P.O. Box 4804, Charlottesville, VA 22905 (888) 567-VADP (434) 960-4673 www.vadp.org <http://www.vadp.org/> jack at vadp.org Execution Alert May 3, 2007 Christopher Scott Emmett Scheduled for Execution at 9:00 pm on June 13, 2007 Action Requested: Contact Governor Kaine Forward this request to your contacts Send a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper Vigil in Protest on June 13th The 99th Virginia execution is now set for Wednesday, June 13, 2007. At 9:00 pm Christopher Scott Emmett is scheduled to be lethally injected in the Death Chamber at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, VA. The issue here is not guilt or innocence but the specter, once again of inadequate representation by his court appointed public defender and the fact that capital punishment as practiced in Virginia is not reserved for the "worst of the worst" crimes. Emmett is guilty of murder. Should he be executed for that murder is the question? The same issues of failure to investigate and present mitigating evidence during the penalty phase of a capital trial were raised in the case of Percy Walton whose execution was stayed last year by Gov. Kaine due to questions of mental competency. Emmett and Walton were both misrepresented by the same public defender. In his dissent to the 2-1 decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Judge Roger Gregory noted that "[c]ounsel had failed to investigate adequately Emmett's childhood, and counsel's inadequate investigation prejudiced the sentencing phase of Emmett's trial." Mental health and Social Service records were not even requested. Six out of seven siblings were not interviewed. In referring to the quality of representation in this case the VA Supreme Court while ruling against Mr. Emmett noted in one order "it is clear that trial counsel was ineffective." and in a second order dated March 3, 2005, that "the representation provided to Emmett by his trial counsel 'fell below an objective standard of reasonableness.' [and that 'r]easonably competent counsel would have objected to a verdict form that did not comport with the holding in Atkins and the requirements of [Virginia] Code." Also at issue is Virginia's continuing use of a lethal injection protocol which is banned by the American Veterinary Medical Association for use on cats and dogs as being "cruel and inhumane." This same protocol has lead to the halting of executions in at lease 10 death penalty states from Maryland to California. A recent study on lethal injection cited Virginia for using the smallest doses of any lethal injection state of thiopental as an anesthetic. Questions need to be raised due to recent revelations that the execution team leader in Virginia has had no certifiable medical training. For a history of this case see Men/Women on the Row: Christopher Scott Emmett posted on the VADP website at: http://www.vadp.org/christopherscottemmett.html. Please contact Gov. Tim Kaine and ask him to commute this man's sentence to life in prison. Emails messages can be sent via the Governor's website at http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm. Personal cards and letters should be address to The Honorable Timothy M. Kaine Office of the Governor Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor 1111 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 Phone: (804) 786-2211 Fax: (804) 371-6351 Also contact your state legislators and ask them to petition Gov. Kaine to commute this sentence. Go to "Who's my legislator?" at <http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform> http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform To reach a wider audience with this message, please also consider writing a Letter to the Editor and contacting your media outlets asking them to cover this story. Listings can be found at the following site: http://www.disastercenter.com/virginia/media.html. Thanks for all you do. Jack Payden-Travers, Director Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty P.O. Box 4804 Charlottesville, VA 22905 888-567-VADP (8237) 434-960-4673 (cell) Jack at VADP.org www.VADP.org <http://www.vadp.org/>
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----VIRGINIA----VADP Execution Alert
Rick Halperin Thu, 3 May 2007 20:11:32 -0500 (Central Daylight Time)
