[DP-Announce] Execution Wednesday 4/11

[Rich Woodward]

On Wed. 4/11 the State of Texas is planning to execute a mentally 
retarded man, James Clark.  

Those of you that have lawn signs please post them all day on this 
day.  The rest, please join us in protest at the corner of Texas Ave. 
& Walton.  

For reasons discussed below, it is likely that there will be a stay 
of this execution.  I will attempt to update on Wednesday.  If you 
hear news before I do, let me know.

James Clark was convicted of killing  Shari Catherine Crews.  Her 
death was a tragedy, there is no question about that.  But in the 
2002 Atkins v Virginia decision, the Supreme Court ruled that 
mentally retarded individuals  should be exempted from execution.  
Texas still has not enacted a standard for determining who is and who 
is not mentally retarded.  This leaves the process open to 
inappropriate discretion by prosecutors and judges.  

In this case, the state hired  Dr George Denkowski to determine 
whether Clark was mentally retarded.  Denkowski found that he had an 
IQ of 65, well below the 70 threshold for mental retardation.  But 
the state did not like this ruling, so they hired another 
psychiatrist who, without the benefit of a thorough examination, 
placed Clark's IQ at 74 based on a 1983 examination.  

It is hard to view the state's case as anything more than a 
bloodthirsty desire to take this man's life.  

Please tell your friends about justice in Texas.

Rich
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Richard Woodward
www:  http://TCADP-BV.org  
e-mail:   r-woodward at TCADP-BV.org