Previously, we had the Pope, former FBI Director and Judge William Sessions, Desmond TuTu, Harry Belafonte, and President Jimmy Carter petition for mercy in the Troy Davis case. Unfortunately to no avail. Unfortunately, this has fostered hopelessness. If 650,000 signatures with the names of such venerated persons is of no efficacy; then the chance of salvation for any of us is slim to none.
Giving further substance to the hopelessness beast, the scheduled April 12, 2012 execution of Gary T. Allen in Oklahoma, had a glimmer of humanity, briefly, when Oklahoma's Board of Pardon's and Parole's voted 4 to 1 for mercy. This was snuffed out quickly by the Governor of Oklahoma (Mary Fallin); who has stated publicly - that she will not grant clemency. This is particularly disturbing, when you know that even those officials who drafted the Death Penalty laws in states - regret their decisions. As you can see on the "Requiem For the Death Penalty" website, former Californian Law drafter Don Heller states;
"The thing I regret most that I cannot change --
except by what I do now -- was drafting the death
penalty initiative."
Oklahoma's Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, in conjunction with the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty - has asked for the public's help - because it is obvious that Gary Allen was mentally incapable of rationale thought at the time of lethal debacle. As denoted by the Oklahoma Coalition:
* Mental impairment continued at the time of his blind plea resulting in the death sentence, and to an apparently increasing degree, during his lengthy incarceration and up to the present time.
* Allen's blood-alcohol level was. 27 two hours after the offense, and it is believed that his intoxication was the result of his self-medication for his underlying mental illness. Allen’s family reported instances of delusional thinking even as a child. He suffered head injuries including being beaten up by four “white guys,” The frontal lobe of Allen’s brain, the part involved in planning and moderating behavior, is damaged, perhaps because of earlier head injuries or perhaps because of the gunshot in the head, or both.
Please take the time to digitally sign the Petition to OK Governor?
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/...
If you have time - during this weekend (I know, it's Friday) - and you want to listen to something apropos to the times - including the Trayvon Martin case too - then please watch this wonderful video by Bryan Stevenson at TED this March 2012 (
AFTER You Sign the Petition);