Page's execution will be by lethal injection. In announcing the date and time of the execution, South Dakota Corrections Secretary Tim Reisch said the penitentiary warden and staff "have spent countless hours preparing to carry out this court order." Reisch said the warden and "select staff" took a trip to Texas that "led to the development of long checklists of things that needed to be accomplished, culminating with numerous rehearsals that select prison staff participated in." Texas leads the nation in executions, with 372 having taken place since December 1982. The lethal injection reportedly will be administered by an emergency medical technician to avoid ethical problems such action poses for doctors and nurses.
South Dakotans are torn by the case. No one disputes the brutality of the murder. Poage was forced to drink a mixture of crushed pills, beer, and hydrochloric acid before he was taken to a remote wooded area in the Black Hills and forced to strip beside an icy creek. Page admitted he then repeatedly kicked Poage in the head so many times it "made his own foot sore." Page then stabbed Poage in the neck and head. About three hours after the beating started, Page and Hoadley dropped several large rocks on Poage's head.
"The amount of torture present in this case was unprecedented in South Dakota," the South Dakota Supreme Court said in its opinion.
Yet Page's sentencing hearing revealed a horrific childhood. Among other things, reports indicate Page was sexually abused by his mother as early as age two and that his mother sold her children to others in exchange for money and drugs. His stepfather also reportedly used Page as a shield when he thought he was being attacked by drug dealers. In addition, a Missouri court determined the stepfather had physically and sexually abused the children, including allowing others to sexually abuse them in exchange for drugs. This led even the judge who imposed the death sentence to say that Page's "early years must have been a living hell. Most people treat their pets better than your parents treated their kids."
Article comments
1 - Peter J
Good article Tim,
I have to say that I'm a bit surprised that there hasn't been an execution in South Dakota since 1947.
I am personally 100% in favor of the death penalty for any and all violent crimes that include rapes, murder, torture and the like. I'm not the kind of person given to excuses such as a very troubled childhood, raw deals in life, whatever.
There are many people walking the earth who were beaten, molested, or horribly mistreated in their youth and to a point I can empathize with them. That is tragic, but it certainly is no excuse for committing those crimes against innocent people. There are many people who suffered horrible abuse as children and I know first hand of kids (who are now grown) who had things a lot worse than most and were ever compelled to pass that anger and pain on to an innocent. In fact, it worked the opposite for many. As far as beatings I myself endured as a child I was left with the thought 'why would this person be doing this to me and when I grow up I will never treat anyone this way' and that's the way it is. I could never raise my hand to my child because of this lesson.
As far as the death sentence goes that's the price one pays for the most gruesome, horrific crimes against humanity. They should be thankful that I don't get to choose the manner of death. I would gather the families, pass out the pliers and propane lighters and commence with the happy fizzie party.
2 - RJ Elliott
"Among other things, reports indicate Page was sexually abused by his mother as early as age two and that his mother sold her children to others in exchange for money and drugs. His stepfather also reportedly used Page as a shield when he thought he was being attacked by drug dealers. In addition, a Missouri court determined the stepfather had physically and sexually abused the children, including allowing others to sexually abuse them in exchange for drugs."
Horrific and disturbing. Nonetheless, the people of the state of South Dakota have allowed the dealth penalty to remain in force. The USSC has allowed states to keep the death penalty. And this monster's crimes are surely worthy of the "rough justice" of capital punishment.
I care not about his various mitigating circumstances. He brutally murdered an innocent, in cold blood. Most people who have experienced the kinds of victimization he has faced have NOT brutally slaughtered an innocent as a response.
His death is well deserved.
3 - Dave Fett
Gov. Rounds is a pussy.
4 - larry
DEATH. he deserves it!!