LWOP AS COMPROMISE FOR AMOS KING
TO GOVERNOR JEB BUSH
A growing sentiment against the death penalty is marching across the state of Florida, gaining momentum with every step.
But, for Amos King, this movement has come too late. His execution by lethal injection is scheduled for this Thursday, January 24th, at 6:00 p.m.
While Mr. King, and two others with scheduled execution dates, wait for word on a possible stay of their pending executions, citizens from across the state gather in front of Union Correctional Institution to begin a march to the Capital in support of a moratorium on the death penalty. At the end of the march, supporters of the moratorium hope to present the governor with over 20,000 signatures asking for an immediate halt to all future executions.
With the 24th exonerated prisoner released this month, and more to come, Florida leads the nation in the number of death row prisoners released due to wrongful convictions. Despite this shameful record, Governor Bush continues to work towards speeding up the execution process and cutting back on appeals. He emphatically denies that there is a problem in the way Florida handles it's convictions and appeals process, even to the point of implying that those eventually found innocent and freed were never proven to be wrongfully convicted. Governor Jeb Bush has his head firmly planted deep into the Florida sand, and he refuses to "see no evil" in how his government and his courts hand out justice to those accused and convicted of capital offenses. He knows he one day will regret this.
The US Supreme Court will soon decide an Arizona case that will directly affect how Florida sentences those convicted of murder. And, it is quite possible that the outcome of this Supreme Court decision will make Florida's current system of sentencing unconstitutional. Concerned people from Florida and around the world are urging Governor Bush to grant an immediate stay of execution to Amos King pending the ruling of the Supreme Court, and in general, a moratorium on all future executions in the face of all known flaws and inconsistencies in sentencing.
The case against Amos King has serious questions concerning issues of DNA evidence lost and destroyed by the State--evidence that might have cleared Mr. King of the murder he is accused of. He should not have to pay the ultimate penalty because the State destroyed evidence prior to his case being resolved in light of new DNA testing techniques.
Add together Amos King's issues of missing and destroyed DNA evidence with his on-going twenty-four year history of ineffective counsel, and manipulation of evidence. Then, compounded this with pending Supreme Court legislation, and the rapidly growing out-cry against the death penalty, and the only logical and ethical choice for Governor Bush is to use his power to grant a stay of execution to Amos King and commute his death sentence to LWOP.
With the moratorium marchers not expected to make their way to the Governor's doorstep until January 31st, Amos King needs a miracle now. There is no better example than Amos King's case to exemplify why Florida needs an immediate end to the death penalty. With time almost out for Mr. King, and in the interest of justice, we urge Governor Bush to immediately commute Mr. King's death sentence to LWOP.
The citizens of this state are worried and on the move, and they're bringing the Governor a message: The time for a moratorium is now! Make the convection to do the right thing and spare the life of Amos King, Governor Jeb Bush.
Your constituents have spoken.
FOR INFORMATION :
Florida Support Group