The Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles yesterday
unanimously recommended clemency for Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, the first time in a decade the BPP has recommended against a death sentence. Whitaker orchestrated the murder of his family and his father, the only surviving victim, has been campaigning to save him from the death chamber. I mention it to remind readers that my podcast co-host, Mandy Marzullo, interviewed Whitaker's father last month about his son's case. Check out their
full conversation here.
His odds are far better than under Rick Perry.
ReplyDeleteI may need a lawyer to fact check this but I think that if Whitaker is granted clemency he will be given a parole date. The murders happened in 2003 and Texas did not have a life without parole sentence until 2005. Per the ExPostFacto doctrine which means that one is held accountable to the laws in place the time of the offence, he can’t be sentenced to life without parole because it did not exist in Texas when he committed the crimes.
It is also interesting that the parole board voted clemency in a death penalty case where there are no mitigating circumstances. There was no poverty, deficient lawyers, contact with the juvenile justice system, intellectual disability, abuse, absent parent or lack of education. By contrast he had two wealthy stable white parents, attended college (or some of it) and had a life of privilege. There have been many cases of intellectual disability that as a mitigating circumstance that should have come in line for clemency before this one. I am just curious if Texas is making a statement that the rich white guy gets clemency first?
I'd like to think they recognized that killing him would not make the one remaining victim whole again.
ReplyDeleteThe murderers who beg for clemency forget that their victim begged for their life before they pulled the trigger.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:47, you took the words right out of my mouth.
ReplyDeleteNow that I've said that, all you guys that like to pile it on BGB, go at it.
About one hour before his scheduled execution, Gov. Abbott granted the turd clemency.
ReplyDelete"Mr. Whitaker's father insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death his last remaining immediate family member," Abbott said.
DeleteIn your face bark lol
ReplyDelete