Series 2558: Constituent Correspondence, 2000-2003
36442
From: <Sharpjfa@aol.com>
To: "andy@voxcap.com".Net.GOV_MAIL; "andyolivastro@juno.com".Net.GOV_MAIL; "bob@voxcap.com".Net.GOV_MAIL; "info@intellectualcapital.com".Net.GOV_MAIL
Created: 3/8/2000 11:59 AM
Subject: Dead Wrong - Robert Bryce's "George W. Bush and the Death Penalty"
Message:
To: IntellectualCapital.com
RE: Errors within "George W. Bush and the Death Penalty" by
Robert Bryce, IntellectualCapital.com, 3/2/2000 at
http://intellectualcapital.com/issues/issue351/item8421.asp
From: Dudley Sharp, Director, Death Penalty Resources,
Justice For All, PO Box 55159, Houston, Texas 77255,
ph. 713-935-9300, page 713-508-6979, fax 713-935-
9301,e-mail Sharpjfa@aol.com, jfanet@msn.com
JFA is a Texas based criminal justice reform organization
Date: March 8, 2000
NOTE: This was previously sent without attribution. My apologies.
Robert Bryce's article is quite inaccurate.( "George W. Bush and the Death
Penalty" by Robert Bryce, IntellectualCapital.com, 3/2/2000
at
http://intellectualcapital.com/issues/issue351/item8421.asp
Regarding Betty Lou Beets, it was 7 days before her execution that she first
claimed that she was abused by Mr. Beets, one of the men she murdered and
that case she received a death sentence for. Up until that time, she had
nothing but glorious things to say about him. It appears that Mr. Bryce was,
somehow, unaware of this fact.
Let's see, Betty Lou was divorced 5 times, tried to murder 3 husbands,
succeeded in murdering 2, tried blaming the two murders on two of her own
innocent children, claims the basis for the murders was abuse by the husband
she had nothing but great memories of - that is until 7 days prior to her
execution.
Yep, I can see why Bryce would try to find an excuse for her actions.
Oh, and how can Betty Lou say abuse was the basis for the murders? Didn't her
children commit the murders? Oh, that's right she also said a now deceased
husband committed one of the murders? It's all so confusing.
I wonder if Betty Lou was a sociopathic abuser of husbands and children? What
do you think? Don't forget, Betty Lou's forging
(1) life insurance documents,
(2) title to real property and
(3) felony insurance fraud
all directly related to the murder. And, oh, there is that potential little
arson thing, too. Not to muddy the waters.
It appears that, in speaking of Beats and Karla Fay Tucker, that Bryce would
suggest Bush use sexism, fraud, serial lying, multiple felonies, including
multiple murders, and alleged conversions as the basis for commuting death
cases. The Governor appears unlikely to use such as the basis for his
decisions. But, hey, if Bryce wishes to make a suggestion, possibly someone
in the Governor's office will bring it to his attention. On second thought.
Bryce is angry that Governor Bush didn't listen to Austin's Bishop John
McCarthy's refrain regarding his assertion that defense counsel that don't
care about their capital defendant clients, citing the 13 innocent Illinois
death row inmates released by DNA evidence. Mr. Bryce, as the Bishop is
totally inaccurate on his Illinois claim, we shouldn't wonder too hard that
his ignorant refrain had little effect on the Governor. Not to mention,
ineffective assistance of counsel claims are quite common in capital cases
and are commony dismissed as so much blather. But if you can cite an example,
where the courts overlooked such a case, wherein the Texas inmate was
executed, we are all ears.
Bryce, for some reason, jumps from innocents sentenced to death to the fact
that "Bush is convinced that no innocent people have been executed in the
Lone Star State". Well, Mr. Bryce, do you have any reason to believe
otherwise? Even Barry Scheck, defense attorney for OJ Simpson, co-founder of
the Innocence Project, and featured speaker at the Wrongfully Convicted on
Death Row Conference in Chicago (11/13-15/98), stated that there was no proof
of an innocent executed (in the US). Your point, Mr. Bryce?
Mr. Bryce also seems a bit confused about the Vienna Convention and its
effect on foreign nationals and in the US courts. The states are required to
tell arrested nationals that they can contact their countries
representatives. If Texas didn't do so, then the foreign detainee must raise
that issue on appeal in a timely manner. If they don't, they loose the
ability to use such as a basis for overturning any conviction. In other
words, it is like all cases in the US.
Foreign complaints on this issue are often valid, but appear to be crocodile
tears. First, death penalty defendants and those convicted have, in the US,
the highest level of criminal due process in the world. I think that safely
includes Mexico. Secondly, we may see what benefit Mexican nationals, who
commit capital crimes in Texas, see from their country in the future. I
strongly suspect that the case results will be identical. But we will have to
see.
And, finally, regarding the status of Texas death row inmate Calvine Burdine,
a case where Burdine's defense counsel allegedly slept through part of the
capital trial. I suggest Bryce look at how the case works its way through
the appellate courts, at both the state and federal level. If Bryce does not
like the outcome, possibly his criticisms ought to fall on the US Supreme
Court. I believe they are the final arbiter for the criminal case.
Bush will have no impact on the legal workings of the case. If Bush ever sees
this case, it will be only if the current ruling of the Federal District
Court is overturned. Otherwise, it will never be before the Governor.
Mr. Bryce, your article deserves no reprieve. Thumbs down.
JUSTICE FOR ALL websites.
http://www.jfa.net/
http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/
http://www.murdervictims.com/
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