Comments on: Virginia Governor Mark Warner Grants Clemency to Prevent 1000th Execution

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 04:45:29 +0000

I imagine the only DNA evidence on the scissors would be the stabbing victim's blood, not Lovitt's DNA.
Some coincidence, Lovitt used those scissors to pry open a cash register, but "someone else" happened to pick them up and kill Dicks?
Now here's the irony, a Vietnam Vet gets to be the 1000th execution. A murderer who at least was man enough to admit his guilt, but a double murderer none the less.

By: dutchmarbel

dutchmarbel — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 16:40:24 +0000

His guilt appearantly is not without reasonable doubt

By: ICallMasICM

ICallMasICM — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 13:48:29 +0000

The lucky lottery winner is....

What happens when some other murderous sociopath gets to be the 1000th executed? Does he get back in line?

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 13:00:06 +0000

Jack: I'm not clear on the history ofthe executive clemency power. It makes sense in a case where someone is very likely the victim of bias, as in racially charged crimes once upon a time, or when someone is technically guilty of a crime but surrounding circumstances don't warrant the normal punishment. The evidence here, though, seems pretty clear that this man was a criminal who killed in the commission of his crimes.

By: Jack O'Toole

Jack O'Toole — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 12:21:24 +0000

James,

As always, I bow to your expertise in matters polisci, but I'm not really sure I understand your point here:

"While it's a shame that the evidence was destroyed, DNA testing was done on the implements before the trial a mere six years ago. The man has subsequently exhausted his appeals. The purpose of appelate review is to ensure due process was observed, not to retry the basic facts of a case."

Correct. Which is precisely why we allow the executive branch to take one last look in the clemency process, right? To ask the Big Picture questions that appellate courts don't?

By: McGehee

McGehee — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 05:15:06 +0000

Well, Andy, given this from James' post...

DNA testing was done on the implements before the trial a mere six years ago. The man has subsequently exhausted his appeals.

Legally, I think this guy qualifies as "undeniably guilty."

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 01:40:42 +0000

"One wonders whether this decision would have been made had Lovitt been the 1003rd man slated for execution or Warner weren't running for president."

If true, quite an indictment of the system. Only at media-friendly milestones do we reserve the ultimate punishment for the undeniably guilty? How many of the other 999 weren't afforded the same decency?

By: Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator

Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 01:37:43 +0000

Va. Gov. Grants Clemency for Condemned Man

Gov. Mark R. Warner on Tuesday spared the life of a convicted killer who would have been the 1,000th

By: McCain

McCain — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:31:43 +0000

Smart political move to avoid the publicity that would have come with this particular execution. After all, this is a presidential candidate.