Execution Log – 04/30/12-05/06/12: 05/01,Selsor,OK; 05/02,Bartee,TX

This log includes information 2 executions scheduled for next week, 04/30/12-05/06/12.  Here are copies of the e-mails I sent to people in states with scheduled executions asking them to intervene. Please e-mail, phone or fax appeals of your own. You are welcome to cut & paste.

OK        Michael Selsor                  scheduled 05/02/12

You can e-mail Governor Mary Fallin at her e-dress: info@gov.ok.gov

phone: (405) 521 2342

fax:        (405) 521 3353

other Oklahoma contacts:

Pardons and Paroles

phone: 405-427-6648

 The Oklahoman

e-dress: sbyerly@oklahoman.com

phone: (405) 475-3311

fax:        (405) 475-3183

 Norman Transcript

e-dress: chorning@normantranscript.com

 New Press

e-dress: publisher@stwnewspress.com

I ask you, Governor Fallin, to stop your state’s execution of Michael Selsor.  Mr. Selsor is scheduled to be poisoned by the government of Oklahoma next Tuesday, 05/01/12, for the 1975 murder of Clayton Chandler, with the help of an accomplice, during a convenience store robbery.

There are many problems with this case, Governor Fallin.   The only eye witness implicated not Mr. Selsor, but rather his accomplice. Further, the same lawyer represented both Mr. Selsor and his accomplice in separate trials, creating a serious conflict of interest.  Not surprisingly, Michael Selsor received incompetent representation at trial by the already compromised lawyer,  who missed the clear double jeopardy issue.  Mr. Selsor was convicted of both the murder and of the underlying felony that made the crime qualify for the death penalty.  Each of those felony convictions carried its own punishment resulting in double punishment for the same crime.  The appeals court Oklahoma agreed with the double jeopardy error but said that because Mr. Selsor’s demonstrably incompetent lawyer did not raise the issue at trial, it could not be raised on appeal.  With all of the flaws in  this case, Michael Selsor has not yet received his constitutionally guaranteed fair trial.  Oklahoma may not send Michael Selsor to his death!

Former Attorney General of the United States Janet Reno, as well as myriads of scholars, can find no evidence that the death penalty deters capital crimes. In fact, the warden of the famous Sing Sing prison believes that the death penalty exacerbates the violence in his facility by setting an example of cold-blooded killing. Recent studies show that the largest increase in capital crimes is in the state of Texas, the state which executes the most people. As for vengeance, that is the Lord’s, not the government’s.

Please, Governor Fallin, stop this killing of Michael Sensor.  If this execution goes forward, look around this country for the black armbands worn, and the church bells tolled, in protest of this injustice.

Thank you.

TX                    Anthony Bartee                 scheduled 05/02/12

You can e-mail Governor Rick Perry at his website: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact

phone: (512) 463 2000

fax:       (512) 463 1849

other Texas contacts:

Pardons and Paroles

phone: (512) 406 5852

fax:       (512) 467 0945

Austin American Statesman

e-dress: letters@statesman.com

phone: (512) 445-3667

fax:       (512) 445-3679

Houston Chronicle

e-dress: hci@chron.com

phone: (713) 220-7491

I ask you, Governor Perry, to stop your state’s execution of Anthony Bartee.  Mr. Bartee is scheduled to be poisoned by the government of Texas next Wednesday, 05/02/12, for the 1996 murder of David Cook.

The case of Anthony Bartee is unrecoverably flawed by many injustices, Governor Perry, as many of the executions in your state are.  Only weeks ago a judge order Mr. Bartee’s earlier execution date delayed so new evidence could be DNA tested.  Although that testing has not yet  happened, Texas has set next Tuesday to kill Anthony Bartee anyway.  Further, one of his original lawyers knew the victim’s family and abandoned Mr. Bartee at a crucial time in his original trial.  Also, prosecutors handed out lighter sentences to two accomplices for their testimony against Mr. Bartee, failing to inform the defense.  Finally, during the appeals process, a prosecutor improperly informed the jury of the highly prejudicial information that Mr. Bartee did not take the stand in his own defense at the original trial.  Governor Perry, you must stay this execution to allow the legal proceedings in your state to catch up to the law of the land and the demands of justice.

Former Attorney General of the United States Janet Reno, as many well as myriads of scholars, can find no evidence that the death penalty deters capital crimes. In fact, the warden of the famous Sing Sing prison believes that the death penalty exacerbates the violence in his facility by setting an example of cold-blooded killing. Recent studies show that the largest increase in capital crimes is in the state of Texas, the state which executes the most people. As for vengeance, that is the Lord’s, not the government’s.

Please, Governor Perry, stop this killing of Anthony Bartee.  If this execution goes forward, look around this country for the black armbands worn, and the church bells tolled, in protest of this injustice.

Thank you.