URGENT: Tx Board Votes for Clemency! PLEASE call Perry now!!

[nofurylike]

Email alert from Texas Moratorium Network:

November 18, 2009

Dear Texas Moratorium Network Supporter,


The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles today voted to recommend that the death sentence of Robert Thompson be commuted to life. Thompson's execution is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, November 19. Governor Perry will be deciding tonight or tomorrow morning whether to accept the recommendation and grant clemency to Thompson. Perry could accept or reject the recommendation from the BPP.

Call the Governor and leave a voice message at 512 463 1782 or email him through his website at http://governor.state.tx.us/contact. Urge him to accept the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to grant Robert Thompson clemency and commute his sentence to life.

Thompson was sentenced to death under the Law of Parties even though he did not kill the victim. Thompson's accomplice fired the bullet that killed the victim. The accomplice received life in prison.

During the 2009 session of the Texas Legislature, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill that would have banned executions of people convicted solely under the Law of Parties for people who do not actually kill anyone. The bill died in the Senate, but its passage in the House showed that many legislators want Texas to stop executing people convicted under the Law of Parties.

If Thompson's execution is commuted, then other people sentenced to death under the Law of Parties could also be commuted in the future, including Jeff Wood.


***

PLEASE call tonight and leave a message, or tomorrow morning!!
Or email, if nothing else!!


Thank you!!

[nofurylike]

1. Please call tonight! voice mail is available! please srpead word!

thank you!!!

[nofurylike]

2. Important related article:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6727746.html


Texas board recommends clemency for man set to die
By Michael Graczyk
AP
Nov. 18, 2009

-snip-

At least a half dozen other Texas inmates have been executed under the law of parties.

Under the law, offenders conspiring to commit one felony like robbery can all be held responsible for another ensuing crime, like murder.

The U.S. Supreme Court since 1982 has barred the death penalty for co-conspirators who don't themselves kill. The justices, however, in 1987 made an exception, ruling the Eighth Amendment didn't prohibit execution of someone who plays a major role in a felony that results in murder and whose mental state is one of reckless indifference.

McCann also has an appeal before the Supreme Court raising questions about the competence of Thompson's trial lawyers, arguing jurors who decided Thompson should be executed never learned of his abusive childhood, an upbringing by a mentally ill and drug- and alcohol-addicted mother and a household where he was "raised in and among felons."

-snip-

***

[nofurylike]

3. The Law of Parties must be stopped. For now, please act on this! n/t

[sonias]

4. I just got the alert too

Please Texans lets save this person's life.

Please call. There is an answering machine you can leave messages tonight not to exceed two minutes -512-463-1782. Make sure you say you are a Texan so that they get a clear message that we are Texans calling.

:kick:


Sonia

[nofurylike]

10. yes, the board decided late, ah? at least they did, though!! wow!!

thank you so much, again, sonias!!!

and for adding that important note!


peace and solidarity!

[babylonsister]

5. Rec'd! nt

[nofurylike]

11. thank you so much, babylonsister!!! again... more!!! n/t

[Melissa G]

6. K&R n/t

[nofurylike]

12. thank you so very much, Melissa G!!! as ever!!! n/t

[onestepforward]

7. K&R! We need some help with phone calls please!

[nofurylike]

13. thank you so much, onestepforward!!! and for that extra

motivation you put out there!


peace and solidarity!

[Gregorian]

8. Thank you Nofurylike. I appreciate your vigilance.

I called and left what I consider to be a clear message. Our civilized society cannot be civil if it kills anyone. Furthermore, our government should not have the power to kill. And it should not kill. I don't want to see any more voluntary killing.

[nofurylike]

14. thank you so much, yourself, Gregorian!!! that is mutual! and

thank you for that added inspiration on this vitally important struggle!

absolutely!!


peace and solidarity!

[nofurylike]

9. thank you so very much for the recs!!! n/t

[nofurylike]

15. thank you very much, all who called, rec'ed and spread word!!!

the alert came so late, but you realy showed up, again.

thank you thank you thank you...........

again, and more


peace and solidarity!!

[nofurylike]

16. no idea when Perry will decide, so calling in the morning is good

too.

thank you thank you so much

[nofurylike]

17. another very important article

(maybe this article should have its own thread? if you think so, please post it, or i will try to tomorrow.)

Texas accounts for half of executions in US but now has doubts over death row

Overturned convictions and growth of DNA forensic evidence shake state's rock-solid faith in capital punishment

Chris McGreal guardian.co.uk
15 November 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/15/texas-death-penalty-execution-us

Even in Texas they are having their doubts. The state that executes more people than any other by far – it will account for half the prisoners sent to the death chamber in the US this year – is seeing its once rock-solid faith in capital punishment shaken by overturned convictions, judicial scandals and growing evidence that at least one innocent man has been executed.

-snip-

But the public mood is swinging in the conservative state, which often seems to have an Old Testament view of justice. A former governor, Mark White – previously a strong supporter of the death penalty – has joined those calling for a reconsideration of capital punishment because of the risk of executing an innocent person.

The number of death sentences passed by juries in Texas has fallen sharply in recent years, reflecting a retreat from capital punishment in many parts of America after DNA evidence led to the release of scores of condemned prisoners.

-snip-

Other prisoners are also being released after DNA evidence. In Dallas county alone, 24 people have been exonerated and the new district attorney has created a conviction integrity unit to examine other suspected miscarriages of justice.

-snip-

***


peace and solidarity!

[tammywammy]

18. Thank you for the heads up nofurylike

I'll call this morning!

[nofurylike]

21. thank you so much, tammywammy!!! if you hear news, please

please post it. i will too.

waiting to hear anything.....


peace and solidarity!

[tammywammy]

24. I sent an email

I forgot my cell phone at work, and didn't want to call from my work phone.

[nofurylike]

25. GREAT!!! email from Texans is very important!!! thank you thank

you so much!!!

still watching for news, but have to rush out a bit....
please post if you hear? thank you!!!


solidarity!

[tammywammy]

28. I'll definitely post if I hear anything! n/t

[nofurylike]

32. thank you so much for trying. i'm so sorry how it went. n/t

[sonias]

19. Call today - Thursday - It is not too late

Perry decides today so continue to make those calls.

We have got to end these Law of Parties executions.

During the 2009 session of the Texas Legislature, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill that would have banned executions of people convicted solely under the Law of Parties for people who do not actually kill anyone. The bill died in the Senate, but its passage in the House showed that many legislators want Texas to stop executing people convicted under the Law of Parties.

If Thompson's execution is commuted, then other people sentenced to death under the Law of Parties could also be commuted in the future, including Jeff Wood.

Sonia

[nofurylike]

22. thank you so much, sonias!!! even more!!! and for adding vital

information, as always!!

waiting for some news.... have you heard anything?

yes, about the law of parties!!


peace and solidarity!

[sonias]

29. I have not heard anything yet

I keep checking the major anti-death penalty sites and the news coverage and have not seen/heard anything yet.

The Facebook page of The Texas Moratorium Network says still no word from Perry as of about 5 p.m.

http://www.facebook.com/abolishdeathpenalty

http://www.texasmoratorium.org/

Sonia

[nofurylike]

34. it was awful of him. thank you for keeping trying. i'm sorry. n/t

[kjackson227]

20. done.

[nofurylike]

23. thank you so much, kjackson227!!! n/t

[nofurylike]

26. off a while. please post if any news? thank you! thank you all!! n/t

[kjackson227]

27. K & R

[nofurylike]

35. thank you again, kjackson227. i'm sorry how it turned out. n/'t

[tammywammy]

30. Perry denies clemency to death row inmate

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/perry-denies-clemency-to-death.html

Perry denies clemency to death row inmate

Gov. Rick Perry will not intervene in the execution this evening of Robert Lee Thompson, who was condemned to die for his role in the robbery/slaying of a convenience store clerk in 1996. Thompson did not fire the fatal shot; the triggerman received life in prison. According to the Houston Chronicle Thompson did shoot another clerk that night and did fire in the direction of the man who was killed.

The Board of Pardons and Paroles recommended Thompson's sentence be commuted to life.

A statement from Perry's office said, "After reviewing all of the facts in the case of Robert Lee Thompson, who had a murderous history and participated in the killing of Mansoor Bhai Rahim Mohammed, I have decided to uphold the jury's capital murder conviction and capital punishment for this heinous crime. There is no reason to set aside the capital murder conviction handed down by a Texas jury and upheld by numerous state and federal courts."

*****

Damn, I really thought with the Boards recommendation he would do it...but then again, this makes him look "tough." Bastard. I can't wait until he's not our fuck up of a governor.

[sonias]

31. Bastard!

I hate that heartless bastard!

Spineless, coward who could not be bothered to do the right "Christian" thing.

:nuke:

Sonia

[onestepforward]

38. +1

I was holding out hope that he would take the board's recommendation. He is heartless and brainless beyond my imagination... (sigh)

[nofurylike]

39. powerfully said, sonias. i have always struggled with having to

ask perry to do the right thing, because i am certain that he gets off on being asked and refusing. i often feel that not asking would be better....

it's an awful thing.

i'm sorry i missed this, your post earlier. "heartless" and "spineless" are profoundly accurate.

thank you so much for all you do, Sonia.


peace and solidarity, always

[nofurylike]

36. thank you so much for posting this upsetting news, tammywammy.

and for all your efforts.

i'm sorry how it went.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[nofurylike]

37. thank you all so very much. thank you for your efforts, over and

over again.

we work on.


peace and solidarity, always