And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) >Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 01:00:30 +0100 >To: Chris Spotted Eagle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Lulu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Elsie Herten/KOLA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Gary Night Owl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: Celine - CSIA/LPSG-France <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Fwd : Randy Reeves, John Walter Castro - Jan 7th update. > >Following updates were sent by Linda Lucasey, Americans Against Death Penalty, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. >Randy Reeves, Omaha, is scheduled to be executed on January 14th in Nebraska. >John Walter Castro, Otoe, was executed on January 7th in Oklahoma. > >>>><<< > >Jan. 7, 1999----- > > >NEBRASKA: > >A number of the opponents of the scheduled execution of convicted >murderer Randolph Reeves are using misdirected arguments, in my opinion. > >Letters from the 3 Catholic bishops in Nebraska, for example, urged >the State Board of Pardons to commute Reeves' sentence to life >imprisonment. But instead of arguing for Pardons Board clemency on the >basis of some special circumstances in regard to Reeves' case, the >bishops' letters to the board emphasized their arguments against capital >punishment in any case. The bishops wrote that "carrying out the death >penalty in Nebraska cannot be justified" in light of alternative >punishments, like life imprisonment. > >This is an argument that is most logically directed to the State >Legislature, not to the State Board of Pardons. It is not for that board >to overturn the public policy - authorization of capital punishment - >which has been written into the law by the legislature. > >Another argument advanced by those urging clemency for Reeves is also >wide of the mark when addressed to the Board of Pardons. This argument >suggests that Reeves was improperly convicted of felony 1st-degree >murder. Reeves' supporters pursuing this line of argument are, in effect, >asking the Board of Pardons to review the judicial proceedings as a sort >of super supreme court - again, clearly not a proper role for that board. > >The Catholic bishops were later joined by other Nebraska religious >leaders with statements of opposition to the death penalty and requests >for a clemency hearing for Reeves. The denominations represented were >Episcopalian, Evangelical Lutheran, United Methodist, Presbyterian and >the Congregation B'Nai Jeshurun. > >It seems to me that condemnation of the death penalty would be more >persuasive if accompanied by condemnation of Reeves' stabbing two women >to death. > >Arguments for elimination of the death penalty in favor of assured life >imprisonment - and there are credible arguments for this point of view - >are not enhanced when opponents of the death penalty concentrate their >fire on the taking of life by the state, usually giving less or no >attention to the brutal taking of life by the killers for whom they are >asking clemency. > >Another example of questionable tactics in the Reeves case: > >A sign carried by one of the Omaha Tribe members demonstrating outside >the Lancaster County Courthouse this week said: > >"Is Randy Reeves Going to Die Because He's an Indian?" > >Playing the race card has, of course, become standard procedure for some >opponents of the death penalty. But I question its effectiveness when >used as a generalization applying to any and every case involving a >defendant other than a white man. People are turned off, I believe, when >racial discrimination is alleged despite the fact that the trial and >years of appellate judicial proceedings have produced no finding that >race was a factor in the conviction and sentencing of the killer. > >(source: Harold Andersen, Contributing Editor, Omaha World-Herald) > >Jan. 7, 1999---- > > >OKLAHOMA: > >In McAlester, John Walter Castro Sr., a twice convicted murderer who >said he likely would have killed more people had he remained free, was >executed by injection early today. > >Castro, 37, was declared dead at 12:22 a.m. at the Oklahoma State >Penitentiary. He became the 3rd killer executed in Oklahoma in a month >and the 14th put to death by the state since the death penalty was >reinstated in 1977. > >Before the execution began, Castro turned to look toward a room where >relatives of his victims were watching and said, "I don't who's behind >that one-way glass but whoever is here from the Cox family, I am sorry >for what I did. And anybody who is here from the Pappan family I am >sorry. For the people who are here for me, thank you." > >Castro also made mention of the death penalty opponents praying for him >outside the prison and of Sean Sellers, who faces execution Feb. 4 after >being convicted in 3 1986 killings at age 16. > >"My son wanted to be here," he said. "They say he can't because he's 16 >and that's too young to witness an execution. If that is so, why can the >state of Oklahoma convict, sentence to death and execute a 16-year-old >child. I just don't understand." > >Castro then glanced at his witnesses and said, "I love you. Let's do it." > >Moments later, he said "I feel it," then closed his eyes and was >pronounced dead several minutes after that. > >The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Castro's last appeal more than a month >ago, and the state Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-0 to deny him clemency >last month. > >Juries condemned Castro in the unrelated murders of 2 women, but one >death penalty was later overturned. > >Castro was executed for the April 18, 1983, death of Beulah Grace Sissons >Cox, 31, near Stillwater. Castro, who was hitchhiking, stole her car at >gunpoint. Castro assured Cox that he wouldn't kill her but shot her in >the head several times. > >About 3 months later, Castro killed Rhonda Pappan, 29, while robbing >the Hobo-T Restaurant in Ponca City. Pappan, the owner-manager, picked >up a knife but was overpowered by Castro, who stabbed her in the neck, >back and chest. > >In a joint statement, members of the victims' families said Cox left >behind children ages 6 and 10, and Pappan's children were 8 and 11. > >"These 4 young children were forced to grow into young adults without >the love, care and understanding of the mothers whom they loved very >much," the statement said. "Although nothing can change the fact that our >loved ones are gone, we can feel some form of closure in the fact that >the judicial process has finally concluded." > >Castro requested 5 witnesses, including his attorney, Robert Jackson, >Vicki Werneke and Kim Marks of the federal public defender's office, and >2 women he has corresponded with, Karen Woo of England and Patricia >Peck of West Virginia. > >(source: Daily Oklahoman) > > >U R G E N T A C T I O N F O L L O W U P > >Urgent Action Network >Amnesty International USA >PO Box 1270 >Nederland CO 80466-1270 >Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://www.amnesty-usa.org/urgact/ >Phone: 303 440 0913 >Fax:303 258 7881 >--------------------------------------------------- > >7 January 1999 > >Further information on UA 292/98 issued 10 November 1998 and re- >issued 1 December 1998 and 10 December and 18 December - >Death Penalty / Prison Conditions > >USA (Oklahoma) John Walter CASTRO, aged 37, >Native American > > >John Walter Castro was executed, as scheduled, just after midnight >on 7 January 1999 for the murder of Beulah Cox in April 1983. He >had also been convicted in a separate trial of the killing, three months >later, of Rhonda Pappan. His death sentence for the second murder >was later overturned. Relatives of both victims asked to attend the >execution. > >According to reports, before the execution began, John Castro turned >to look towards a witness room where relatives of his victims were >watching and said, 'I don't who's behind that one-way glass but >whoever is here from the Cox family, I am sorry for what I did. And >anybody who is here from the Pappan family I am sorry. For the >people who are here for me, thank you.' > >John Castro also made mention of Sean Sellers, 29, who faces >execution on 4 February 1999 in Oklahoma for crimes committed at >16. For information on Sean Sellers see UA 305/98, AMR 51/101/98, >3 December 1998 and Killing Hope: The Imminent Execution of Sean >Sellers, AMR 51/108/98, December 1998. > >'My son wanted to be here,' John Castro said. 'They say he can't >because he's 16 and that's too young to witness an execution. If that >is so, why can the state of Oklahoma convict, sentence to death and >execute a 16-year-old child. I just don't understand.' > >The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had met on 21 December >1998 and voted 4-0 against clemency for John Castro. One board >member was absent. The Attorney General was present at the >hearing, having arrived with about 15 to 20 relatives of John Castro's >victims' families. An Assistant Attorney General spoke against >clemency. According to information received by Amnesty >International, a few minutes before the proceedings began, the >Board's Chairman was handed a large sealed envelope. He opened >the envelope and took out John Castro's clemency package. >However, he allegedly did not look at its contents before voting that >John Castro should die. > >John Castro becomes the 502nd prisoner to be executed in the USA >since judicial killing resumed there in 1977, and the 14th in Oklahoma >since executions resumed in the state in 1990. He was the second >prisoner executed in 1999. John Glenn Moody was put to death in >Texas on 5 January. > >No further action is requested. Many thanks to all who sent appeals. > <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
