Richard Allen Davis
Richard Allen "Rick" Davis (born June 2, 1954) is an American convicted murderer, whose criminal record fueled support for passage of California's "Three strikes law" for repeat offenders. He is currently on death row in East Block at San Quentin State Prison, California. He was convicted in 1996 of first-degree murder and four special circumstances (robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and a lewd act on a child) of 12-year-old Polly Klaas. Klaas was abducted October 1, 1993, from her Petaluma, California, home.
A San Jose, California, Superior Court jury recommended the death sentence for Davis on August 5, 1996. After the verdict was read, Davis stood and gestured obscenely at the courtroom with both hands. Later, at his formal sentencing, Davis read a statement claiming that Klaas had said to Davis, "Just don’t do me like my dad," just before Davis killed her, implying that Klaas' father was a child molester. Polly's father, Marc Klaas, reacted angrily and left the courtroom to avoid causing further commotion. Judge Thomas C. Hastings proceeded with the formality of the death sentence, saying "Mr. Davis, this is always a traumatic and emotional decision for a judge. You made it very easy today by your conduct."
Read more about Richard Allen Davis: Early Life
Famous quotes containing the words richard, allen and/or davis:
“We are taking the Nautilus down for the last time.”
—Earl Felton, and Richard Fleischer. Captain Nemo (James Mason)
“The key is in the window, the key is in the sunlight at the
windowI have the keyGet married Allen dont take drugsthe key is in the bars, in the sunlight in the window.
Love,
your mother”
—Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926)
“The weak are the most treacherous of us all. They come to the strong and drain them. They are bottomless. They are insatiable. They are always parched and always bitter. They are everyones concern and like vampires they suck our lifes blood.”
—Bette Davis (19081989)