The State of Texas executed Lonnie Earl Johnson on July 24, 2007. Johnson was 44 years old at the time of his death.
Johnson never denied killing the two teenagers for whose murders he was executed (Sean Schulz (16) and Leroy McCaffry (17)). However, Johnson did claim that the two victims made racist threats against him (they were white, he was black) and pulled a gun on him. Prison officials say that Johnson believed until shortly before his death that his appeals would be successful and he would not die.
Whether or not Schulz's and McCaffry's deaths were the result of self-defense or were murder, their deaths are tragic. My heart certainly goes out to their parents and families. Yet, even if Johnson murdered those boys without provocation, I still believe it was wrong to execute him.
There is more to the story of Johnson's execution - separate, yet forever related. Lonnie Johnson was the 100th person convicted and sentenced out of Harris County, Texas to be executed since the death penalty was re-instated in Texas. In 25 years, Texas has executed 100 people from one single county. That is an average of 4 every year and its total is more than the total in any other STATE (aside from Texas). Moreover, Harris County, dear readers, is no ordinary county. Harris County has been the subject of great controversy over the last few years as the result of investigations that have shown its forensics lab to have been highly unreliable (no allegations that it currently is as far as I know). I wonder how many of those 100 individuals were convicted, sentenced and executed based on questionable forensics?
For more on the execution of Lonnie Johnson please see this article in the Houston Chronicle.
For more commentary on the Harris County 100-execution "milestone" please see the following blog posts:
Amnesty International - Counting to One Hundred
Texas Moratorium Network - Harris County: One County 100 Executions
Capital Defense Weekly - Lonnie Johnson: "Geography Means Everything"
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Many thanks to David at NCADP and Karl at Capital Defense Weekly for welcoming me back to the fold! I look forward to participating in the movement again.
Now, go read their stuff!
Now, go read their stuff!
Hiding Behind a Hood
Sue Carlton published a column in the St. Petersburg Times today regarding Florida's policy to have individuals performing executions wear hoods and hide their identities. I found her column well worth reading.
Facts of note on Florida executioners - the executioner need only be 18, is appointed by a warden, and makes $150 per execution. Ah, the selectee must also "get training." What does that mean? There are horror stories in Florida (and other states) about botched executions, about men's heads on fire or failed IVs or improper drug application that caused an execution to take significantly too long. Just how much training is required? Do they get pyschological training to assure they know exactly what they are doing?
It makes me ill to think of an 18 year old taking the life of another human being for the mere sum of $150. OK, well, I admit, it makes me sick to think of an 18 year old taking a human life at all, but that "service" to the State is only worth $150?
Carlton indicates in her column that, every time an execution looms or the death penalty is in the news, the Florida Department of Corrections receives at least a dozen requests by email to become an executioner. I have to wonder - where does this overwhelming desire to kill someone stem from? Do the volunteers have some sort of sick fantasy to let go of that the legality of the State proceeding allows them to do without consequence? I suppose if he performed more than one, it might qualify him (or her) as a serial killer. Does that make someone feel more important? More "god" like? Shouldn't the executioner have to look his victim in the eye before he kills him?
I understand the State's concern about protecting the executioner from retaliation, but if the person is willing to perform the act and believes that it is moral and proper to do so, then that person should be willing to identify his or herself - at the very least, to the life he or she is ending.
Facts of note on Florida executioners - the executioner need only be 18, is appointed by a warden, and makes $150 per execution. Ah, the selectee must also "get training." What does that mean? There are horror stories in Florida (and other states) about botched executions, about men's heads on fire or failed IVs or improper drug application that caused an execution to take significantly too long. Just how much training is required? Do they get pyschological training to assure they know exactly what they are doing?
It makes me ill to think of an 18 year old taking the life of another human being for the mere sum of $150. OK, well, I admit, it makes me sick to think of an 18 year old taking a human life at all, but that "service" to the State is only worth $150?
Carlton indicates in her column that, every time an execution looms or the death penalty is in the news, the Florida Department of Corrections receives at least a dozen requests by email to become an executioner. I have to wonder - where does this overwhelming desire to kill someone stem from? Do the volunteers have some sort of sick fantasy to let go of that the legality of the State proceeding allows them to do without consequence? I suppose if he performed more than one, it might qualify him (or her) as a serial killer. Does that make someone feel more important? More "god" like? Shouldn't the executioner have to look his victim in the eye before he kills him?
I understand the State's concern about protecting the executioner from retaliation, but if the person is willing to perform the act and believes that it is moral and proper to do so, then that person should be willing to identify his or herself - at the very least, to the life he or she is ending.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Defined
According to Dictionary.com:
lone·ly
-adjective
1. affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome.
2. destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support, etc.: a lonely exile.
3. lone; solitary; without company; companionless.
4. remote from places of human habitation; desolate; unfrequented; bleak: a lonely road.
5. standing apart; isolated: a lonely tower.
ab·o·li·tion·ist
–noun
1. (esp. prior to the Civil War) a person who advocated or supported the abolition of slavery in the U.S.
2. a person who favors the abolition of any law or practice deemed harmful to society....
Many have asked my why the name of this blog is "The Lonely Abolitionist." They write to let me know that they are with me and that I am not alone - that I am not a "lonely" abolitionist. This is SO true! I am not alone in my quest for abolition of the death penalty. I am not alone in my strong feelings about its effect on our society or our criminal justice system. Sometimes, when the executions are many and the news is bleak, it may feel like we are alone in this fight, but we are not!
When I first chose it, the title "The Lonely Abolitionist" was meant to be profound. I wanted something profound, something meaningful that would spark a reader's interest. It couldn't be that I would name my blog something horribly descriptive and boring - not me! When I started this blog, I was the only person out there I could find that was blogging exclusively on news and issues relating to abolishing the death penalty. So, as to the blogosphere, I was in fact the "lonely" abolitionist. Shortly thereafter, however, more blogs came along (props to David E. and the NCADP!).
I am not a "lonely" person, and I am not "lonely" in my abolition opinions or actions. I am no longer "lonely" in the blogosphere. Yet, I keep the name. The name reminds me of the time when I was "lone." It reminds me to stand up and "stand apart." It reminds me that one single person can play a part in resolving a big problem. This blog does not have many readers. It doesn't need many (or even any)! The Lonely Abolitionist makes a difference to me every time I post, and it makes a difference every once in awhile to a reader who finds something new that he or she would not have found had I not wandered by and mused on it.
At some point, I may blog on more than the death penalty. Unfortunately, there are many other laws and practices in our world that I favor abolishing. I imagine, however, that if I took the time to blog about every newsworthy item related to every notable abolition topic within my interest, that I would never finish any of my for-pay work!
In the meantime, this little blog will try to keep chugging along. I will try to keep doing my part. I hope that you will keep doing your part and make sure that I am never again truly "lonely." Thanks for stopping by.
Carrie
lone·ly
-adjective
1. affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome.
2. destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support, etc.: a lonely exile.
3. lone; solitary; without company; companionless.
4. remote from places of human habitation; desolate; unfrequented; bleak: a lonely road.
5. standing apart; isolated: a lonely tower.
ab·o·li·tion·ist
–noun
1. (esp. prior to the Civil War) a person who advocated or supported the abolition of slavery in the U.S.
2. a person who favors the abolition of any law or practice deemed harmful to society....
Many have asked my why the name of this blog is "The Lonely Abolitionist." They write to let me know that they are with me and that I am not alone - that I am not a "lonely" abolitionist. This is SO true! I am not alone in my quest for abolition of the death penalty. I am not alone in my strong feelings about its effect on our society or our criminal justice system. Sometimes, when the executions are many and the news is bleak, it may feel like we are alone in this fight, but we are not!
When I first chose it, the title "The Lonely Abolitionist" was meant to be profound. I wanted something profound, something meaningful that would spark a reader's interest. It couldn't be that I would name my blog something horribly descriptive and boring - not me! When I started this blog, I was the only person out there I could find that was blogging exclusively on news and issues relating to abolishing the death penalty. So, as to the blogosphere, I was in fact the "lonely" abolitionist. Shortly thereafter, however, more blogs came along (props to David E. and the NCADP!).
I am not a "lonely" person, and I am not "lonely" in my abolition opinions or actions. I am no longer "lonely" in the blogosphere. Yet, I keep the name. The name reminds me of the time when I was "lone." It reminds me to stand up and "stand apart." It reminds me that one single person can play a part in resolving a big problem. This blog does not have many readers. It doesn't need many (or even any)! The Lonely Abolitionist makes a difference to me every time I post, and it makes a difference every once in awhile to a reader who finds something new that he or she would not have found had I not wandered by and mused on it.
At some point, I may blog on more than the death penalty. Unfortunately, there are many other laws and practices in our world that I favor abolishing. I imagine, however, that if I took the time to blog about every newsworthy item related to every notable abolition topic within my interest, that I would never finish any of my for-pay work!
In the meantime, this little blog will try to keep chugging along. I will try to keep doing my part. I hope that you will keep doing your part and make sure that I am never again truly "lonely." Thanks for stopping by.
Carrie
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Troy Davis - Stay Granted
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles has granted Troy Davis a 90 day stay of execution (Troy Davis was scheduled to be executed today). Several witnesses spoke before the Board yesterday in an effort to see Troy's execution date stayed (or commuted all together). The Board decided it wanted to hear more about Troy's case and the evidence that he may have been wrongfully convicted. Troy now has 90 days to continue to press his case.
As you can imagine, Troy's family and legal team are ecstatic. This stay will hopefully give them enough time to prepare (90 days is not that much) an all out attack on Troy's original conviction and convince the powers that be at the Georgia Paroles Board (or elsewhere) to commute Troy's sentence.
For more information, please see this article in the Washington Post.
As you can imagine, Troy's family and legal team are ecstatic. This stay will hopefully give them enough time to prepare (90 days is not that much) an all out attack on Troy's original conviction and convince the powers that be at the Georgia Paroles Board (or elsewhere) to commute Troy's sentence.
For more information, please see this article in the Washington Post.
Monday, July 16, 2007
TalkLeft on Troy Davis
As of right now, the State of Georgia is still scheduled to execute Troy Davis tomorrow. I don't have a lot of time to post today, but please take a look at this blog entry on TalkLeft, it contains a lot of good information on Troy's case.
Hat tip to the folks at TalkLeft.
Hat tip to the folks at TalkLeft.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Elijah Page - South Dakota
The State of South Dakota executed Elijah Page on Wednesday night. Page had waived all appeals in a letter to the governor of South Dakota and had asked to be executed. An account of his execution is described here in an AP article in the Sioux City Journal. Page was 25 years old when he died.
Originally from East Texas, Elijah Page was sentenced to die in South Dakota for the brutal torture and killing of Chester Allan Poage, who was 19. Page's family claims that his requests for his own death were based on his inability to deal with his guilt and the memories of his own brutality. Such an attitude is actually one of the (many) reasons I disagree with State-assisted suicide (other assisted suicide is a different story). It may sound strange coming from me, but I don't think that those who have committed such abhorrent crimes should be able to get out of their guilt that easily. Query: how does it serve justice to put someone who cannot stand his own brutality out of his misery? How does it serve justice to give him what he desires? In some cases, death is an easy way out. (Yet, see below on my queries and opinions regarding the State's hypocrisy in suicide situations).
Page's execution was the first execution in South Dakota in over 60 years. It was also the first execution utilizing the State's lethal injection procedure. For more information on this execution and concerns with the death penalty and methods of execution in South Dakota, please see this article in the New York Times. And, for more information on Elijah Page, his crimes and his victim, Chester Poage, please see this article in the Argus Leader.
Originally from East Texas, Elijah Page was sentenced to die in South Dakota for the brutal torture and killing of Chester Allan Poage, who was 19. Page's family claims that his requests for his own death were based on his inability to deal with his guilt and the memories of his own brutality. Such an attitude is actually one of the (many) reasons I disagree with State-assisted suicide (other assisted suicide is a different story). It may sound strange coming from me, but I don't think that those who have committed such abhorrent crimes should be able to get out of their guilt that easily. Query: how does it serve justice to put someone who cannot stand his own brutality out of his misery? How does it serve justice to give him what he desires? In some cases, death is an easy way out. (Yet, see below on my queries and opinions regarding the State's hypocrisy in suicide situations).
Page's execution was the first execution in South Dakota in over 60 years. It was also the first execution utilizing the State's lethal injection procedure. For more information on this execution and concerns with the death penalty and methods of execution in South Dakota, please see this article in the New York Times. And, for more information on Elijah Page, his crimes and his victim, Chester Poage, please see this article in the Argus Leader.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Justice?
David Elliot of National Coalition Against the Death Penalty posted this op-ed from the Houston Chronicle this morning. It provides an excellent historical perspective on President Bush's commutation of I. Lewis Libby, comparing Bush's consideration of the commutation and its constitutionality to that of Bush's approach to clemency of Texas Death Row inmates during his tenure as Governor. It is well worth reading. And while you're there...check out the rest of the information NCADP regularly provides its blog readers...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Troy Anthony Davis
The family of and attorneys for Troy Davis of Georgia are pumping up their efforts to save his life and potentially clear his name. Troy Davis is scheduled to be executed by the State of Georgia next week.
Davis was convicted of killing a Savannah police officer in 1991. His trial was based almost exclusively on witness testimony, and of the nine individuals who testified against him, seven have now recanted claiming they were "intimidated" by the investigating officers. There is no physical evidence. One of the two remaining witnesses is himself a suspect and has been implicated in the murder by numerous others.
Davis has attempted habeas corpus petitions and state appeals. His first habeas petition was handled by underfunded defense attorneys without capability to properly investigate and his follow up was dismissed for [alleged] procedural insufficiency.
The last quote from the article linked below is the one that scares me the most:
"The execution of an innocent man is not unconstitutional," said Jason Ewart, Davis' attorney, "so we face an uphill battle."
(Information gathered from the LA Times.)
Folks, Troy Davis may very well be innocent. At the very least, he was sentenced to death on the word of several clearly unreliable witnesses without additional corroboration (no murder weapon or DNA, etc.). If you can, please contact the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Governor's office, etc. to voice your objections. For those of you in Georgia, your voice will mean even more.
Davis was convicted of killing a Savannah police officer in 1991. His trial was based almost exclusively on witness testimony, and of the nine individuals who testified against him, seven have now recanted claiming they were "intimidated" by the investigating officers. There is no physical evidence. One of the two remaining witnesses is himself a suspect and has been implicated in the murder by numerous others.
Davis has attempted habeas corpus petitions and state appeals. His first habeas petition was handled by underfunded defense attorneys without capability to properly investigate and his follow up was dismissed for [alleged] procedural insufficiency.
The last quote from the article linked below is the one that scares me the most:
"The execution of an innocent man is not unconstitutional," said Jason Ewart, Davis' attorney, "so we face an uphill battle."
(Information gathered from the LA Times.)
Folks, Troy Davis may very well be innocent. At the very least, he was sentenced to death on the word of several clearly unreliable witnesses without additional corroboration (no murder weapon or DNA, etc.). If you can, please contact the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Governor's office, etc. to voice your objections. For those of you in Georgia, your voice will mean even more.
Elijah Page
The governor of South Dakota has now said that only Elijah Page himself can stop his execution. Page, who is only 25 years old, has halted all of his appeals and asked to be executed. His execution is schedule for 10 pm CDT tonight. If he does not stop his own execution by resuming his appeals, he will be the first person executed in South Dakota in 60 years.
The South Dakota governor initially stayed Page's execution in 2006 over concerns with the combination of drugs used in the lethal injection process. South Dakota has since changed the drug combination and the governor is now comfortable allowing the execution to proceed.
For more information, please see the AP story published here in the Houston Chronicle.
As those of you who have previously following this blog know, I sincerely object to the death penalty in all cases. I also believe that the execution of an inmate who is choosing to go to his own execution before completing his appeals is no less abhorrent than a State-scheduled execution.
Typically, before an inmate is executed, he or she is held in a solitary cell for 23 hours a day for years. Death row inmates are usually kept on a strict suicide watch. These suicide watches are part of the reason why I am convinced the State does not want "justice" through an execution but rather desires revenge or retribution. A State will put an inmate on suicide watch so that the inmate does not take his or her own life, but the instant the appeals are over, the State will be more than happy to do the job itself. In fact, during the last few days of a condemned individual's life, the suicide watches are increased so that the condemned cannot jump the gun and ruin the State's show. That says to me that the State wants to make sure people watch the inmate suffer and die; that the State wants to make sure the public knows that it is the decider, and it gets to decide fate.
I do not encourage suicide. I'm not sure who does; but if the State's goal is the death of the convicted, why not let them end their own suffering? And, query: if an individual is not afraid of death, does execution have any power over him? Maybe, maybe not. Of course, these are just questions for contemplation. I despise the idea of a condemned individual losing all hope and wanting to die, but at the same time, I can understand why they might want to. Perhaps it is wrong of me to think, but death does not scare me as it does some people. It is part of the cycle of life. I just don't think our deaths should be chosen for us - in any circumstances.
The South Dakota governor initially stayed Page's execution in 2006 over concerns with the combination of drugs used in the lethal injection process. South Dakota has since changed the drug combination and the governor is now comfortable allowing the execution to proceed.
For more information, please see the AP story published here in the Houston Chronicle.
As those of you who have previously following this blog know, I sincerely object to the death penalty in all cases. I also believe that the execution of an inmate who is choosing to go to his own execution before completing his appeals is no less abhorrent than a State-scheduled execution.
Typically, before an inmate is executed, he or she is held in a solitary cell for 23 hours a day for years. Death row inmates are usually kept on a strict suicide watch. These suicide watches are part of the reason why I am convinced the State does not want "justice" through an execution but rather desires revenge or retribution. A State will put an inmate on suicide watch so that the inmate does not take his or her own life, but the instant the appeals are over, the State will be more than happy to do the job itself. In fact, during the last few days of a condemned individual's life, the suicide watches are increased so that the condemned cannot jump the gun and ruin the State's show. That says to me that the State wants to make sure people watch the inmate suffer and die; that the State wants to make sure the public knows that it is the decider, and it gets to decide fate.
I do not encourage suicide. I'm not sure who does; but if the State's goal is the death of the convicted, why not let them end their own suffering? And, query: if an individual is not afraid of death, does execution have any power over him? Maybe, maybe not. Of course, these are just questions for contemplation. I despise the idea of a condemned individual losing all hope and wanting to die, but at the same time, I can understand why they might want to. Perhaps it is wrong of me to think, but death does not scare me as it does some people. It is part of the cycle of life. I just don't think our deaths should be chosen for us - in any circumstances.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
New Domain and Email
You can now reach the Lonely Abolitionist at http://www.lonelyabolitionist.com (the blogspot address will reroute here so no need to update bookmarks). Also, my new email address is carriej@lonelyabolitionist.com. Changes everywhere!
Site Feed
Since I intend to actually start posting again (new job! more time!), I've enabled the site feed for the blog. Feel free to subscribe! I may also purchase a direct domain name at some point. I'll update the blog when I get that so that people can point their bookmarks there. Who knows, if I get crazy, I just might start blogging about more than one subject... IF I get crazy that is...
Maryland Moratorium Update
As some of you may recall (although it was not posted here), 6 months ago Maryland's highest court ordered a halt to executions in Maryland based on its opinion that the lethal injection process was not being properly adopted. Since then, the Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley, has refused to reinstate them. Now, according to the Washington Post, O'Malley's office has stated that it may not issue new regulations until the Maryland legislature reconvenes in January.
O'Malley unsuccessfully tried to get the legislature to repeal the death penalty earlier this year. He opposes the death penalty and would like to give the legislature a second change to repeal the law. This has angered prosecutors and other prominent individuals in Maryland.
I strongly encourage those of you in Maryland who support abolition to contact your representatives (repeatedly if necessary) to encourage them to support a repeal of the death penalty laws in Maryland. Better yet, tell your friends to join you. The more constituents who express their support for this repeal, the more likely a representatives opinion may sway. Go get 'em!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
I realize its been awhile since I last posted, but people occasionally email me. Unfortunately, because I did not log-in to my Hotmail account for over 30 days, it deleted my account and deleted all of my emails. As such, if I did not receive or respond to your recent email, I apologize. Please write again. Thanks!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Execution Update
Again, I've been negligent about my obituary updates (or just updates in general). Tonight I went to update with some general news about death penalty cases and I thought perhaps I should at least give note to those many executions since the last time I updated. Here they are.
Stanley Williams - California - December 13, 2006 - 51 years old
John Nixon - Mississippi - December 14, 2006 - 77 years old
Clarence Ray Allen - California - January 17, 2006 - 76 years old
Perrie Simpson - North Carolina - January 20, 2006 - 43 years old
Marion Dudley - Texas - January 25, 2006 - 33 years old
Marvin Bieghler - Indiana - January 27, 2006 - 58 years old
Jaime Elizalde - Texas - January 31, 2006 - 34 years old
Glenn Benner - Ohio - February 7, 2006 - 43 years old
Robert Neville, Jr. - Texas - February 8, 2006 - 31 years old
Clyde Smith, Jr. - Texas - February 15, 2006 - 32 years old
Tommie Hughes - Texas - March 15, 2006 - 31 years old
Patrick Moody - North Carolina - March 17, 2006 - 39 years old
Robert Salazar, Jr. - Texas - March 22, 2006 - 27 years old
Kevin Kincy - Texas - March 29, 2006 - 38 years old
Richard Thornburg - Oklahoma - April 18, 2006 - 40 years old
Willie Brown, Jr. - North Carolina - April 21, 2006 - 61 years old
Daryl Mack - Nevada - April 26, 2006 - 47 years old
Dexter Vinson - Virginia - April 27, 2006 - 43 years old
Joseph Clark - Ohio - May 2, 2006 - 57 years old
Jackie Wilson - Texas - May 4, 2006 - 40 years old
Jermaine Herron - Texas - May 17, 2006 - 27 years old
Jesus Aguilar - Texas - May 24, 2006 - 42 years old
John Boltz - Oklahoma - June 1, 2006 - 74 years old
Timothy Titsworth - Texas - June 6, 2006 - 34 years old
Lamont Reese - Texas - June 20, 2006 - 28 years old
Angel Maturino Resendiz - Texas - June 27, 2006 - 46 years old
Sedley Alley - Tennessee - June 28, 2006 - 51 years old
Derrick O'Brien - Texas - July 11, 2006 - 31 years old
Rocky Barton - Ohio - July 12, 2006 - 49 years old
William Downs - South Carolina - July 14, 2006 - 39 years old
Mauriceo Brown - Texas - July 19, 2006 - 31 years old
Robert Anderson - Texas - July 20, 2006 - 40 years old
Brandon Hedrick - Virginia - July 20, 2006 - 27 years old
Michael Lenz - Virigina - July 27, 2006 - 42 years old
There are 34 executions listed above, including 4 men under the age of 30. Of the 34 executions, 15 were in Texas.
Stanley Williams - California - December 13, 2006 - 51 years old
John Nixon - Mississippi - December 14, 2006 - 77 years old
Clarence Ray Allen - California - January 17, 2006 - 76 years old
Perrie Simpson - North Carolina - January 20, 2006 - 43 years old
Marion Dudley - Texas - January 25, 2006 - 33 years old
Marvin Bieghler - Indiana - January 27, 2006 - 58 years old
Jaime Elizalde - Texas - January 31, 2006 - 34 years old
Glenn Benner - Ohio - February 7, 2006 - 43 years old
Robert Neville, Jr. - Texas - February 8, 2006 - 31 years old
Clyde Smith, Jr. - Texas - February 15, 2006 - 32 years old
Tommie Hughes - Texas - March 15, 2006 - 31 years old
Patrick Moody - North Carolina - March 17, 2006 - 39 years old
Robert Salazar, Jr. - Texas - March 22, 2006 - 27 years old
Kevin Kincy - Texas - March 29, 2006 - 38 years old
Richard Thornburg - Oklahoma - April 18, 2006 - 40 years old
Willie Brown, Jr. - North Carolina - April 21, 2006 - 61 years old
Daryl Mack - Nevada - April 26, 2006 - 47 years old
Dexter Vinson - Virginia - April 27, 2006 - 43 years old
Joseph Clark - Ohio - May 2, 2006 - 57 years old
Jackie Wilson - Texas - May 4, 2006 - 40 years old
Jermaine Herron - Texas - May 17, 2006 - 27 years old
Jesus Aguilar - Texas - May 24, 2006 - 42 years old
John Boltz - Oklahoma - June 1, 2006 - 74 years old
Timothy Titsworth - Texas - June 6, 2006 - 34 years old
Lamont Reese - Texas - June 20, 2006 - 28 years old
Angel Maturino Resendiz - Texas - June 27, 2006 - 46 years old
Sedley Alley - Tennessee - June 28, 2006 - 51 years old
Derrick O'Brien - Texas - July 11, 2006 - 31 years old
Rocky Barton - Ohio - July 12, 2006 - 49 years old
William Downs - South Carolina - July 14, 2006 - 39 years old
Mauriceo Brown - Texas - July 19, 2006 - 31 years old
Robert Anderson - Texas - July 20, 2006 - 40 years old
Brandon Hedrick - Virginia - July 20, 2006 - 27 years old
Michael Lenz - Virigina - July 27, 2006 - 42 years old
There are 34 executions listed above, including 4 men under the age of 30. Of the 34 executions, 15 were in Texas.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Nebraska and the Electric Chair - Carey Dean Moore
Nebraska is the only remaining state in the United States that offers the electric chair as its only form of execution. Recently, Carey Dean Moore, a Nebraska death row inmate challenged the use of the electric chair as cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. Today, the Nebraska Supreme Court found that use of the electric chair in executions is NOT cruel and unusual punishment.
It flabbergasts me that anyone could find that electrocution is not cruel and unusual punishment. The risks involved in electrocution are tremendous. There are reports of inmates burning alive from the electrocution due to misapplication and of executions requiring higher and higher blasts of electricity to finally kill the execute (which of course means the inmate was alive throughout earlier attempts to kill him or her with high voltage electricity). This risks are enormous.
I lived in Nebraska for three years and was keenly aware that Nebraska was one of the few states (and then the only state) still using the electric chair as its exclusive option for execution. Today's ruling makes me tremendously sad.
That said, the United States Supreme Court's ruling in June that inmates can protest the combination of chemicals used in lethal injection as cruel and unusual also paves the way for a possible acceptance of certiorari for Carey Dean Moore. So, perhaps there is some hope for change.
For more information, I attach links to an AP article posted on CNN.com today regarding the Nebraska ruling and a June 18, 2006 opinion piece from the San Francisco Chronicle following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on lethal injection (written by Tom McNichol).
It flabbergasts me that anyone could find that electrocution is not cruel and unusual punishment. The risks involved in electrocution are tremendous. There are reports of inmates burning alive from the electrocution due to misapplication and of executions requiring higher and higher blasts of electricity to finally kill the execute (which of course means the inmate was alive throughout earlier attempts to kill him or her with high voltage electricity). This risks are enormous.
I lived in Nebraska for three years and was keenly aware that Nebraska was one of the few states (and then the only state) still using the electric chair as its exclusive option for execution. Today's ruling makes me tremendously sad.
That said, the United States Supreme Court's ruling in June that inmates can protest the combination of chemicals used in lethal injection as cruel and unusual also paves the way for a possible acceptance of certiorari for Carey Dean Moore. So, perhaps there is some hope for change.
For more information, I attach links to an AP article posted on CNN.com today regarding the Nebraska ruling and a June 18, 2006 opinion piece from the San Francisco Chronicle following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on lethal injection (written by Tom McNichol).
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Paul Gregory House
I have so much to say about this decision, and I haven't had time to write about it. I still don't, but I just wanted to express how completely happy I am that the Supreme Court not only ruled that Paul can appeal his innocence, but the Court pretty much wrote that he should not have been convicted in the first place. Hopefully, this means a habeas proceeding will get him a new trial, and then hopefully the prosecutor will find that there is no reason to re-try Paul. He's served twenty years for a crime he may not have committed (one I believe he did not). At the very least, the prosecution could not have met its burden if the DNA evidence had been available then. Why re-try now?
Paul suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. From earlier reports, his MS is very serious. I highly doubt that someone with advanced MS is going to be any threat to anyone (except perhaps himself). I hope that Paul will be given the chance to see the outside world before he dies. I have no idea how advanced his MS is, but MS can be terminal and I think it would be tragic if Paul is indeed innocent and he spent the last 20 years of his life in prison suffering from MS. Its almost as horrid as it would be were he executed by the State. Execution is only more horrid because a person has to take an action to cause the death.
I corresponded with Paul's sister-in-law at one point (or was it sister? I cannot recall). In a way, that made his case more real to me and I've followed it since then. Hopefully, other promising decisions will follow this one.
Paul suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. From earlier reports, his MS is very serious. I highly doubt that someone with advanced MS is going to be any threat to anyone (except perhaps himself). I hope that Paul will be given the chance to see the outside world before he dies. I have no idea how advanced his MS is, but MS can be terminal and I think it would be tragic if Paul is indeed innocent and he spent the last 20 years of his life in prison suffering from MS. Its almost as horrid as it would be were he executed by the State. Execution is only more horrid because a person has to take an action to cause the death.
I corresponded with Paul's sister-in-law at one point (or was it sister? I cannot recall). In a way, that made his case more real to me and I've followed it since then. Hopefully, other promising decisions will follow this one.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
What I Believe and Some of Why...
I haven't posted for awhile, but I thought that some of the readers out there might find worth reading a letter I wrote in response to a well thought out, heart-wrenching email I received about why an execution is important and necessary for those affected by a particular man's horrific crimes. Its posted below. I know I keep promising to post my usual stuff more regularly. I won't promise again, but I'll at least say, "I'll try."
--
Dear [John],
I appreciate you writing to me. Please know that I read each of your words and I do understand where you are coming from. I myself have been a victim of violent crime, and I was a college friend of a woman killed in a hate crime off the Appalachian trail in 1996. I know what murder and violence does to families and to individuals and I can feel the emotion in your heart-felt and very real words. Please know how much respect and compassion I have for that. I am very aware of how real the victims and families in these situations are.
Please know this, I oppose the death penalty for anyone, no matter how horrid the crime or how obvious the person's guilt is. I've had sisters of murder victims write to me and tell me of the horror of living without their brother or sister. I know there are real people involved and I feel it every time I read of a victim's pain. The thing about it is, I do not believe that we as human beings have the right to take another life...no matter what. I find it despicable that a state takes the life of another human being in the name of justice. Even if it is not about revenge or vengence, it is not our place in the social order to decide who lives or dies. With or without a god or a moral code, society is better than that and human beings are more than that. There is a reason that doctors do not administer lethal injections; they vowed to protect human life not to take it. We should all feel that way, no matter how we feel about the life being taken.
Further, there are most certainly innocent men (and women no doubt) on death row. Some may have even been executed. Right now, even if I did not believe that, as a social/moral construct and public policy, the death penalty is abhorrent and anti-human, I would oppose the execution of anyone. We do not have a way in our justice system to assure that all individuals are treated fairly, have just trials, and are definitively guilty. Even if a man like [Jesse James] is guilty beyond any sense of doubt whatsoever, simply from the standpoint of justice, I do not think he should be executed. We cannot pick and choose which of our death row inmates should die and which should live while we figure out our justice system and assure that no mistakes are made. No matter what our moral code is, that slope is too slippery and too subjective and if we slip down it, we will never fix the system.
The death penalty is not a deterrent, that has been statistically proven (compare the "capital crime" rates of states like Texas and those without the death penalty for examples). And to shorten the process would remove one of the keys of this justice system...the assurance of checks and balances. If we shorten that process and take away the right to appeals and the right to those checks, how long will it be before a corrupt prosecutor fudges a trial and puts an innocent person on death row only to be killed a year later without a chance to prove his story? How long before someone we know and love is wrongly convicted? I suppose you think that's a far off chance and something for a made for TV movie, but I certainly don't want that risk around, no matter how small. From a sheer justice perspective, I think it better to let 100 or 1000 guilty men live than kill 1 innocent one. Those checks are there for a reason.
I am a gay woman. I have watched the news unfold over the last several years as individuals in my community, people who were essentially no different than me, were killed for the simple reason that they were gay; and I have cried in sheer horror, disgust and fear. This was the case with my friend, Julie. Julie and her partner had their throats slit execution style while they were camping on the Appalachian trail. Their murderer slit their throats simply because they were lesbians. Julie's mother, father and siblings will never hold her again, they will never get to see their 24 year old loved one live her adult life. I will never again speak with my friend and hear the excitement in her voice as she tells me about a new friend or a discovery in her research. It still breaks my heart to this day and it rips me apart inside, but I have never once thought that the man who killed them should die. In fact, I would SO MUCH rather see the bastard rot in a maximum security prison for the rest of his days. I would rather that he have to sit there and remember why he's there and to know every single day what was taken from him because of what he took from others. He can then choose to better himself or rot in his own stench and misery. Either way the world is better off. The truth is, once he's dead, he doesn't know he's dead, he's just dead and everything he ever did is left behind him. The ones who suffer after his death are his friends and loved ones...and why should they suffer for something they did not do?
I feel the same way about the men who pistol whipped Matt Shepard and left him tied to a fence to bleed to death in the cold Wyoming air. Matt's father said something simmilar at McKinney's sentencing. He read to Mr. McKinney that he hopes Mr. McKinney lives a long long life sitting in his cell separated from the world with nothing but time left to his life. You see, THAT is punishment. There's no more room for appeal; Mr. McKinney is there for the rest of his days. THAT gave the Shepard family closure. They do not have to worry about McKinney or Henderson or see them in court or watch them wage appeal after appeal after appeal until finally one day they get some sense of closure and finality. Instead, they throw those rat-assed vile little men into prison cells and let them rot there remembering why they are there and exactly what they stole.
Indeed, I feel the same about the man who killed Brandon Teena in Nebraska. John Lotter sits on death row in Nebraska as we speak, awaiting his own execution. I say, put him away and let him never be heard from again. Stop the Google searching for him [I get hits on TLA for that almost every day], stop the fascination with his appeals and the status of his execution. I have been to the town where Brandon was killed. The brutality of that crime is beyond comprehension. Yet, I do not believe John Lotter should be executed (and his guilt is almost certain).
I feel the same way about Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, the Hillside Strangler, the Son of Sam (who has reportedly changed his life) and every capital murderer in between. So yes, despite the unspeakable nature of his crimes, I feel the same about [Jesse James].
Every time I post about an execution I read story after story after story about the horridness and the despicable nature of these men and women's crimes. It does not change me. Yet, each time I feel sick to my stomach imaging the fear and pain of the victims and the sheer heart wrenching agony of the victim's families.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me, [John]. I did not, yet, know of the details of [James's] crimes. They are heart wrenching indeed and I can only imagine how they changed you at such a young age. I can't even fathom the pain of [the victim's] sister. Nevertheless, I fail to see how [James's] death will change any of that pain or sorrow. In fact, if [James] were not on death row and were instead rotting away somewhere, I wonder if you would have even thought of him. You might have thought of your friend and of your own emotional confusion and pain, but would you have thought of [James]? Would you have given your friend's murderer another thought if he were not sitting on death row? If you had not wondered if he'd been executed yet would you have looked him up? I can see from your email that your desire for [James's] execution is not out of vengence and I do indeed respect where you are coming from. I wrote what I did because I wanted you to know where I am coming from. I want you to know that I have not forgotten the victims. My life is not one sided. Yet, I am a fighter and I believe in my cause and I am pained whenever a life is taken...no matter who's it is.
I wish you the best, [John].
Warm regards,
Carrie
--
Dear [John],
I appreciate you writing to me. Please know that I read each of your words and I do understand where you are coming from. I myself have been a victim of violent crime, and I was a college friend of a woman killed in a hate crime off the Appalachian trail in 1996. I know what murder and violence does to families and to individuals and I can feel the emotion in your heart-felt and very real words. Please know how much respect and compassion I have for that. I am very aware of how real the victims and families in these situations are.
Please know this, I oppose the death penalty for anyone, no matter how horrid the crime or how obvious the person's guilt is. I've had sisters of murder victims write to me and tell me of the horror of living without their brother or sister. I know there are real people involved and I feel it every time I read of a victim's pain. The thing about it is, I do not believe that we as human beings have the right to take another life...no matter what. I find it despicable that a state takes the life of another human being in the name of justice. Even if it is not about revenge or vengence, it is not our place in the social order to decide who lives or dies. With or without a god or a moral code, society is better than that and human beings are more than that. There is a reason that doctors do not administer lethal injections; they vowed to protect human life not to take it. We should all feel that way, no matter how we feel about the life being taken.
Further, there are most certainly innocent men (and women no doubt) on death row. Some may have even been executed. Right now, even if I did not believe that, as a social/moral construct and public policy, the death penalty is abhorrent and anti-human, I would oppose the execution of anyone. We do not have a way in our justice system to assure that all individuals are treated fairly, have just trials, and are definitively guilty. Even if a man like [Jesse James] is guilty beyond any sense of doubt whatsoever, simply from the standpoint of justice, I do not think he should be executed. We cannot pick and choose which of our death row inmates should die and which should live while we figure out our justice system and assure that no mistakes are made. No matter what our moral code is, that slope is too slippery and too subjective and if we slip down it, we will never fix the system.
The death penalty is not a deterrent, that has been statistically proven (compare the "capital crime" rates of states like Texas and those without the death penalty for examples). And to shorten the process would remove one of the keys of this justice system...the assurance of checks and balances. If we shorten that process and take away the right to appeals and the right to those checks, how long will it be before a corrupt prosecutor fudges a trial and puts an innocent person on death row only to be killed a year later without a chance to prove his story? How long before someone we know and love is wrongly convicted? I suppose you think that's a far off chance and something for a made for TV movie, but I certainly don't want that risk around, no matter how small. From a sheer justice perspective, I think it better to let 100 or 1000 guilty men live than kill 1 innocent one. Those checks are there for a reason.
I am a gay woman. I have watched the news unfold over the last several years as individuals in my community, people who were essentially no different than me, were killed for the simple reason that they were gay; and I have cried in sheer horror, disgust and fear. This was the case with my friend, Julie. Julie and her partner had their throats slit execution style while they were camping on the Appalachian trail. Their murderer slit their throats simply because they were lesbians. Julie's mother, father and siblings will never hold her again, they will never get to see their 24 year old loved one live her adult life. I will never again speak with my friend and hear the excitement in her voice as she tells me about a new friend or a discovery in her research. It still breaks my heart to this day and it rips me apart inside, but I have never once thought that the man who killed them should die. In fact, I would SO MUCH rather see the bastard rot in a maximum security prison for the rest of his days. I would rather that he have to sit there and remember why he's there and to know every single day what was taken from him because of what he took from others. He can then choose to better himself or rot in his own stench and misery. Either way the world is better off. The truth is, once he's dead, he doesn't know he's dead, he's just dead and everything he ever did is left behind him. The ones who suffer after his death are his friends and loved ones...and why should they suffer for something they did not do?
I feel the same way about the men who pistol whipped Matt Shepard and left him tied to a fence to bleed to death in the cold Wyoming air. Matt's father said something simmilar at McKinney's sentencing. He read to Mr. McKinney that he hopes Mr. McKinney lives a long long life sitting in his cell separated from the world with nothing but time left to his life. You see, THAT is punishment. There's no more room for appeal; Mr. McKinney is there for the rest of his days. THAT gave the Shepard family closure. They do not have to worry about McKinney or Henderson or see them in court or watch them wage appeal after appeal after appeal until finally one day they get some sense of closure and finality. Instead, they throw those rat-assed vile little men into prison cells and let them rot there remembering why they are there and exactly what they stole.
Indeed, I feel the same about the man who killed Brandon Teena in Nebraska. John Lotter sits on death row in Nebraska as we speak, awaiting his own execution. I say, put him away and let him never be heard from again. Stop the Google searching for him [I get hits on TLA for that almost every day], stop the fascination with his appeals and the status of his execution. I have been to the town where Brandon was killed. The brutality of that crime is beyond comprehension. Yet, I do not believe John Lotter should be executed (and his guilt is almost certain).
I feel the same way about Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, the Hillside Strangler, the Son of Sam (who has reportedly changed his life) and every capital murderer in between. So yes, despite the unspeakable nature of his crimes, I feel the same about [Jesse James].
Every time I post about an execution I read story after story after story about the horridness and the despicable nature of these men and women's crimes. It does not change me. Yet, each time I feel sick to my stomach imaging the fear and pain of the victims and the sheer heart wrenching agony of the victim's families.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me, [John]. I did not, yet, know of the details of [James's] crimes. They are heart wrenching indeed and I can only imagine how they changed you at such a young age. I can't even fathom the pain of [the victim's] sister. Nevertheless, I fail to see how [James's] death will change any of that pain or sorrow. In fact, if [James] were not on death row and were instead rotting away somewhere, I wonder if you would have even thought of him. You might have thought of your friend and of your own emotional confusion and pain, but would you have thought of [James]? Would you have given your friend's murderer another thought if he were not sitting on death row? If you had not wondered if he'd been executed yet would you have looked him up? I can see from your email that your desire for [James's] execution is not out of vengence and I do indeed respect where you are coming from. I wrote what I did because I wanted you to know where I am coming from. I want you to know that I have not forgotten the victims. My life is not one sided. Yet, I am a fighter and I believe in my cause and I am pained whenever a life is taken...no matter who's it is.
I wish you the best, [John].
Warm regards,
Carrie
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
From a comment...
I left this in a comment to a post I posted well over a year ago. I was responding to someone who indicated that "Todd" (it could be anyone) deserved to be punished for what he did and that death was appropriate. The writer stated that no one should believe that they are above the laws of the nation. My response is below:
Todd should absolutely be punished if he is guilty. It sounds like he is, but he's been awarded a new trial, so we have to see what happens there. However, even if he is guilty, he should not be put to death. The death penalty in North Caolina may be the law in North Carolina but that does not mean it is a good law. Those guilty of certain murders should spend the rest of their days in prison, working hard, and remebering why they were put there. However, the United States and the State of North Carolina should really be more dignified than a capital murderer. We are an upstanding society, but yet we murder our own citizens and call it "justice." Who does death really punish anyway? Once the individual is dead, presumably he or she doesn't realize it. Its his or her family that must deal with the death itself. The true torture of the death penalty is the day-to-day rotting in a 9 ft cell for 23 hours a day wondering what day will be your day to die and the certainly excruciating few hours before they hook you up, put you on display, and inject absolute poison into you.
What is the theory of the US Justice System...punishment, rehabilitation, deterrence? Some say it is a bit of all three. Well, the thing about the death penalty is that its been shown to NOT be a deterrent to murder. Furthermore, if someone knows they are going to die any day, what incentive do they have to become better people? So, for the most part, the death penalty does not encourage rehabilitation. I guess that means that in death penalty states, its all about punishment. In other words, its all about vengence. See, I think human beings are worth more than that, no matter what they've done. I think human beings should be given the chance to change. Many many of them will not, but some will. Its those "some" that deserve the chance. The others can just sit in their cells and stew in their own misery for 50 years or so. Those that rehabilitate will still remain in prison for the punishment and deterrence parts of their imprisonment, but their view will be a bit different because they've changed at least a part of it. Hopefully, those people will then make a difference in the life of someone else.
Todd should absolutely be punished if he is guilty. It sounds like he is, but he's been awarded a new trial, so we have to see what happens there. However, even if he is guilty, he should not be put to death. The death penalty in North Caolina may be the law in North Carolina but that does not mean it is a good law. Those guilty of certain murders should spend the rest of their days in prison, working hard, and remebering why they were put there. However, the United States and the State of North Carolina should really be more dignified than a capital murderer. We are an upstanding society, but yet we murder our own citizens and call it "justice." Who does death really punish anyway? Once the individual is dead, presumably he or she doesn't realize it. Its his or her family that must deal with the death itself. The true torture of the death penalty is the day-to-day rotting in a 9 ft cell for 23 hours a day wondering what day will be your day to die and the certainly excruciating few hours before they hook you up, put you on display, and inject absolute poison into you.
What is the theory of the US Justice System...punishment, rehabilitation, deterrence? Some say it is a bit of all three. Well, the thing about the death penalty is that its been shown to NOT be a deterrent to murder. Furthermore, if someone knows they are going to die any day, what incentive do they have to become better people? So, for the most part, the death penalty does not encourage rehabilitation. I guess that means that in death penalty states, its all about punishment. In other words, its all about vengence. See, I think human beings are worth more than that, no matter what they've done. I think human beings should be given the chance to change. Many many of them will not, but some will. Its those "some" that deserve the chance. The others can just sit in their cells and stew in their own misery for 50 years or so. Those that rehabilitate will still remain in prison for the punishment and deterrence parts of their imprisonment, but their view will be a bit different because they've changed at least a part of it. Hopefully, those people will then make a difference in the life of someone else.
Monday, December 12, 2005
A bigger list...
I've been thinking about The Lonely Abolitionist tonight. I looked back to see what kind of posts I've made in the last few months. I've done very few, and only 2 obits since Michael Ross. That means that my blog has missed one of its main stays, the obit, for several individuals. I went and looked at the list of executions for 2005 and the list is longer than I ever imagined. I still mark them on my calendar, and I still pay attention, but I just never realized how long the list is. So, here is one giant obit for the time from Michael Ross to Tookie Williams:
Vernon Brown - Missouri - May 17, 2005 - 51 years old
Bryan Wolfe - Texas - May 18, 2005 - 44 years old
Richard Cartwright - Texas - May 19, 2005 - 31 years old
Gregory Scott Johnson - Indiana - May 25, 2005 - 40 years old
Jerry Paul Henderson - Alabama - June 2, 2005 - 58 years old
Alexander Martinez - Texas - June 7, 2005 - 28 years old*
Robert Dale Conklin - Georgia - July 12, 2005 - 44 years old
Michael L. Pennington - Oklahoma - July 19, 2005 - 37 years old
Kevin Connor - Indiana - July 27, 2005 - 38 years old
David Martinez - Texas - July 28, 2005 - 29 years old
George Sibly - Alabama - August 4, 2005 - 62 years old
Gary Sterling - Texas - August 10, 2005 - 38 years old
Kenneth Eugene Turrentine - Oklahoma - August 11, 2005 - 52 years old
Robert Alan Shields - Texas - August 23, 2005 - 30 years old
Timothy Johnston - Missouri - August 31, 2005 - 44 years old
John W. Peoples Jr. - Alabama - September 22, 2005 - 48 years old
Herman Dale Ashworth - Ohio - September 27, 2005 - 32 years old
Alan Matheney - Indiana - September 28, 2005 - 54 years old
Luis Ramirez - Texas - October 20, 2005 - 42 years old
William Williams, Jr. - Ohio - October 25, 2005 - 48 years old
Marlin Gray - Missouri - October 26, 2005 - 38 years old
Melvin White - Texas - November 3, 2005 - 55 years old
Brian Steckel - Deleware - November 4, 2005 - 36 years old
Arthur Hastings Wise - South Carolina - November 4, 2005 - 51 years old
Charles Thacker - Texas - November 9, 2005 - 38 years old
Steven Van McHone - North Carolina - November 11, 2005 - 35 years old
Robert Rowell - Texas - November 15, 2005 - 50 years old
Shannon Thomas - Texas - November 16, 2005 - 34 years old
Elias Hanna Syriani - North Carolina - November 18, 2005 - 67 years old
Eric Randall Nance - Arkansas - November 28, 2005 - 45 years old
John R. Hicks - Ohio - November 29, 2005 - 49 years old
Kenneth Lee Boyd - North Carolina - December 2, 2005 - 57 years old
Shawn Humphries - South Carolina - December 2, 2005 - 33 years old
Wesley E. Baker - Maryland - December 5, 2005 - 47 years old
*28 years old. He was only 28!! (Martinez "volunteered" for death...suicide by lethal injection).
Vernon Brown - Missouri - May 17, 2005 - 51 years old
Bryan Wolfe - Texas - May 18, 2005 - 44 years old
Richard Cartwright - Texas - May 19, 2005 - 31 years old
Gregory Scott Johnson - Indiana - May 25, 2005 - 40 years old
Jerry Paul Henderson - Alabama - June 2, 2005 - 58 years old
Alexander Martinez - Texas - June 7, 2005 - 28 years old*
Robert Dale Conklin - Georgia - July 12, 2005 - 44 years old
Michael L. Pennington - Oklahoma - July 19, 2005 - 37 years old
Kevin Connor - Indiana - July 27, 2005 - 38 years old
David Martinez - Texas - July 28, 2005 - 29 years old
George Sibly - Alabama - August 4, 2005 - 62 years old
Gary Sterling - Texas - August 10, 2005 - 38 years old
Kenneth Eugene Turrentine - Oklahoma - August 11, 2005 - 52 years old
Robert Alan Shields - Texas - August 23, 2005 - 30 years old
Timothy Johnston - Missouri - August 31, 2005 - 44 years old
John W. Peoples Jr. - Alabama - September 22, 2005 - 48 years old
Herman Dale Ashworth - Ohio - September 27, 2005 - 32 years old
Alan Matheney - Indiana - September 28, 2005 - 54 years old
Luis Ramirez - Texas - October 20, 2005 - 42 years old
William Williams, Jr. - Ohio - October 25, 2005 - 48 years old
Marlin Gray - Missouri - October 26, 2005 - 38 years old
Melvin White - Texas - November 3, 2005 - 55 years old
Brian Steckel - Deleware - November 4, 2005 - 36 years old
Arthur Hastings Wise - South Carolina - November 4, 2005 - 51 years old
Charles Thacker - Texas - November 9, 2005 - 38 years old
Steven Van McHone - North Carolina - November 11, 2005 - 35 years old
Robert Rowell - Texas - November 15, 2005 - 50 years old
Shannon Thomas - Texas - November 16, 2005 - 34 years old
Elias Hanna Syriani - North Carolina - November 18, 2005 - 67 years old
Eric Randall Nance - Arkansas - November 28, 2005 - 45 years old
John R. Hicks - Ohio - November 29, 2005 - 49 years old
Kenneth Lee Boyd - North Carolina - December 2, 2005 - 57 years old
Shawn Humphries - South Carolina - December 2, 2005 - 33 years old
Wesley E. Baker - Maryland - December 5, 2005 - 47 years old
*28 years old. He was only 28!! (Martinez "volunteered" for death...suicide by lethal injection).
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