Modbert
Daydream Believer
- Sep 2, 2008
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Last Statement - Napoleon Beazley
Some tidbits:
The Offender: Napoleon Beazley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thoughts?
Some tidbits:
The act I committed to put me here was not just heinous, it was senseless. But the person that committed that act is no longer here - I am.
I'm not going to struggle physically against any restraints. I'm not going to shout, use profanity or make idle threats. Understand though that I'm not only upset, but I'm saddened by what is happening here tonight. I'm not only saddened, but disappointed that a system that is supposed to protect and uphold what is just and right can be so much like me when I made the same shameful mistake.
If someone tried to dispose of everyone here for participating in this killing, I'd scream a resounding, "No." I'd tell them to give them all the gift that they would not give me...and that's to give them all a second chance.
This conflict hurts us all, there are no SIDES. The people who support this proceeding think this is justice. The people that think that I should live think that is justice. As difficult as it may seem, this is a clash of ideals, with both parties committed to what they feel is right. But who's wrong if in the end we're all victims?
No one wins tonight. No one gets closure. No one walks away victorious.
The Offender: Napoleon Beazley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Napoleon Beazley (August 5, 1976 May 28, 2002) was a convicted murderer executed by lethal injection by the State of Texas for the murder of 63-year-old Texas businessman John Luttig in 1994. Beazley shot Luttig in his garage on April 19, 1994 in order to steal his family's Mercedes-Benz car. Beazley also shot at Luttig's wife, but he missed and she survived the assault by playing dead. Beazley carried out the crime with two accomplices, Cedrick and Donald Coleman, who later testified against him. Both are serving life sentences in prison.
Beazley's case is notable because he was 17 years, eight and one-half months old at the time of the offense and because his victim was the father of a Federal Judge, J. Michael Luttig. During his appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, three of the nine justices recused themselves because of their personal ties to Judge Luttig, leaving six justices to review the case. Justice Antonin Scalia recused himself because Luttig had clerked for him, while Justices David Souter and Clarence Thomas recused themselves from the decision because Luttig had led the George H. W. Bush Administration's successful effort to gain U.S. Senate confirmation for them to the Supreme Court.
On August 13, 2001, the Court voted 3-3 on Beazley's request for a stay of execution, with the tie vote resulting in a rejection of the request.[1] On May 28, 2002, the Court voted unanimously 6-0 to reject Beazley's request for a writ of habeas corpus.[2] Scalia, Souter, and Thomas recused themselves in both votes.
Thoughts?