Lawyers ask Kaine to spare Beltway sniper’s life
Lawyers for Beltway sniper John Allen Muhammad have asked Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to spare his life because the Persian Gulf War veteran suffers from mental illness.
In a statement released yesterday afternoon, they contend Muhammad should not be executed because of his "brain damage, brain dysfunction, neurological deficits as well as his psychotic and delusional behavior."
Muhammad, 48, and Lee Boyd Malvo, 24, were convicted in a three-week shooting rampage in October 2002 that killed 10 and wounded three in Virginia, Maryland and Washington.
Muhammad was sentenced to death for the Oct. 9, 2002, slaying of Dean Harold Meyers, 53, who was shot at a Manassas-area service station.
In their statement yesterday, Muhammad's lawyers said they met with Kaine's staff Thursday and presented a compilation of audio interviews with lawyers, mental-health experts and witnesses rather than a traditional written request for executive clemency.
Muhammad's mental illness was exacerbated by Gulf War syndrome, which he suffered from his service as a sergeant during the first Gulf War, the lawyers said. They said a juror in the case would not have sentenced him to death had she known he was severely mentally ill.
They are asking that Kaine commute the death sentence to life in prison without parole.
Though personally opposed to the death penalty, Kaine campaigned on a promise that he would not abuse the power of executive clemency and has let nine executions proceed since taking office in 2006.
Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said yesterday that "the governor does not comment on clemency petitions."
Contact Frank Green at (804) 649-6340 or
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Reader Reactions
I am against the death penalty in most cases. It fails to deter crime and is too human compared to the ghastly crimes that are committed. Here, this inhuman psychobabbling scumbag should not face lethal injection. Instead, he should be strapped to the electric chair without a mask on so that everyone can witness his head explode. This gutless coward displayed no mercy to his victims and deserves the most methodical Medeival torture chamber contraptions to die the most slow and painful death possible.
Also, one develops delusional and dysfunctional behavior when in the slammer for years knowing that they have been sentenced to death. Perhaps the sentence should have been carried out sooner.
These lawyers are merely seeking fame. Wonder why they are not going out of their ways to stand up for the people who lost their lives or have been injured due to Muhammad’s actions? He deserves the same ending that his victims suffered.
Simple answer, NO. His victims never got a second chance. Send him to China if we cannot do it. They know how to handle this sort of thing.
It’s a sad lawyer that defends this loser.
Give this creep the same consideration he gave his victims, NONE!
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