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DC Sniper Seeks to Halt Execution

By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 08:28:33 PM EST
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DC sniper John Allen Muhammad is scheduled to be executed Nov. 10. His lawyers are asking the Supreme Court to halt the execution, because he is delusional.

In May, 2008, Muhammad wrote a rambling letter to his lawyers in which he proclaimed his innocence.

No one should be executed, but if Muhammed is mentally ill, clearly he should not be put to death. Will the Supreme Court agree?

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    DC Sniper Seeks to Halt Execution | 13 comments (13 topical)

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    Agreed (none / 0) (#1)
    by Inspector Gadget on Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 09:29:55 PM EST
    No one should be executed,

    period.

    He's in a place where he can't hurt anyone. His partner in this killing spree pulled the trigger on several of the murders and was sentenced to life without parole.

    Letter on November 5? (none / 0) (#2)
    by diogenes on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 03:31:47 AM EST
    If he were delusional in May 2008, surely his lawyers would have requested that he receive appropriate mental health treatment then.  The timing of this one is a bit suspect.  
    Delusional? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 08:29:22 AM EST

    He was not delusional to the point that he thought they were shooting bowling pins or Martian invaders.  He knew perfectly well what he was doing.  

    Lifers in prison commit murder.  Once executed, we can be certain this dirt bag will commit no more murders.  

    [ Parent ]

    According to recent data (none / 0) (#4)
    by Dark Avenger on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 09:10:23 AM EST
    the murder rate in prisons is very low:

    The homicide rate in state prisons fell from 54 per 100,000 prisoners in 1980 to 4 per 100,000 in 2002. Local jail inmate homicide rates fell slightly, from 5 per 100,000 in 1983 to 3 per 100,000 in 2002.

    and:

    During 2002, there was a higher homicide rate among the U.S. resident population (6 per 100,000) than either in state prisons (4 per 100,000) or in local jails (3 per 100,000).

    Lifers in prison commit murder.

    Not very often, according to these statistics.

    Link

    [ Parent ]

    So "not very often" is ok then. (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 11:40:33 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    the murder rate in prisons is very low: (none / 0) (#7)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 01:37:17 PM EST

    How many additional murders would you willing to accept to end the death penalty?

    [ Parent ]

    As the page I linked to noted (none / 0) (#8)
    by Dark Avenger on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 01:48:28 PM EST
    the murder rate, in local and state prisons, is lower than the murder rate in society at large, so in order that we be safer from murder than we currently now, we just all should go to prison.

    [ Parent ]
    hardly (none / 0) (#11)
    by diogenes on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 07:04:56 PM EST
    Perhaps the murder rate if average people were disarmed and guarded in society would be much less than the murder rate for average people who have guns and freedom.

    [ Parent ]
    Diogenes, you need some oil for your lamp (none / 0) (#13)
    by Dark Avenger on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 07:30:06 PM EST
    if by your lights I was making a serious suggestion.  :-)

    [ Parent ]
    " but if Muhammed is mentally ill" (none / 0) (#6)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 11:51:27 AM EST
    but if Muhammed is mentally ill, clearly he should not be put to death.
    If he was not mentally ill when he committed the murders I'm not sure his becoming mentally ill (or physically ill, or born-again, or a parent, or whatever) afterwards should be much of an impediment to carrying out his sentence.

    Well actually (none / 0) (#9)
    by Steve M on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 02:32:58 PM EST
    the traditional (common law) rule is that you can't execute someone who's insane.  It was upheld by the Supreme Court in the case of Ford v. Wainwright, which I believe is still good law.

    [ Parent ]
    Thanks, good to know. (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 02:45:56 PM EST
    Are mentally ill and insane equivalent terms?

    Regardless, if my opinion is not shared by the Supremes it won't be the first time...

    [ Parent ]

    fitness to execute (none / 0) (#12)
    by diogenes on Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 07:10:53 PM EST
    The justice of not executing an insane person is that the person being executed should be aware of the crime and penalty and be able to make peace with his or her God or higher power.  Writing a rambling letter in 2008 does not prove that he is unfit to be executed in November 2009, and accepting this delayed appeal one week before execution would reward brinksmanship and manipulative lawyering.  

    [ Parent ]
    DC Sniper Seeks to Halt Execution | 13 comments (13 topical)

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