Should Blair Plead To Bush For Brit's Life?

by Englishman 11 Replies latest jw friends

  • Englishman
    Englishman

    Here's the story:

    The US Supreme Court has denied the final appeal of Tracy Housel, the British national on death row in Georgia.
    Housel could now be executed as early as next month.

    If the death penalty goes ahead, he will be the first British national to be executed for seven years.

    The decision came after both his lawyers and his mother appealed to the UK Government to intervene and secure clemency.

    A statement issued by the British Foreign Office in response to the news said the government was opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances.

    "It is our policy to always make representations against the use of the death penalty and its imposition on British nationals. We will continue to do so in Tracy Housel's case."

    Housel, who was born in the British territory of Bermuda, has already spent 16 years on death row, after being convicted for beating and strangling a woman during a two-week crime spree.

    But his lawyers claim he was unfairly represented in his original trial, and that his human rights were abused.

    UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw wrote to the state of Georgia, asking for the death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment, following an appeal by Housel's mother, Lula Pellerin.

    In addition, more than 100 British MPs, together with other legal bodies in the UK, sent a submission to the Supreme Court calling for Housel's case to be heard in full.

    But on Sunday Housel's lawyer Robert McGlasson repeated calls for Mr Straw and Mr Blair to make personal representations to Georgia Governor Roy Barnes and to President Bush.

    "Nothing short of a personal phone call will prevent Tracy from being executed," he said.

    Mr Housel's lawyers say he was temporarily insane at the time of the crime because of brain damage suffered in childhood - an issue which they say was not discussed in the Georgia court that convicted him.

    They say he also suffered from a rare and extreme form of hypoglycemia, which caused him to undergo violent mood swings and blackouts.

    And they say Housel's court-appointed lawyer at the trial had never handled a murder case and allegedly wrongly advised him to plead guilty to capital murder, guaranteeing he would have a minimum sentence of life without parole.

    Well, although I don't agree with the death penalty, I personally can't see Blair pleading with Bush for clemency for Housel.

    Should he try though? Or would such an appeal politically weaken both leaders?

    Englishman.

    Truth exists;only falsehood has to be invented. -Georges Braque

  • Kent
    Kent

    Well, I don't know. I don't have all the sympathy in the world for cold blooded murderers, and if the guy IS guilty - evidently so - I don't mind what they do to him.

    What you COULD plea for, is to get Bush replaced with someone with an IQ higher than 42 (Plat-Foot Moron). It wouldn't hurt to make Blair a bit more humble either :)

    I'm drinking my ARDBEG, and enjoy myself - and I really don't care if murderers are executed.

    Yachyd Da

    Kent

    I need the new KM's as they come! Please send me scans!

    Daily News On The Watchtower and the Jehovah's Witnesses:
    http://watchtower.observer.org

  • Simon
    Simon

    Fry the moron.

    Why all the tops bots running round over some idiot who has IMHO forfeited his right to existence by denying it to others when there are far more deserving cases around.

    Treat him how he treated others.

  • Geordie
    Geordie

    If any one knows how i can spend a couple of minutes alone with this tosser ill gladly pop him myself.

    Did you know that great britain still has the death penalty?

    You can still be hung for "taking up arms against the crown."
    At least thats what im lead to believe. I f this is true then what the hell has it got to do with Blair anyway?

    "When in rome, do as the romans" or "If you cant do the time. dont do the crime".

    If this arsehole decides to commit a murder in a country that has the death penalty then what the hell does he expect to happen to him?
    Maybe im a bit barbaric but i think he should be left alone in a room with the family of the girl he so brutaly murdered. Let them decide wether he lives or dies.

  • JWinSF
    JWinSF

    I'm not against the death penalty per se. But, I am generally not in favor of how it's handled in the USA. When someone outright confesses that they did the act, I don't really have remorse for them. When it's a conviction based on circumstantial evidence and no eyewitnesses, I have a big problem with it. They've screwed up before to only after the execution discover the real killer.

    Now, in this case, it seems a bit muddled to me. Whereas he did admit to the murder, it appears to me to have some valid questions regarding his mental capacity. That should've been explored. The fact that they had a goon of a lawyer who'd never handled a murder trial is another problem. And, not wishing to upset any residents of Georgia on this, but the State doesn't exactly have a sterling record when it comes to fair trials. From past news clips that I've seen, it's only a safe State to be in if you are [1] white, [2] male, [3] a US citizen, [4] a religious fundamentalist [but not a JW fundamentalist --- the fundies hate them], and [5] straight. Knock any one of those criteria out and you can pretty well kiss your ass goodbye regarding any serious legal problems.

    I remember visiting Atlanta about 5 years ago and the racial divide was so overwhelmingly apparent. It made me sick. It's nowhere near the cutting edge on gay rights. It's one State I don't really have a desire to visit [although I have several friends who live there and want me to come out and visit], let alone live in.

    I say "yes", have Blair intervene. If it's then proven by a fair re-trial that he's really guilty not by reason of insanity, then I don't really have a problem with the execution. However, if it is proven that he does have a mental problem that was not within his control allowing him to commit the murder without really knowing what was happening, then I'm in favor of just locking him up for life.

  • Celtic
    Celtic

    I'm riding with Prime Minister Tony Blair involving himself on this one. The British Courts of Justice are renowned throughout the world, the man is British, this is where he belongs, the trial should be carried out here.

    Celtic

  • lurk
    lurk

    if he commited the crime in the US then he should stand trial and face the penalty of the US

  • Englishman
    Englishman

    Mmm, maybe so, I do definitely object to CP on moral grounds, don't know what other solution the US can use to deal with it's deviants though.

    Englishman.

    Truth exists;only falsehood has to be invented. -Georges Braque

  • ThiChi
    ThiChi

    "I do definitely object to CP on moral grounds"

    I bet the poor victim’s family object to their loved one being killed on "moral grounds."

    Too bad he killed on US Soil! Let this be a warning to all:

    Killing in the US = Death.

    Killing in Britain = Room & Board for life, Guaranteed!

    Wow, what a no brainer.

    No wonder we had to save your buts in WWII......lol

  • deceit
    deceit

    "No wonder we had to save your buts in WWII"

    ThiChi, I do hope your joking...............

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit