November 17, 2011 in News, Idaho

As execution approaches, Otter checks in from Maui

Little says he won’t override Idaho governor’s stand on convicted killer

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Idaho Gov. Butch Otter
(Full-size photo)(All photos)

BOISE – As last-minute pleas for clemency continued to pour into Idaho’s state Capitol this week in advance of the state’s first execution since 1994, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter wasn’t there – he was at a posh resort in Maui to speak about presidential politics, leaving Lt. Gov. Brad Little in charge.

Little was Idaho’s acting governor from Sunday, when Otter left for Hawaii, until today, when Otter is planning to return to Boise, leaving the California Independent Voter Project’s “Business and Leader Exchange” a day early to make it back for the Friday execution.

During that time, condemned killer Paul Ezra Rhoades had two bids for a stay of execution rejected by the U.S. District Court in Boise and filed an appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals; the 9th circuit rejected that appeal Wednesday night.Where was Otter, who has the authority to commute the death sentence? As guests of the California group, he and first lady Lori Otter flew to Hawaii for the group’s conference at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, a beachfront spread with three swimming pools, a 140-foot water slide and an array of luxury amenities.

The California Independent Voter Project, which backs open primary elections and pushed for California’s new open primary, is headed by former California lawmaker J. Stephen Peace, who also was the producer and co-writer of the “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” films, in which he appeared as Lt. Wilbur Finletter.

The San Diego-based organization says its goal is “championing the independent minded voter and stimulating the public dialogue,” and it considers itself an “idea factory” and a “public policy venture capital fund.”

Little, a rancher and former state senator, was left in frigid Idaho to deal with the run-up to the execution and other duties, from chairing this week’s state Land Board meeting to preparing for an upcoming state trade mission to Brazil and Mexico in December.

The low-key Little said he’s “really uncomfortable with capital punishment, just because of the very nature of it,” but that after much “soul searching” he voted in favor of updating and reinstating Idaho’s death penalty in the Idaho Senate in 2003, when a U.S. Supreme Court decision had changed guidelines for the law.

Little said he became convinced that the death penalty is needed as a deterrent for some, including criminals already in prison for life who might otherwise attack guards or commit other crimes.

Little said he wouldn’t override Otter’s stand, which has been to deny clemency to Rhoades, a triple murderer. “That isn’t going to happen,” Little said flatly.

Little said he hasn’t even read the letters and emails that continued to come in to the Capitol regarding the execution this week, leaving them instead for Otter on his return. “I guess I could go ask for ’em if I wanted to, but I have chosen not to do that,” Little said.

The lieutenant governor cited two reasons for not wading into the issue: his role as lieutenant governor and the circumstances of the Rhoades case.

“I mean, the Constitution says you have all the rights and powers of the governor when the governor’s out of state, but you know what? The governor comes back,” Little said.

Otter when he was lieutenant governor, famously vetoed a bill to raise Idaho’s drinking age to 21, though the state risked losing millions in federal highway funds. When then-Gov. Cecil Andrus returned to the state, he signed a new bill.

Little said he might have considered acting if the situation were different. If Idaho had a governor who refused to consider any pardons, even in cases where there was “significant doubt,” he’d act, he said. “But this is not anywhere close to that kind of a case.”

Little said, “The system has worked.” He said he agreed with comments in the decision issued Monday night by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ron Bush that “the state of Idaho expects the process to work.”

Little said Otter has been in contact with his staff all week, and has called Little “two or three times” about issues.

Little said his misgivings about the death penalty focus on the associated costs and the freeing of previously condemned inmates due to new DNA evidence. But, he said, “I don’t think anybody’s arguing that Paul Ezra Rhoades is anywhere close to innocent.”

17 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  PassinThru on November 17 at 5:24 a.m.

  Why isn’t this article in the Opinions section? Betsy, you’ll never make it into the mainstream national media if you can’t hide your own opinions in a news article any better than this!

• 

  wobble506 on November 17 at 6:04 a.m.

  Agreed - 4 stories in the last week, all trying to make Gov Otter seem unsympathetic or uncaring. Who cares where he is?
  He’s made his comments, stands by his decision, and this rat deserves to die.

  Why all the sympathy for this triple murderer, that tortured and killed his last victim?

  Where is the sympathy for the victims and their families? where is the justice for them? Three young lives snuffed out, and all you can do is whine about poor Rhoades.

  Sorry, time to send him off. Time for Ms Russell to find another story to write about.

• 

  soccermomsusie on November 17 at 7:38 a.m.

  Wobble, I am excited by this execution too. But, maybe if you watched a snuff film right now it might take the edge off. Regardless, enjoy your special night!

  As far as Otter being in Hawaii, it is the Aloha State, so what better vantage to enjoy?

  From across the sea, Otter will get a major bump in the polls. We Republicans are always ready to reward those who:

  1. Shoot a dirty occupy Wall Street Iraq War veteran in the head with a tear gas canister.
  2. Execute!
  3. Cheer the uninsured to die.
  4. Fondle!
  5. Boo nonheterosexual servicemen and women and everything in between.

  Mahalo Ottterino, and enjoy one more Mai Tai before the Lei-thal Injection!

  PRO LIFE AND PROUD!

  HEAR OUR VOICE!!!

• 

  Benaround on November 17 at 7:42 a.m.

  Betsy: If Otter needs a legal opinion on any possible execution
  stay filed by convicted murderer Rhoades, he can reach Eric
  Holder in Barbedos in the Carribean. Eric loves the winter
  beach views from the Eric H. Holder Municipal Complex which
  was named in his honor during his 2009 winter visit. The
  complex was previously named Tamarind Hall/St. Joseph
  Parish Federal Building. I think the Barbedos visit is a gathering
  of arms dealers who are irritated that guns have serial numbers.
  Otter shouldn’t call after 2:00 p.m. EDT as “Happy Hour” begins
  then and all umbrella drinks are 1/2 price.

• 

  RedCedar on November 17 at 8:24 a.m.

  I agree with all those above who think this article belongs on the op-ed page. Who cares how many swimming pools the conference center has and how long its water slide is? What’s missing from this article is any meaningful quotation from Gov. Otter, who is ostensibly the whole point of the article.

  We the people are about to kill a man. The relevant questions are things like whether capital punishment is right or wrong, whether this prisoner is guilty, and most importantly why the governor has refused to commute his sentence. Instead of real reporting, we get a sneering, childish attempt to tar Gov Otter not for his stand on capital punishment but for going to a governor’s conference at a fancy hotel. Guess what? Conferences are generally held at fancy hotels and the attendees don’t pick the hotel.

  I’m dead-set against capital punishment. If I was the governor I would commute every death-row inmate’s sentence. It rather sounds like Lt Gov Little also would. Execution is a big deal, and it’s something that our whole society is gradually turning against. In political terms, a Republican governor in Idaho doesn’t have to worry about some of his supporters voting for a democrat over this.

  As for the conference, the idea of opening up Idaho’s primary process is certainly a very worthy one, and I hope the governor will come back from the conference more supportive of that idea. Idaho’s primary process is entirely locked up by the party bosses, which is never good for democracy. Again, a better reporter would have told us more about what the conference organizers are advocating in terms of political reform, rather than telling us what movie somebody appeared in.

  This is obviously an article put together mostly by browsing the internet: Google the promotional page for the hotel to find out the specs on the aquatic facilities, Google the conference info to find out who’s organizing it and then Google his name to find out that he was in the movies. Is the point here that we should dislike Gov Otter not only because he refused to commute a death sentence, but because he went to a conference on government reform? Or only because the conference on government reform took place at a fancy hotel and was organized by a movie actor? Should governors only discuss reforming the state primary process at conferences held at the Days Inn in Nampa and organized by people nobody has heard of?

  Meanwhile, we’re set to kill a man. To me, that is more troubling than the length of the water slide at a hotel or the name of the character that a conference organizer played in a movie.

• 

  wobble506 on November 17 at 8:33 a.m.

  Soccermomsusie -
  not sure how you think you know how I feel, or what I support. Lets get this clear, I in no way enjoy having people executed. Its a tragedy when people are so morally bankrupt that they treat other humans the way Rhoades does and did. I am pro-life for the innocent, but this man is in no way innocent. So get off your high horse, and don’t accuse people you don’t know of other crimes or thought patterns until you know how I truly feel.

  I believe firmly in law and order, and this man willingly chose to give up his right to his life by killing another. Until the laws change, under the current system, this man deserves death. He was tried by his peers, and 12 of them gave him a death sentence. Its more than he gave his victims. He’ll get a much nicer sendoff than he ever gave his victims.

  Since the ACLU and all the bleeding hearts liberals have limited our options for punishment, what else do you do with someone like this? They won’t be rehabilitated, and they can’t be let lose in society. How about we release him to your custody to live in your house for the rest of his natural life (or more likely, your abbreviated one…)

  Have you ever known someone who was the victim of a violent crime, someone snatched from you for the rest of your life, because of an animal like this? probably not.
  How about you have some consideration for the victims families, and the promising lives this man took?

• 

  Benaround on November 17 at 9:07 a.m.

  There are parents (frequently 1.) of 5 year old children in
  Washington DC and in many other inner-cities praying that
  their child wins a lottery spot in a private school where the
  tuition is paid by un-named private citizens. The Democrats
  will always put the votes and wishes of the teacher”s union
  ahead of the future of children.If your tear-ducts are plugged
  up and need unplugging, go see the movie, Waiting for
  Superman. That so many of our citizens and our major
  media ignore THIS TRAGEDY…yet wring their hands over
  a murderer who chose his own fate annoys me. These little children do not deserve the statistically sad future that awaits
  them.
  .

• 

  soccermomsusie on November 17 at 9:52 a.m.

  Wobble, I am on your side on this!

  I know the eggheads will show us the usual statistics that when states execute criminals, their crime rates actually go up!

  Sure, they will trot out their elitist spreadsheets to show how it is 10 times more expensive to execute someone than to lock them up for life. They will even point to the victims’ families who say they would have had more satisfaction knowing the murderer was in jail for the rest of his life, as opposed to being executed. BUT ALL THIS IS BESIDE THE POINT!!!!

  You and I feel better when we get to hurt a bad guy. It is more about that beautiful emotional rush than it is about “managing a problem.” BORING!

  To lower crime, the Conservative Rand Think Tank said it was five times more cost effective to make sure poor children were educated, fed and housed (WELFARE) than it was to lock up that portion who became criminals. Why don’t we go down the Socialist path with these street urchins and save money? BECAUSE IT DOESN’T FEEL AS GOOD!!! FREEDOM!!!

  Look how excited we Conservatives were to spend trillions on the Iraq War (started by the best president of all time). Yet, we don’t want to spend a dime on things that will “improve” our “quality of life.” WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY (except maybe Somalia) that “get’s it.”

  STANDING STRONG! FEELING GOOD! NO MATTER WHAT IT COSTS!!! SO EXCITED!

  Where is your execution party going to be? Can I come?

  HEAR OUR VOICE!!!

• 

  slamdunk on November 17 at 9:59 a.m.

  OH BOY!!!! I CAN BE LIKE RICK PARRY!!!! WE CAN ALL BE JUST LIKE TEXAS!!!!!
  Granted, the cull deserves what he gets, but ole Butcho is using it for politcal gain….retire Butch.

• 

  Mike1950 on November 17 at 11:32 a.m.

  I’d have to say this is probably the poorest written article about a single subject, a governor’s ability to commute or not a death sentence. Where in the world were the editors? How does this story get through with all the extaneous babble about resorts, swimming pools and water slides and the Lt. Governor Little “left in frigid Idaho..” I hope as painful as it was to read this sorry excuse for a news article you did manage to read to the end where she does finally quoted Little, …”Otter has been in contact with his staff all week, and has called Little two or three times about issues.”

  I couldn’t decide if this article should have been in the Opinion pages, the Travel and Leisure pages or the Weather page.

• 

  franceslee on November 17 at 12:11 p.m.

  Hey Betty…..have you ever once used the word “posh” in any article on Gregoire or God forbide our dear president and his wife?…have you ever once wrote how obama has golfed more in his first two years than all of bush’s 8 yrs?…maybe you’ve talked about how many swimming pools obama and his wife have on their multitude of vacations or maybe you’ve talked about his vacations on Martha’s Vinyard?…NO?.. but maybe you’ve wrote about mrs. obama having spent a reportedly $10,000,000 on her various vacations at tax payer expense?…..or maybe you’ve not noticed our dear president flying off to his many vacations and his wife flying SEPARATELY to the same destination on AF planes?….

  for the record, most of us could care less if our leaders get an occassional break, and most of all, most of us could care less if this triple MURDERER gets another few years with room/board and a computer to use…

  but if you insist that you are going to be a reporter when you grow up, please learn the first lesson:…not to color your reporting with your personal vendettas….

• 

  jddavis on November 17 at 3:05 p.m.

  What is the point of this article? Is the story about the Governor being in Hawaii or about a convicted killer paying for his crime?

  Are we to think that if the Governor weren’t in Hawaii, Rhoades would get a stay of execution?

  Another fine example of why print media is in decline…

• 

  Dazzeetrader11 on November 17 at 3:22 p.m.

  Thereis no point jd.The paper has some liberals sympathisers running it now. nobody cares at SR anymore. Not one serious editor…..lots of editors but it’s ruled by committee so nobody has to take blame. No leadership anymore.
  I don’t like executions but it’s part of the US system.
  As for Otter, he has phones, Ipads closed circuit TV and video on his computers, He’s doing the same thing there as he would if he was in Boise as far as this case goes.
  Just that he’s REPUBLICAN so the sympathisers hate him…no worries. Otter didn’t do the crime.. theprisoner went through the system of his peers and then was sentenced. Partisan skunks in the SR using the paper to trumpet their politics.

  It’s the way it works.

• 

  force_vector on November 17 at 4:47 p.m.

  What a complete joke of an article. The only saving grace will be if I can find some ultra-soft, 2-ply printer paper so I can have a few copies on-hand for a “oh yeah, that’s what I forgot at the grocery store” moment.

• 

  RedCedar on November 17 at 5:32 p.m.

  I love all the comments above about what a ridiculously-written article this is, and I hope Ms. Russell will take them to heart. The S-R is still a real newspaper, not a high school journalism class or a church newsletter. It may well be that management tolerates this sort of careless writing because they don’t believe there’s any correlation between quality journalism and ad revenues. After all, all the real estate agents and car dealerships have to advertise in the S-R anyway, no matter how lousy the news reporting has become.

  I would suggest to Ms Russell, however, that if your goal is to advance your own political agenda, the method you chose here is not very effective. It’s one thing to vent, and quite another to persuade.

  If you don’t like Gov. Otter, quote him and describe what’s wrong with his policy choices. All this extraneous blather about some hotel’s aquatic facilities and the weather in Idaho, combined with some juvenile word choices, sounds like people sitting around talking a party about somebody they don’t like, and reduces your article to something that’s hard to take very seriously.

• 

  DickAdams on November 17 at 8:14 p.m.

  Ms. Russell, are a student majoring in journalism and the SR allowed you to write this nonsense?

• 

  Benaround on November 17 at 9:27 p.m.

  Ms. Russell:

  Feel like you’ve been pummeled about the head and shoulders
  do ya?…well shake it off…rub some dirt on it…but don’t despair.
  The public (including me) is about as cranky and owlly as I have
  ever seen because of bad government…bad economy…lost
  home and IRA values, etc. Sympathy for convicts is also
  probably at an all-time low. The S-R runs a good ship so you
  have an environment to prosper. Lets hope things get better for everyone-everywhere in the months and year ahead.
  Looking forward to attacking you next week….no…wait…I am
  just kidding.