Death Penalty

This morning while I was blissfully snoozing, Tim McVeigh was put to sleep like a rabid dog. I can’t help but see the irony in his lethal injection. After much public talk McVeigh chose to embrace the same end that awaits most family pets.

I wouldn’t call the public discussion that we’ve been subjected to about McVeigh and his motivations debate. Not many facts informed the words that have been said about the whole affair. Mostly people talked past each other. The media carefully avoided acknowledging some things that actually made him look more like a monster.

As an anti-fascist, anarchist, leftist, revolutionary, respecter of human life, and generally nice guy, I’m supposed to be against capital punishment. Generally I am. As much as I am politically against state-murder, the case of Tim McVeigh strains my beliefs. Knowledge of his death came to me like a dirty pleasure.

Legislation is supposed to be introduced soon in Ohio’s House calling for a halt to the Death Penalty while it is studied by a blue ribbon panel.

In the meantime, local governments will be asked to pass a resolution in support of a Death Penalty Moratorium. There are presently activists in about 12 states organizing local governments and civic organizations to pass resolutions. In neighboring Pennsylvania, both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have endorsed a resolution. Ironically Philadelphia has supplied about half of the inmates on Pennsylvania’s death row.

Locally in Columbus, activists are presently in conversations with some City Council members to explore the possibility of a moratorium resolution. Such conservatives as George Will and Pat Robinson have stated their support for a moratorium. For more information call Gary Witte at 443-6044.

The West Memphis Three are Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, Jr. The police and people of West Memphis, Arkansas conducted a Satanic Panic-induced witch-hunt for the brutal murders of three 8-year-old boys. This isn’t a story. This is real and it is cruel and unjust for everyone involved. Three boys are dead and three young men are in prison. Damien Echols is on Death Row, sentenced to die by lethal injection and his time is running out. The sooner you can start learning about this case and telling others of your support, the better their chances are of becoming free.

The Murders On the afternoon of May 6, 1993, Steve Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers were found murdered in the woods of Robin Hood Hills in West Memphis. They were found naked, brutally beaten and hog-tied with their own shoelaces at a drainage ditch. Steve and Michael died from their injuries and drowning, and Christopher was stabbed repeatedly, beaten, castrated and bled to death from his wounds. Despite having been found in standing water, swarming with mosquitoes, there were no insect bites found on the bodies. Also, there was very little blood found at the crime scene.

Kevin Scudder, age 37, was convicted in 1990 of murdering Tina Baisden, age 14. The charge of aggravated murder included attempted rape and kidnapping specifications. On December 14, 1990, Scudder was sentenced to death.

The basic facts of the case are these: On February 6, 1989, Baisden left her home in the company of Scudder and two others. On February 7, early in the morning, Scudder came home wounded and was taken to Mt. Carmel Hospital. Later, Baisden’s body was found in a field near Scioto Downs. She had been stabbed 46 times.