It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since Richard Beasely was sentenced to death. Not surprisingly, he hasn’t been executed yet. If Ohio doesn’t impose a moratorium on the death penalty, I give him about another 15 years before his date with the needle.
In case you may not remember Richard Beasley, he concocted a plot where men would be lured to Ohio for a phony farm job Beasley posted on craigslist. Three me were shot and killed by Beasley after responding to the ad. Those men were Ralph Geiger, David Pauley, and Timothy Kern. A fourth man, Scott Davis, was able to escape from Beasley’s attack.
Beasley also employed a teenage henchman by the name of Brogan Rafferty who helped Beasley dispose of their victims’ bodies. The pair would split any ill-gotten gain they were able to claim from their victims. Rafferty was tried as an adult and sentenced to life without parole.
Beasley was attempting to steal the men’s identities, probably because he was already facing criminal charges for drug and human trafficking.
This past week, the Ohio State Supreme Court upheld Beasley’s death sentence. Beasley’s defense argued there were errors in the trial which should cause a new trial. However, not only did the Ohio Supreme Court vote unanimously that Beasley’s conviction should stand, but the court also voted 6-1 that the Beasley’s death sentence should remain. The only thing more perfect than that in Ohio was the Cleveland Browns 0-16 season last year.
But again, as is the problem with most death penalty cases, Beasley will probably never get the justice he truly deserves. While Beasley can file appeal after appeal, Ralph Geiger, David Pauley, and Timothy Kern can’t appeal their death sentences and they didn’t even commit any crime.
Real Crime with Trench Reynolds 