, David Lee Powell, who had warrants for misdemeanor theft and hot checks. As Officer Ablanedo spoke on his radio, Powell opened fire with a fully automatic AK-47, penetrating Officer Ablanedo's bulletproof vest. Despite his injuries, Officer Ablanedo was able to give officers a description of the car before he lost consciousness and died. Powell opened fire on a second officer when he was stopped a short time later, and also tossed a hand grenade, which failed to explode. His companion, Meinert, surrendered, and Powell fled on foot, only to be arrested a few hours later after an extensive manhunt. Powell was eventually convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

A date with the executioner is price you pay in most of USA for crimes like the one David Lee Powell committed. He was obviously a smart man, so he knew that. Force and self righteous violence seems to be the way most you Americans prefer to deal with whatever you don't approve of. And most of you are so proud of it too. The greatest nation in the world with your glamourous movie stars, giant hamburgers and what not. Fine, it's your country. You took it fair and square from whoever was there before you.You make the laws there. You live by them and sometimes die by them. And the rest of us can stay away if we don't like it. No problem. Believe it or not there are many, many destinations much more interesting to visit than your beloved USA. Places with history much longer and more facinateing than yours and with people whom caracter is way above your average American. And then, with your solid beliefs in your own superiority and exellence you push your ways down the troat of anyone who dares to want to live by different values than yourselves. The death penalty is all about revenge. Nothing else. Just revenge. And it's wrong. It's foolish. But like a spoiled child you always know better. Pfft.

I prayed all day yesterday. But he's with God. He had remorse for what he had done and I praise him for that. He seems like a really great guy, but just did the wrong things.   People, drugs will cause you to do heinous, terrible things. Please say NO to all drugs!! God bless you all...

So i am not directly related to him, but through marriage.  He was in prison before i was born, so anything i heard about it was after the fact.  I don't know if he did what they say he did, or if the girl did it like I have heard specualted, but what i do know is that he was a troubled young man who was involved in a horrific event.  He was tied up in drugs, and was likely under some influence at the time.  While i don't believe he should be excused for what he was accused, i am not sure the death penalty was appropriate.  We don't execute drunk drivers....  The fact is that when an officer is caught in this situation, emotions rise to a different level for people of influence.  His father was one of the most calm people I probably ever met, so i find it difficult to believe he sat down and logically decided to do this. At the end of the day... my own opinion is that he was probably high off his mind and did  in fact kill that poor officer.  He should have spent his time in prison.  This execution was only to provide closure to those involved.  In a state where the death penalty was not available, those involved would have likely received the same closure with life w/o parole.  Much money and resources was spent on this, and its a shame such things happen in our world today. My heart goes out to the officer's family.  I am his age when he died, and I would hate my family to go on without me.  I cannot imagine the emotional load on his family.  I also feel for his close family members who were sure of his innocence and had to see this.   Either way, it is finished.  I am confident God will sort things out, life is too short to dwell on this anymore.  

It was time, which did run out for David Lee Powell, over 32 yrs*, for David to pay for his Capital crime. Jesus Christ never condemned capital punishment. "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Luke 23:41. Christ could have said to the repentant thief, "It does not matter what you have done, capital punishment is wrong, it should be done away with." But, he did not say that, when he could have. Hopefully David accepted Jesus.

*Officer Ralph A. Ablanedo, Austin Police Department, City of Austin, County of Travis, Texas USA; Killed in the line of duty: Thursday, May 18, 1978. Officer Ablanedo left behind a wife and two sons. May Ralph Ablanedo Rest in Peace, and God Bless you.

Justice is blind, not crippled.  The death sentence would have been appropriate within 5 years of the crime. Heck, even 10 years after the crime. But 32 years?  That's no longer justice - it's plain blood-lust and revenge.  Life w/o parole would have satisfied justice, but the blood-thirsty conservative crowd got their way.  Think about this - Albanedo's children are pushing 35 years old and may have kids of their own.  His wife remarried long ago.  The execution was to satisfy the public's thirst for blood, not society's desire for justice.

Eye for an Eye case closed.

An eye for an eye and case closed. No argueing there. But is it really a good idea to base laws, especially in capital punishnent cases, directly on the Hebrew Bible?  After all, it is a book written several thousand years ago. Surely there must be more resent literature available when dealing with such serious crimes. But nevertheless, if you insist on looking to scriptures to justify taking the lives of the likes of David Lee Powell you might want to study the teachings of Jesus Christ a little more. I'm no expert, but I doubt his preferred solution would be to strap them to a gurney and pump them full of poison while the people who loves him and the people who hates him are watching from behind a window. That is just heartless. What choice does a parent, sibling or friend have if the condemed asks them to be there and support them in their final moments so they don't have to die alone surrounded only people who hates them? Personally, I like to think Jesus was more about compassion than vengance. And to WildBill; How can you be sure that Jesus didn't at some point oppose capital punishment? After all, most of the writings about him was destroyed. www.gospel-mysteries.net/lost-gospels.html 

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" - Ghandi  The death penalty is nothing more than state-sponsored vengeance.

"You have heard it said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," BUT I TELL YOU not to resist and injury. . . ."  [Matthew 5:36]  Come on, gang!  Jesus himself suggested we rise above that mentality.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.  Vengeance is very much better served cold.

ALL OF YOU PEOPLE THAT ARE CONSIDERING DAVID LEE POWELL A "VICTIM" IN THIS SITUATION ARE COMPLETELY UNEDUCATED. IMAGINE IF YOUR FATHER WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, AND THE MAN THAT COMMITTED THE CRIME WAS THE ONE BEING PRAYED FOR. JUSTICE WAS SERVED, AND MY FAMILY CAN NOW MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES KNOWING THAT DAVID LEE POWELL HAS PAID FOR WHAT HE DID.