• Death penalty hearing begins Tuesday for Steven Bixby
• Bixby, 39, convicted of gunning down two cops in a property-rights dispute
• Trial is being watched closely by property rights advocates
ABBEVILLE, South Carolina (AP) -- Steven Bixby considers himself a patriot and a prophet with no regrets about gunning down two law officers at his parents' home, according to hundreds of pages of letters written after his arrest.
The letters, each signed "chaotic patriot Steve," also reveal his personal demons and ironclad beliefs, and in one he questions his own sanity.
The 39-year-old man was convicted Sunday, after a five-day trial, of murdering the two officers. On Tuesday, the penalty phase of his trial begins; the same jury that convicted him has a choice of sentencing him to death or to life without chance of parole.
His family was upset because the state wanted to take about 20 feet of land near their home to widen a highway. Witnesses said Bixby and his father, who is awaiting trial on murder charges, had threatened to gun down any officer who set foot on their land.
During deliberations that lasted less than 2-1/2 hours, jurors asked to rehear some of the letters to a former girlfriend in which Bixby described how he took one wounded officer's gun, handcuffed the dying man, dragged him inside the house and read him Miranda rights.
"I started to cry but I got refocused on the job," he wrote to former girlfriend Alane Taylor. "If we had wanted to, that whole day would have been an entire bloodbath."
The officer, Abbeville County sheriff's Sgt. Danny Wilson, was dragged into the house after he was gunned down while standing on the front porch, authorities said.
State Constable Donnie Ouzts was sent to check on Wilson and was shot when he stepped out of his patrol car. Ouzts died on the way to a hospital.
Police surrounded the house for the rest of the day in a standoff with Bixby and his father that didn't end until after hundreds of rounds were fired.
Steven Bixby and his father, Arthur, who was wounded, were charged with murder.
Public defender Charles Grose said Bixby composed more than 1,500 pages worth of letters to Taylor in the first year after his arrest that day in 2003. In them, Bixby is steadfast in his belief that the shootings were justified, calling them "right and correct in God's eyes."
"We the people are a majority," Bixby wrote. "The laws were made to protect us from the police."
On the stand for the defense Saturday, Bixby's mother agreed. "He has the right to protect his property by any means necessary," testified Rita Bixby, 74.
Although she wasn't home during the gun battle, she was charged as an accessory because authorities say she knew her husband and son planned to harm police officers.
The 20 feet of land the family refused to give up has since been used to expand a highway that runs near the now-vacant home.
The letters include ramblings about the significance of some numbers, including mathematical equations involving his birth date, age and length of jail time.
He says God "wants all the evil to be exposed" and mentions a premonition of the shootout: "I saw this in a dream about a month before it jappened."
While I do believe this guy is loony, I guess this is what we can expect if our government wants OUR land. Fact is, if I buy some land and build a house on it(or just buy a house for that fact), it's not really mine. It can be taken from me at any moment. I either agree or get forcibly removed from MY home. On one hand I don't think any of us would condone the killing of police officers. But on the other someone came to their home with the intent to take away part of their land(no matter how small), what would have happened 150 years ago?
Pred; here are some statements of fact you have not been made privy to.
Steven Bixby, nor his family, did not own the land in question in the dispute. There was, I have heard but not verified, a problem with the filing of the deed at the courthouse not showing the current property lines and right of way.
The land was purchased by DOT about 10 years prior to the Bixby's purchasing the house; therefore they had no right to dispute the construction. Any new ownership should have shown the new right of way when the title search was done. If this was so and the Bixby's ignored it, or there was a paperwork snafu at the courhouse or DOT then this was not not about his land being stolen from him; and could have been easily solved via some minor legal means. Several Engineers with DOT met with this guy to try to explain what was gong on. He simply made up his mind to ignore the facts.
The Bixby's shot the first officer in the back(who was there because, you guessed it, they were threatening to shoot the workers); pulled him in the house, cuffed him and let him bleed to death on the floor. They then shot the 2nd officer who died on the way to the hospital.
This was more about a hothead government hater who wouldn't; couldn't be reasoned with.
PS: I drive by the house everyday on my way to work and have actually met one of the guys on that idiot's hit list.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pred
what would have happened 150 years ago?
The same thing as today! Eminent Domain is not new to our country!
__________________ Commen Sense and Critical Thinking are an absolute joke in today's society. Yes I am talking to you!
Last edited by SPOCAHP ANAR; 02-20-2007 at 12:04 AM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Taking twenty feet of land for a highway expansion seems to me the sort of thing eminent domain was designed for anyway (as long as they pay), as opposed to taking land and selling it to someone else for his use simply because it'll generate more tax revenue.
No one's right to his land is absolute. No matter how good your title, you're still within the jurisdiction of the city, the county, the state, the federal govenment and the eyes of God.
Eminent Domain has gone to new frontiers, however. It used to be that if the Goverment thought that by taking your land for the better of the community, like widening of a road, they would do it. Now, they take private property, and turn it over to business, because they will get more taxes that way.
Pred; here are some statements of fact you have not been made privy to.
Steven Bixby, nor his family, did not own the land in question in the dispute. There was, I have heard but not verified, a problem with the filing of the deed at the courthouse not showing the current property lines and right of way.
The land was purchased by DOT about 10 years prior to the Bixby's purchasing the house; therefore they had no right to dispute the construction. Any new ownership should have shown the new right of way when the title search was done. If this was so and the Bixby's ignored it, or there was a paperwork snafu at the courhouse or DOT then this was not not about his land being stolen from him; and could have been easily solved via some minor legal means. Several Engineers with DOT met with this guy to try to explain what was gong on. He simply made up his mind to ignore the facts.
The Bixby's shot the first officer in the back(who was there because, you guessed it, they were threatening to shoot the workers); pulled him in the house, cuffed him and let him bleed to death on the floor. They then shot the 2nd officer who died on the way to the hospital.
This was more about a hothead government hater who wouldn't; couldn't be reasoned with.
PS: I drive by the house everyday on my way to work and have actually met one of the guys on that idiot's hit list.
The same thing as today! Eminent Domain is not new to our country!
Finally somebody took the time to explain this double trajedy. Many roads need widening. Thank God a homicidal lunatic doesn't live on every road that gets widened. It's unfortunate that the murderer wasn't seen as dangerous beforehand even though a friend testified that he told her he was going to kill somebody the day before he committed the murders. You hate to play "what if" but what if she had notified police that morning? The media is playing the bullying eminent domain card in these murders but it does not apply. It's just good textbook eminent domain the same way all roads get widened. It was no big deal until madness struck down two innocent men. This is definately a death penalty case.
But on the other someone came to their home with the intent to take away part of their land(no matter how small), what would have happened 150 years ago?
Pred, emminent domain has been the law for hundreds of years. You're off base on this one. The guys a psycopathic cop killer. Toast him.
Taking twenty feet of land for a highway expansion seems to me the sort of thing eminent domain was designed for anyway (as long as they pay), as opposed to taking land and selling it to someone else for his use simply because it'll generate more tax revenue.
No one's right to his land is absolute. No matter how good your title, you're still within the jurisdiction of the city, the county, the state, the federal govenment and the eyes of God.
A good point,well taken.I remember when the Indiana toll road was under construction and they hired special crews to remove remains in graveyards and move them to other locations to make room for the road.This is called "for the betterment of society".I do not believe it is justifiable in any way to gun down or harm officers for doing their duty. I believe the person may deserve sympathy but be removed from society because they are a danger to it. samuel.
[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][SIZE="3"]Pred; here are some statements of fact you have not been made privy to.
Steven Bixby, nor his family, did not own the land in question in the dispute. There was, I have heard but not verified, a problem with the filing of the deed at the courthouse not showing the current property lines and right of way.
The land was purchased by DOT about 10 years prior to the Bixby's purchasing the house; therefore they had no right to dispute the construction. Any new ownership should have shown the new right of way when the title search was done. If this was so and the Bixby's ignored it, or there was a paperwork snafu at the courhouse or DOT then this was not not about his land being stolen from him; and could have been easily solved via some minor legal means. Several Engineers with DOT met with this guy to try to explain what was gong on. He simply made up his mind to ignore the facts.
The Bixby's shot the first officer in the back(who was there because, you guessed it, they were threatening to shoot the workers); pulled him in the house, cuffed him and let him bleed to death on the floor. They then shot the 2nd officer who died on the way to the hospital.
This was more about a hothead government hater who wouldn't; couldn't be reasoned with.
Where did this info come from? It changes my outlook on this, as I didn't see it in the story I posted.
Last edited by Pred; 02-20-2007 at 08:18 AM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I heard about this late last night at the PD and am saddened to hear two officers lost their lives to something like this.
I hope the jury does the right thing here.....
__________________
If you don't like cops, call your local crackhead for help next time!
Hmm, seems I was wrong.
Where did this info come from? It changes my outlook on this, as I didn't see it in the story I posted.
I read the bit about the property being sold in the local paper. I heard the rumor from a DOT liason for our project. More than likely this is what happened: When you build a road you have say 10' R/W clearance. But to widen the road 8' you need to cut out 3' from a hill. Now you have a 3' grade differance that has to be sloped out. You don't need to buy anymore R/W because you you haven't increased the road pass the 10 boundary line, but you can't leave a 3' grade differance due to safety reasons. Usually you slope out at a rate of 2:1 and this slope stipulation to lay back or fill in slopes off of the R/W is agreed to by the land owner when the eminent domain act is exercised prior to beginning (usually way before) the project by a R/W agent.
Now there are exceptions to everything and changes in design, not to mention drainage easements, utility conflicts, environmental permits etc..... The problem is that he bought a house on a major thoroughfare where the previous owner agreed to the changes and then sold them to him.
__________________ Commen Sense and Critical Thinking are an absolute joke in today's society. Yes I am talking to you!
So, why did he get a building permit from the government if his land was not properly documented??? HMMM?
I work in the building industry here in Colorado and we can not get a set of plans to pass permit without providing all proper paperwork and drawings showing easements, right of way, drainage, etc....
So, you buy some land and get a building permit, to your knowledge, everything is in proper order. Then one day someone shows up at your house demanding your land? I dunno about that.
EDIT: I don't know that it justifies shooting folks, but...I would have taken the previous owner to court, definitely, and depending on the paperwork, he may have been able to sue the city for allowing him to build there. There is a government amnesty when it comes to that usually, but without proper remittance, he may be able to make a strong claim to a judge.
__________________
Don't let their ignorance and hate intimidate.
He wasnt building anything. The govt. was widening the road. And it was most likely pointed out to him at closing that the former owner had given permission for widening, but he overlooked it. Thats why mortgage companies demand title searches and bonds.
Even if he was somehow screwed out of the 20 feet it would never justify killing a cop. Never.
__________________ "I'm your huckleberry. Thats just my game!"
Even if he was somehow screwed out of the 20 feet it would never justify killing a cop. Never.
WHOA WHOA WHOA...and what if the state decided to declare martial law and the pokey showed up at your house to claim all of your weapons and carry you away to an internment camp?
Some things are worth fighting for. I am all for cops and military and justice and law, but if they try to opress or disarm me for no reason, they are nothing but another branch of our corrupt government. I would hope most of the cops and military would not follow that order, but should they, I certainly would stand and fight for myself and those I love.
EDIT: OOps, sorry, I thought your post said "I would never justify..." when you were actually talking about the eminent domain is not a reason, I agree.
__________________
Don't let their ignorance and hate intimidate.
Gotcha, Ivan. Seems like around 230 some odd years ago the Brittish were the cops and we were being screwed.
P.S. I heard Bush is gonna send some more hurricanes to the coast as well as an influenza epidemic just before the elections so he can declare marshal law and keep power. Its all Cheney's idea. LOL.
__________________ "I'm your huckleberry. Thats just my game!"
Last edited by frozentorso; 02-20-2007 at 07:28 PM.
Gotcha, Ivan. Seems like around 230 some odd years ago the Brittish were the cops and we were being screwed.
P.S. I heard Bush is gonna send some more hurricanes to the coast as well as an influenza epidemic just before the elections so he can declare marshal law and keep power. Its all Cheney's idea. LOL.
LOL that is pretty funny.
But, theoretically, if you could build a generator big enough, you can direct the electrons in the atmosphere certain ways, therefore controlling the weather....
Anyone hear of the HUGE voids in the earth, below the surface up near the North Pole? Supposedly a lot of US Government officials and military doing some stuff up there, no one knows what, but just that they have seen naval ships going in & out of the area. Might be something to consider.
__________________
Don't let their ignorance and hate intimidate.
P.S. I heard Bush is gonna send some more hurricanes to the coast as well as an influenza epidemic just before the elections so he can declare marshal law and keep power. Its all Cheney's idea. LOL.
Same crap people said about Clinton!
__________________ Commen Sense and Critical Thinking are an absolute joke in today's society. Yes I am talking to you!
Last edited by SPOCAHP ANAR; 02-20-2007 at 08:28 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
