TEXAS HAS TURNED DOWN THE APPEAL
OF JOHNNY PAUL PENRY, 42 YEARS OLD, MENTALLY
HANDICAPPED, 19 YEARS ON HUNTSVILLE'S DEATH ROW, SETTING JANUARY 13, 2000 AS THE DATE OF
EXECUTION!
The St. Egidio Community is asking all associations of
disabled people, and the disabled themselves, to undertake any initiative useful to save
Johnny's life. |
![Johnny Paul Penry](../../../imm/joh.gif)
|
![Disegno di Johnny](../../../imm/dis_joh.gif)
Last August the Texas criminal Court of Appeals
turned down the latest appeal of Johnny Paul Penry, 42 years old, mentally handicapped,
setting January 13, 2000 as the date of execution and sending him back to the Federal 5th
Circuit Court of Appeals. The facts of the case are evidence enough of a glaring
injustice: Johnny Paul Penry has been condemned to death for having signed a confession of
guilt, which he himself could not understand, since he is unable to read or write.
During the past few years, several groups and associations, including the American Bar
Association (the association of American lawyers) and several associations of the
disabled, have worked on this case, demanding a review of the process and of the sentence.
Last year Pope John Paul II himself intervened,
asking the Governor of Texas George Bush Jr., clemency for this man.
WE APPEAL TO
EVERYONE: PLEASE, FIND ANY EFFECTIVE WAY TO INFLUENCE THE GOVERNOR AND THE SUPREME COURT,
SO THAT THEY COMMUTE THIS SENTENCE AND JOHNNY IS SAVED.
WE INVITE YOU - PERSONALLY AND IN THE NAME OF YOUR ASSOCIATIONS - TO TAKE WHATEVER
INITIATIVES YOU THINK USEFUL. WE WILL INFORM YOU ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CASE AND
OUR INITIATIVES TO AVOID THIS CRUEL INJUSTICE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL, TO ALL WHO WANT TO SUPPORT US WITH THEIR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS |