[DP] Fwd: impending November executions---NCADP

[Carole Johnson]

>
>
>>From: Rick Halperin <rhalperi at post.cis.smu.edu>
>>Reply-To: TCADP-BOARD01 at yahoogroups.com
>>To: TCADP-BOARD01 <TCADP-BOARD01 at yahoogroups.com>
>>Subject: [TCADP-BOARD01] death penalty news-----impending November 
>>executions---NCADP
>>Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 12:48:51 -0500 (CDT)
>>
>>
>>National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
>>National Execution Alert      November 2002
>>
>>
>>
>>Scheduled Execution Dates
>>Nov. 6 - James Colburn (TX)
>>Nov. 7 - George Sibley, Jr. (AL)
>>Nov. 14 - Mir Aimal Kasi (VA)
>>Nov. 19 - Graig Ogan, Jr. (TX)
>>Nov. 20 - William R. Jones (MO)
>>Nov. 20 - William Chappell (TX)
>>Nov. 21 - James Clark (TX)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>TEXAS:
>>
>>James Blake Colburn (TX)
>>Nov. 6, 2002
>>6:00 PM CST, 7:00 PM EST
>>
>>The state of Texas is scheduled to execute James Blake Colburn Nov. 6 for
>>the 1994 murder of Peggy Murphy. Colburn, a white man, has an extensive
>>history of chronic paranoid schizophrenia, a serious mental illness with
>>symptoms including hallucinations and delusions. He displayed signs of 
>>this
>>condition on the day of his crime, and also suffered several psychotic
>>episodes while in pre-trial detention. The state acknowledged Colburn's
>>severe mental illness at trial, yet sought the death penalty despite it.
>>
>>Colburn allegedly stabbed and strangled Murphy, a 55-year-old woman, on 
>>June
>>26, 1994. Shortly after the murder, he went to a neighbor's house, 
>>confessed
>>his crime, and waited for the police to come and arrest him. He told
>>investigators: "this one impulse came over me said to kill her...I 
>>couldn't
>>stop myself."
>>
>>Doctors first diagnosed Colburn with paranoid schizophrenia at age 17,
>>recognizing his auditory and visual hallucinations. His horrible 
>>experiences
>>during that year severely complicated his condition; the victim of a 
>>violent
>>homosexual rape, he developed a chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and
>>severe depression with suicidal impulses. His attempts at self-medication
>>eventually led to chronic substance abuse, and he suffered from periods of
>>dissociation and memory deficits.
>>
>>At the onset of Colburn's trial in October 1995, the prosecutor said, "You
>>are going to hear evidence that the defendant is a paranoid
>>schizophrenic...You will hear evidence that he's heard voices and you are
>>going to see him on tape. He's shaking or fidgeting. The State is not 
>>going
>>to contest or deny any of that..." Knowingly violating every relevant 
>>human
>>rights resolution passed in the United Nations since 1997, the state went 
>>on
>>to make its case for executing Colburn.
>>
>>Meanwhile, evidence indicates that Colburn was essentially unaware of the
>>courtroom proceedings - a fairly clear sign that he may not have been
>>competent to stand trial. Under heavy sedatives for his mental illness, he
>>fell asleep several times at the defense table. His attorneys constantly
>>prodded him to stay awake, but the lapses continued throughout the trial.
>>
>>
>>Recognizing problems with handing this mentally ill man a death sentence,
>>the jurors inquired about the possibility of alternative punishments. 
>>During
>>deliberations, they sent this written question to the trial court: "Given 
>>a
>>life sentence, is there a possibility of parole in this case?" Seemingly,
>>the jurors were seeking a punishment that would prevent a future threat to
>>society, but also avoid the execution of Colburn. The court refused to
>>respond to this question, holding that the jury should not consider parole
>>when determining whether a defendant should be sentenced to life or death.
>>
>>Under the law applicable in this case, if the jury sentenced Colburn to 
>>life
>>imprisonment, he would not become eligible for parole until he actually
>>served forty years. In other words, the defendant, 35 years old at the 
>>time,
>>already in poor mental and physical health and with a history of drug 
>>abuse,
>>would have the very earliest possibility of leaving prison at the age of 
>>75.
>>
>>
>>The jurors' question to the trial court indicates that they simply wanted 
>>to
>>protect society from Colburn's violent tendencies in the future, but
>>avoid a death sentence if possible. They found a life sentence problematic
>>only because they did not understand the consequences of such a sentence, 
>>and
>>they perceived no other punishment as practical. The court's refusal to
>>answer that question insinuated that the only way to prevent Colburn from
>>harming society again was to execute him; this was not the case, and the
>>jury should have fully understood that when determining his sentence.
>>
>>The state's scheduled execution of Colburn directly contradicts countless
>>human rights resolutions and principles, and also displays the state's
>>apathetic position toward people with mental disorders. Please write the
>>state of Texas to request a commutation for James Colburn.
>>
>>
>>Graig Ogan, Jr. (TX)
>>Nov. 19, 2002
>>6:00 PM CST, 7:00 PM EST
>>
>>The state of Texas is scheduled to execute Graig Ogan, Jr. Nov. 19 for the
>>1989 murder of James Boswell, a Houston police officer. Ogan, a white man,
>>claimed he shot Boswell in self-defense after the officer attempted to 
>>pull
>>out his gun while lunging toward him. Conflicting accounts, one from
>>Boswell's partner - Morgan Gainer - and one from the defendant himself, 
>>told
>>different versions of the events that occurred immediately before the
>>shooting. At trial, the jury determined that Ogan's self-defense claim
>>lacked credibility, and found him guilty of murder.
>>The victim's family and friends found relief in the verdict, as it 
>>publicly
>>cleared Boswell of any wrongdoing in the incident. However, they expressed
>>mixed feeling about the death sentence, repeatedly recognizing that little
>>good could come out of another killing. Sonny Boswell, the victim's 
>>father,
>>said after the trial, "His death is not going to bring my son back."
>>
>>Ogan - an informant with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Houston -
>>allegedly approached Boswell's police car to seek help because he was in
>>mortal danger at the hands of armed drug dealers. He claimed the officer
>>stepped out of the car and attacked him; Officer Gainer disagreed, saying
>>the aggressive Ogan shot his partner without provocation.
>>
>>Sally Webster, a forensic psychologist, testified for the defense at 
>>trial,
>>stating that Ogan experienced several psychological problems when he 
>>arrived
>>in Houston (from St. Louis, which he left in 1989 after several narcotics
>>trafficking prosecutions revealed his identity). She claimed he suffered
>>from functional paranoia, and frequently felt anxiety, agitation, and fear
>>for his life. In his appeals, Ogan argued that his trial counsel failed to
>>recognize the extent of his mental health problems; such a mistake could
>>have seriously influenced the outcome of his trial.
>>
>>He also charged that his attorneys failed to object to supplemental
>>instruction on mitigating evidence at the conclusion of the penalty phase.
>>This failure, which minimized the importance of Ogan's emotional 
>>instability
>>in the jurors' eyes, paved the way for this execution.
>>
>>The Boswell family gained no satisfaction from the death sentence in the
>>courtroom, and they do not expect any closure from Ogan's pending 
>>execution.
>>Carrying out this sentence would only add to the continuing cycle of
>>violence and further emphasize the hypocrisy of the death penalty. Please
>>write the state of Texas and protest this execution.
>>
>>
>>William Chappell
>>Nov. 20, 2002 (TX)
>>6:00 PM CST, 7:00 PM EST
>>
>>The state of Texas tried and convicted William Chappell for triple murder 
>>in
>>1989, and after a reversal from the Court of Criminal Appeals, retried and
>>reconvicted him in 1996. He is scheduled to be executed Nov. 20.
>>
>>Chappell, a white man from Fort Worth, allegedly shot and killed the 
>>family
>>of Jane Sitton - his former girlfriend - in 1988 because she testified 
>>that
>>he molested her 3-year-old daughter years earlier. The crime included the
>>murders of Lindsey and Elbert Sitton - Jane's parents - and Alexandra 
>>Heath,
>>a victim the state claimed Chappell had mistaken for Jane.
>>
>>Chappell successfully appealed his first conviction on the grounds that 
>>the
>>court allowed a second jury shuffle - a procedure not allowed under Texas
>>law. His 1996 conviction has held firmly through the appeals process,
>>though, and he is currently scheduled as the third of four Texas inmates 
>>to
>>be executed during the month of November.
>>
>>Texas remains the leader in executions in this country, accounting for a
>>third of the death sentences carried out nationwide since the 
>>reinstatement
>>of capital punishment in 1976. As various states around the country
>>reevaluate the fairness of their death penalty systems, Texas continues to
>>ignore obvious causes for concern.
>>
>>In the state's case against Chappell, prosecutors used testimonies from
>>jailhouse informants, which are notoriously unreliable. Such witnesses
>>usually testify because they expect rewards, often including a reduced
>>charge, early release, or better conditions of confinement. As the Texas
>>Defender Service states in its report on this issue: "Despite the obvious
>>risk that inmates will fabricate testimony to curry favor with 
>>authorities,
>>Texas imposes no restrictions on its use."
>>
>>The state of Texas continues to perceive its death penalty process as
>>flawless, and the time to examine it for systematic problems - such a
>>jailhouse informant testimony and ineffective counsel - is long overdue.
>>Please write the state of Texas and request a stay for William Wesley
>>Chappell so that the state can evaluate the problems with its death 
>>penalty
>>system.
>>
>>
>>
>>James Clark (TX)
>>Nov. 21, 2002
>>6:00 PM CST, 7:00 PM EST
>>
>>The state of Texas is scheduled to execute James Clark, a white man, Nov. 
>>21
>>for the murder of 16-year-old Shari Catherine Crews. Clark allegedly
>>sexually assaulted and shot the teenage girl at Clear Creek on the night 
>>of
>>June 7, 1993. However, he claimed his co-defendant - James Brown - pulled
>>the trigger on Crews, as well as on Jesus Garza, who was also killed at
>>Clear Creek that night.
>>
>>Texas prosecutors tried Clark and Brown separately for the Crews murder, 
>>and
>>Clark claimed Dr. Marc Krouse - an autopsy physician - gave inconsistent
>>testimonies in the two trials. At Clark's trial, he said the shots that
>>killed Jesus Garza came from a few feet away, and at Brown's trial, a few
>>inches away. Clark argued that this constituted a Brady violation, because
>>if Dr. Krouse's later version had been available to him at trial, he could
>>have followed the same logic the prosecution followed in Brown's trial,
>>pinning the shootings on him.
>>
>>If the distance between the gun and Garza was in fact a few inches, then 
>>the
>>shooter (considering the angle of the wound) must have been sitting or 
>>lying
>>on the ground. Such evidence points glaringly to Brown, since his gunshot
>>wound crippled his walking ability. According to Clark's version of the
>>story, Brown shot himself while striking Garza in the head with the gun, 
>>and
>>following his injury, shot both Garza and Crews.
>>
>>Aside from his argument concerning Dr. Krouse's testimony, Clark has 
>>several
>>other legitimate complaints about his conviction and sentence, including a
>>serious ineffective counsel claim. His defense lawyers called no witnesses
>>to testify during the punishment phase of the trial, forfeiting any hope 
>>of
>>avoiding the death penalty because of mitigating factors.
>>
>>The state produced DNA evidence to prove that Clark sexually assaulted
>>Crews, and involvement in such an episode undoubtedly warrants punishment
>>from the state. However, considering pivotal questions concerning the 
>>actual
>>triggerman remain unanswered, this case should not result in an execution.
>>Please write the state of Texas to protest this death sentence.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Please Contact
>>
>>Governor Rick Perry
>>Office of the Governor
>>PO Box 12428
>>Austin, TX 78711-2418
>>Phone: (512) 463 2000
>>Fax: (512) 463 1849
>>E-mail:
>>www.governor.state.tx.us/contact%20%20information/email/email_the_governor.htm
>>www.governor.state.tx.us
>>
>>Board of Pardons and Paroles
>>Attn: Gerald Garret
>>Executive Clemency Section
>>PO Box 13401, Capitol Station
>>Austin, TX 78711
>>Phone: (512) 406 5852
>>Fax: (512) 467 0945
>>www.tdcj.state.tx.us/bpp/index.html
>>
>>Write Op-Ed
>>
>>The Austin American-Statesman
>>P.O. Box 670
>>Austin, TX 78767
>>Phone: (512) 445-3667
>>Fax: (512) 445-3679
>>E-mail: letters at statesman.com
>>www.austin360.com/statesman/
>>editions/today
>>
>>Dallas Morning News
>>2726 S. Beckley
>>Dallas, TX 75224
>>Phone: (214) 977-8494
>>Fax: (972) 263-0456
>>E-mail: www.dmnweb.dallasnews.com/letters
>>www.dallasnews.com
>>
>>Houston Chronicle
>>P.O. Box 4260
>>Houston, TX 77210
>>Phone: (713) 220-7491
>>Fax: (713) 220-6806
>>E-mail: hci at chron.com
>>www.houstonchronicle.com
>>
>>For More Information
>>
>>Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
>>3400 Montrose Blvd.
>>Suite 312
>>Houston, TX 77006
>>Contact: David Atwood
>>Phone: (713)520-0300 (day)
>>(713)529-3826 (eve)
>>(713)942-8146 (fax)
>>dpatwood at igc.apc.org <mailto:dpatwood at igc.apc.org>
>>www.tacadp.org
>>
>>Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
>>SMU PO Box 750172
>>Dallas, TX 75275
>>Contact: Rick Halperin
>>Phone: (214) 768-3284
>>Fax: (214) 768-3475
>>E-mail: rhalperi at mail.smu.edu <mailto:rhalperi at mail.smu.edu>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>VIRGINIA:
>>
>>Mir Aimal Kasi (VA)
>>Nov. 14, 2002
>>9:00 PM EST
>>
>>Mir Aimal Kasi - a foreign national from Pakistan - is scheduled to be
>>executed by the state of Virginia Nov. 14. On Jan. 25, 1993, Kasi opened
>>fire with an assault rifle outside CIA headquarters, killing two of the
>>agency's employees and wounding three others. Activists around the world
>>have been campaigning vigorously to stop this execution, but so far, to no
>>avail.
>>
>>The Kasi case represents an ideal opportunity for the United States to 
>>honor
>>its commitments to human rights and peaceful conflict resolution in the
>>international community. Kasi claimed his 1993 shooting spree resulted 
>>from
>>frustration over U.S. policies in the Middle East - namely the air attacks
>>on Iraq and the killings of Pakistanians by U.S. components. However,
>>instead of working to improve U.S. foreign policy, Kasi's retaliation
>>furthered the world's prevalent cycle of cross-cultural violence; the 
>>state
>>of Virginia's execution will only do the same. A commutation of Kasi's 
>>death
>>sentence would demonstrate this country's respect for international law,
>>concern for human rights, and objective for a peaceful future in the 
>>Middle
>>East.
>>
>>Aside from the regular political ramifications of executing foreign
>>nationals, this particular death sentence has several procedural flaws.
>>After indicting Kasi shortly after the crime, the United States issued a
>>formal extradition request to Pakistan in April 1993 (citing the 1931
>>Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom -
>>Pakistan's former colonial sovereign - as the authority for the request).
>>Meanwhile, the fugitive allegedly traveled around Afghanistan for several
>>years before returning to his native country. FBI agents abducted him in a
>>hotel room there at four o'clock on the morning of June 15, 1997; after
>>spending two days at a secret location in Pakistan, they returned Kasi to
>>the United States.
>>
>>Defense lawyers have maintained that the trial court did not have
>>jurisdiction over the foreign national because his abduction from Pakistan
>>was a direct violation of international law - specifically the legal
>>prohibition on arbitrary detention. The courts ruled that nothing in the
>>extradition treaty necessarily prohibits such forcible abductions and
>>detentions, and cited the U.S. Supreme Court's 1992 Alvarez-Machain
>>decision. In that ruling, the high court stated that the forcible 
>>abduction
>>of Humberto Alvarez-Machain in Mexico may have violated "general
>>international law principles," but did not violate the U.S.-Mexico
>>extradition treaty, which "says nothing about either country refraining 
>>from
>>forcibly abducting people from the other's territory." Such language not
>>only sets a dangerous precedent for the future, but also raises doubts 
>>about
>>the principles at stake in Kasi's abduction from Pakistan. As a world
>>leader, the U.S. should make a serious effort to abide by "general
>>international law principles," instead of interpreting individual treaties
>>as a way of avoiding them.
>>
>>Kasi's lawyers also expressed concerns regarding the defendant's right to
>>contact consular officers under the Vienna Convention on Consular 
>>Relations.
>>In its appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia, the defense argued that 
>>the
>>"record shows that at no time did the federal agents advise Kasi of his
>>right to consult with a Pakistani diplomat." Such a mistake, they claimed,
>>warrants cause for the court to reverse Kasi's death sentence.
>>
>>Above all else, a human life is at stake, and the reputation of the United
>>States as a nation aiming to protect and defend human rights is hanging in
>>the balance. Please write the state of Virginia and request clemency for 
>>Mir
>>Aimal Kasi.
>>
>>
>>Please Contact
>>
>>Governor Mark Warner
>>Office of the Governor
>>State Capitol, 3rd Floor
>>Richmond, VA 232199
>>Phone: 804-786-2211
>>Fax: 804-371-6351
>>e-mail: <http://www.governor.state.va.us/contact/email_form.html>
>>
>>Virginia Parole Board
>>c/o Department of Corrections
>>PO Box 26963
>>Richmond, VA 23261
>>Phone: 804-674-3081
>>
>>Write Op-Ed
>>
>>Richmond Times-Dispatch
>>PO Box 85333
>>Richmond, VA 23293
>>Phone: 804-649-6000
>>Fax: 804819-1216
>>e-mail: <http://www.timesdispatch.com/editorials/letters.shtml#email>
>>
>>The Virginian-Pilot
>>PO Box 449
>>Norfolk, VA 23501
>>Phone: 757-446-2314
>>Fax: 757-446-2051
>>e-mail: letters at pilotonline.com
>>
>>For More Information
>>
>>Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
>>PO Box 4804
>>Charlottesville, VA 22905
>>Phone: 804-263-8148
>>e-mail: mail at vadp.org
>>web: www.vadp.org
>>
>>ACLU of Virginia
>>6 North 6th St.
>>Suite 400
>>Richmond, VA 23219
>>Phone: 804-644-8022
>>e-mail acluva at aol.com
>>web: www.members.aol.com/acluva
>>
>>Virginia Capital Representation Center
>>3rd Floor
>>2421 Ivy Road
>>Charlottesville, VA 22903
>>Phone: 804-817-2970
>>e-mail: roblee at vcrrc.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>MISSOURI:
>>
>>William R. Jones (MO)
>>Nov. 20, 2002
>>12:01 AM CST, 1:01 AM EST
>>
>>The state of Missouri is scheduled to execute William R. Jones Wednesday,
>>Nov. 20 for the murder of Stanley Albert. Jones, a white man, shot Albert 
>>on
>>January 16, 1986, allegedly in order to steal the victim's white Camaro. 
>>The
>>two had previously met several times at the Liberty Memorial - a common
>>homosexual meeting place. Jones, who is bisexual, was twenty-one years old
>>at the time; Albert was in his fifties.
>>
>>Jones pled not guilty at trial, but later confessed, claiming his defense
>>lawyers convinced him to issue a statement denying his involvement in the
>>murder. He was, no doubt, a very difficult client to represent; he changed
>>his story repeatedly after his incarceration, each time further forfeiting
>>his credibility. However, Jones's defense lawyers - both trying their 
>>first
>>capital murder case - made one inexcusable mistake: they failed to
>>investigate the defendant's mental condition, a routine measure in all
>>capital cases.
>>
>>A criminal defense attorney testified at a hearing in 1989 that such an
>>error clearly demonstrated the ineffectiveness of Jones's counsel. When
>>asked whether a reasonably competent defense lawyer in the state of 
>>Missouri
>>would routinely have a mental evaluation conducted in a capital murder 
>>case,
>>she responded: "There are few things in life you can be certain of, but 
>>this
>>is one of them. There is no capital case that you would not request a
>>psychiatric evaluation of your client." She further emphasized the
>>irresponsible nature of this particular decision, claiming that cases
>>involving a homosexual killing always, without exception, include mental
>>evaluations. This mistake was not a potentially successful strategy that
>>backfired, but rather a blatant error by inexperienced defense lawyers.
>>
>>During post-conviction proceedings, Dr. William O'Connor, a
>>neuropsychologist, evaluated Jones and testified that he suffered from 
>>"ego
>>dystonic homosexuality" and "disassociative disorder with panic attacks."
>>This further supports the claim that a defense strategy including a mental
>>examination could have altered the entire landscape of the case, and quite
>>possibly produced a conviction of second-degree murder - which does not
>>carry the death penalty.
>>
>>Jones's defense lawyers were confident going into the trial that the
>>prosecution lacked sufficient evidence to gain a capital murder 
>>conviction;
>>this prediction proved erroneous, as the state laid out a very strong case
>>against Jones. Charles Wesley Thomas, the defendant's male roommate and
>>lover, said he saw Jones and Albert in the white Camaro on the day of the
>>murder. Several witnesses, including Thomas, testified that Jones 
>>mentioned
>>killing someone shortly before and after the time of the murder. Police
>>apprehended Jones after a high-speed chase on January 18; at the time, he
>>was driving Albert's white Camaro.  Investigators also traced the blanket 
>>in
>>which Albert's body was wrapped to the defendant, as well as the bullets
>>lodged in his chest and torso.
>>
>>The state of Missouri should punish Jones for his actions, but he has an
>>execution date because of ineffective legal counsel, not the merits of his
>>case. Aside from the obvious mistake of failing to request a mental
>>evaluation, Jones's lawyers also used an irresponsible strategy during the
>>penalty phase of the trial. They presented no witnesses to offer 
>>mitigating
>>evidence and ignored the defendant's upbringing, during which his father
>>routinely abused him (once cracking a guitar over his head). This, very
>>simply, should not have been a death case, and it would not have been if
>>Jones had the benefit of experienced legal counsel during his trial. 
>>Please
>>write the state of Missouri and encourage a reconsideration of this death
>>sentence.
>>
>>Please Contact
>>
>>Governor Bob Holden
>>Missouri Capital Building,
>>Rm. 218
>>P.O. Box 720
>>Jefferson City, MO 65102-0720
>>phone: (573) 751-3222
>>fax: (573) 751-1495
>>e-mail: www.gov.state.mo.us/contact.htm.
>>web: www.gov.state.mo.us/
>>
>>Board of Pardons and Paroles
>>Attn: Dennis Agniel
>>1511 Christy Drive
>>Jefferson City, MO 65101
>>phone: (573) 751-8488
>>fax: (573) 751-8501
>>
>>Write Op-Ed
>>
>>Jefferson City News-Tribune
>>P.O. Box 420
>>Jefferson City, MO 65102
>>phone: (573) 636-3131
>>fax: (573) 761-0235
>>e-mail: editor at newstribune.com
>>web: www.newstribune.com
>>
>>Kansas City Star
>>1729 Grand Blvd
>>Kansas City, MO 65102
>>phone: (816) 234-4141
>>fax: (816) 234-4923
>>web:
>>
>>St. Louis Post-Dispatch
>>900 N. Tucker Blvd
>>St. Louis, MO 63101
>>phone: (314) 340-8222
>>fax: (314) 340-3050
>>e-mail: letters at postnet.com
>>web:www.postnet.com
>>
>>For More Information
>>
>>Missourans Against the Death Penalty
>>P.O. Box 1022
>>Jefferson City, MO 65102
>>contact: Rita Linhardt
>>phone: (573) 635-7239
>>fax: (573) 635-7431
>>e-mail: capitalmocatholic at aol.com
>>
>>Eastern Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
>>1408 South 10th Street
>>St. Louis, MO 63104
>>contact: Margaret Phillips
>>phone: (314) 516-6864
>>e-mail: emcadp at mindspring.com.
>>
>>Western Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
>>P.O. Box 45302
>>Kansas City, MO  64171
>>e-mail: wmcadp at juno.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>ALABAMA:
>>
>>George Sibley, Jr. (AL)
>>Nov. 7, 2002
>>12:00 AM CST, 1:00 AM EST
>>
>>The state of Alabama is scheduled to execute George Sibley, Jr. Nov. 7 for
>>the murder of Opelika police officer Roger Lamar Motley. Sibley, a white
>>man, would be the first inmate executed in Alabama since May 10, when his
>>common-law wife, Lynda Lyon Block, died in the electric chair for the same
>>crime.
>>
>>After fleeing Florida in October 1993 to avoid arrest for stabbing Block's
>>ex-husband, the couple headed for Mobile, Alabama. On their way, in the
>>small town of Opelika, they stopped at a WalMart so Block could call a
>>friend. While she stood in the telephone booth, a police officer - Roger
>>Motley - approached the car in which her husband was sitting. According to
>>Sibley, after a brief conversation, Motley reached for his gun, which
>>prompted Sibley to pull his own and engage in a shootout. As people all 
>>over
>>the parking lot took cover from the shooting, Block ran over from the 
>>phone
>>booth, gun in hand, and shot Motley several times in the chest. The 
>>officer
>>called for help, and died shortly thereafter.
>>
>>Sibley and Block have consistently denied any wrongdoing over the years,
>>from their refusal to surrender to police on the night of the murder to
>>Block's electrocution in Alabama's death chamber in May. Sibley has stuck 
>>to
>>his story since his wife's death as well, welcoming his own execution.
>>
>>Throughout the ordeal, the couple accused nearly everyone involved with 
>>the
>>case of conspiring against them, and thoroughly refused to accept the
>>validity of the judicial process. From death row, Block wrote: "The trial
>>was a play, scripted by the judge, the prosecutor, and the restrictive ABA
>>Rules of Procedure."
>>
>>If carried out, this execution would be dangerously similar to
>>state-assisted suicide; Sibley has decided not to pursue any appeals or 
>>even
>>assist himself in any way by consulting legal counsel. The state of 
>>Alabama
>>should commute this sentence and re-examine its death penalty statute.
>>
>>
>>Please Contact
>>
>>Don Siegelman
>>State Capitol, 600 Dexter Avenue
>>Room N-104
>>Montgomery, AL 36130
>>Phone: 334-242-7100
>>Fax: 334-242-0937
>>Email: www.governor.state.al.us/office/email/email.html
>><http://www.governor.state.al.us/office/email/email.html>
>>
>>Alabama Parole Board
>>PO Box 302405
>>Montgomery, AL 36130
>>Phone: 334-242-8730
>>Fax: 334-242-8700
>>Email: wsegrest at paroles.state.al.us <mailto:wsegrest at paroles.state.al.us>
>>
>>Write Op-Ed
>>
>>The Birmingham News
>>PO Box 2553
>>Birmingham, AL 35202
>>Phone: 205-325-2444
>>Fax: 205-325-3345
>>Email: elard at bhamnews.com <mailto:elard at bhamnews.com>
>>Web: www.bhamnews.com <http://www.bhamnews.com>
>>
>>Montgomery Adviser
>>200 Washington Ave.
>>Montgomery, AL 36104
>>Phone: 334-261-1524
>>Email: khare at montgomeryadvertiser.com
>><mailto:khare at montgomeryadvertiser.com>
>>Web: www.montgomeryadvertiser.com <http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com>
>>
>>For More Information
>>
>>Alabama Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
>>1644 13th Street S.
>>Birmingham, AL 35205
>>Phone: 205-918-0890
>>Email: sumansbach at aol.com <mailto:sumansbach at aol.com>
>>
>>Alabama Prison Project
>>215 Clayton Street
>>Montgomery, AL 36104
>>Phone: 334-264-7416
>>Fax: 334-264-4661
>>Email: addvocat at bellsouth.net <mailto:addvocat at bellsouth.net>
>>Web: alabamaprisonproject.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>


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