Which Republican Texas Governor:
Vetoed a Ban on Execution of Mentally Retarded Inmates
Has Established A Reputation for Verbal Gaffes
It's not W... Meet Rick Perry, Republican Governor of Texas!
We all read about the infuriating case involving Frances Newton in the excellent diary by Michael Alton Gottlieb. She is scheduled to die tomorrow, September 14, 2005, despite serious questions as to her guilt and her court appointed attorney who has been banned from practicing law until late 2007.
It turns out that Governor Perry has faced controversy over his death penalty policies before. For those of you calling and writing his office, a little background on Governor Rick Perry.
More below the fold...
Perry Vetoes Ban On Execution of Mentally Retarded Inmates
Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a bill to ban the execution of mentally retarded death row inmates, saying the state already has numerous safeguards in place to protect them. "This legislation is not about whether to execute mentally retarded murderers," Perry said. "It is about who determines whether a defendant is mentally retarded in the Texas justice system."
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The bill would have allowed a jury to determine during the trial's punishment phase whether a defendant is mentally retarded. If so, the person would be sentenced only to life in prison.
Despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Atkins v. Virginia banning the execution of those with mental retardation, Texas has failed to pass legislation to bring the state into compliance. In fact:
Texas Lags on Supreme Court's Mental Retardation Ruling
"Texas officials have no idea how many of the 449 death row inmates have the disability, and no safeguards to ensure that those affected by the ruling are not put to death. Most of the legislative efforts have focused on identifying defendants with mental retardation before their trials, not finding those who are already on death row. Houston defense attorney Dick Burr stated, "People facing the death penalty here are dependent on the good will of their lawyers."
"...The state's testing has revealed that 7% of Texas convicts have IQs below 70, the commonly accepted benchmark for mental retardation. Thus, there could be as many as 31 condemned inmates who qualify to have their death sentences lifted."
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And yet the Governor and his Assistant District Attorney have come to some startling faith-based conclusions:
"Texas Governor Rick Perry has stated that he believes that no one on death row has mental retardation, and his belief is echoed by Houston assistant district attorney Roe Wilson, who handles most of Harris County's capital appeals. "I don't know of any who are mentally retarded," Wilson said. (Houston Chronicle, May 11, 2003)
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How do these people defend their remarkable indifference for basic tenants of justice and human dignity? An aptly titled article takes an admirable stab at it:
Barbarians Have Their Reasons
June 27, 2001, Debra Saunders
It isn't that simple. Ask Ken Anderson, district attorney for Texas' Williamson County. "There's not enough money in the state of Texas to pay me to seek the death penalty against a mentally retarded person," he explained. "I would find such an event to be abhorrent."
Still, Anderson opposed the Ellis bill. The public thinks that mentally retarded means someone "carrying the torch for the Special Olympics" who may not be competent to stand trial, he said.
can you believe this guy
What brilliantly desperate rhetoric.
This isn't the only death penalty issue Perry has faced:
Perry Executes Mexican Citizen Despite Plea From Pres. Fox
Mexican citizen Javier Suarez Medina died by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 1988 murder of a Dallas narcotics officer in an execution his president tried to stop. Suarez, 33, was put to death after the US Supreme Court rejected a last-ditch appeal from Mexico and Gov. Rick Perry refused Mexican President Vicente Fox 's request for a reprieve.
Mexico sought a stay from the Supreme Court on grounds that Suarez's rights were violated because he was not put in contact with the Mexican consulate in Dallas at the time of his arrest, as required under the Vienna Convention diplomatic treaty. Fox pleaded with his friend President Bush and with Perry to stop the execution. Perry denied Suarez's request for a one-time, 30-day stay of execution.
Source: Reuters, on www.santegidio.org Aug 15, 2002
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As if his death penalty policies and lack of comparison weren't enough of a parallel to Bush, I leave you with information on the other "character" trait they share: a propensity for sticking their foot in their mouth. While it isn't as poignant as Bush mocking Carla Fay Tucker with his simpering "Please don't kill me," it's pretty inept:
"As with many public officials, Perry has established a reputation for verbal gaffes during his political career. During his term as Lieutenant Governor, Perry's motorcade was pulled over by a Texas state trooper as his driver was speeding. A video from the trooper's car shows Perry informing the officer of his stature and stating "Why don't you just let us get on down the road?" The video was widely used by Perry's Democrat opponents in 2002 during their unsuccessful attempt to unseat him.
In June of 2005 Perry was taping a satellite feed interview from Austin with a Houston television station over his legislative agenda. The interview concluded with Perry declining to reveal the details of a legislative package after a reporter pressed him for information. Perry then believed the camera had been turned off. The feed was still live though, and caught Perry making an offhanded remark to the reporter, "Adios, MoFo." Perry later called the reporter to apologize.[7]" Ridiculous
Gee, sound familiar? Republican Governors of Texas...it must be something in the water.