Polly Klaas’ murderer is trying to overturn his death sentence in the infamous 1993 case, but her father is furious.
Richard Allen Davis was sentenced to death for kidnapping 12-year-old Polly, then holding her at knifepoint during a sleepover and strangling her to death. Her body was discovered two months later.
Last month, Davis asked the California Superior Court to vacate his 1996 death sentence based on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2019 decision to abolish the death penalty in the Golden State. Fox News reported on Saturday.
“On August 5, 1996, Richard Allen Davis was sentenced to death for kidnapping and murdering his 12-year-old daughter, Polly Klaas, with intent to molest her.” Polly’s father, Mark Klaas said in a statement. this week.
“On October 1, 1993, at 10:30 p.m., Davis invaded a slumber party at the Petaluma, Calif., home where Polly lived with her mother, where he bound, bound, and blindfolded two of Polly’s friends. , kidnapped him at knifepoint.”
Davis “murdered Polly within hours of her abduction and dumped her body on a pile of trash,” writes Mark Klaas.
“We expected that the death sentence recommended by the jury and imposed by Judge Thomas Hastings would result in his being isolated from society for the rest of his life. We could not have been more wrong! ” Mark Claes added.
The local district attorney opposed Davis’ request, which Claas praised.
“The Sonoma County District Attorney’s objection to reversing Davis’ death sentence…is correct that the death penalty cannot be revoked under this provision, and the court should deny his motion,” he said. wrote.
A judge is expected to sentence Davis next month.
“If my family could be subject to a recall on death row for a death row inmate who had multiple convictions for assaulting women and was diagnosed as a sexually sadistic psychopath before killing Polly, “If anything, whoever the victim’s family thought justice was, those serving time in court are facing a shocking new reality,” Mark said in a statement. “If Polly’s killer is somehow able to come out victorious, this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
He added:[t]Thousands of violent criminals will follow, so lock your doors, protect your children, and pray that your family does not fall prey to the violence and destruction that will surely follow. ”
Newsom’s office directed reporters to comments the governor made in March 2019 when he issued a stay of execution when 737 people were on California’s death row.
“Intentionally killing another person is wrong, and as governor, I will not oversee the execution of any individual,” Newsom said in a statement at the time. “No matter how you look at it, our country’s death penalty system has been a failure.
“It has discriminated against defendants who are mentally ill, black, brown, or unable to afford expensive legal representation. It provides no public safety benefit or deterrent value. Billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted. Above all, the death penalty is absolute. If there is a human error, it is irreversible and irreversible.”
Polly’s disappearance caused a media sensation at a time when the internet was in its infancy.
