-For Immediate Release-
February 10th,
2010
Leaders Seek to Prevent
Execution
National
Council of Young Israel, Agudath Israel of America, Orthodox Union, Chabad,
Satmar, Rabbinical Alliance of America, are amongst a list of 200 organizations
pleading with the Florida Governor to grant a 60-day stay which would enable for
a comprehensive clemency application to be presented and considered.
Both
Jewish and non-Jewish community leaders are petitioning Florida Governor Charlie
Crist for an emergency stay of execution for death-row prisoner Martin Grossman,
scheduled to be executed on Feb. 16th.
National Council of Young Israel,
Agudath Israel of America, Orthodox Union, Chabad, Satmar, Rabbinical Alliance
of America, are amongst a list of 200 organizations pleading with the Florida
governor to grant a 60-day stay which would enable Grossmans legal team to
formulate a comprehensive clemency application to be presented and
considered.
The case of Martin Grossman is gaining national attention.
Grossman, in 1984 was a 19-year-old drug-addicted, high-school drop-out with a
juvenile record for trespassing. He and a friend, Thanye Taylor, drove to an
isolated nature reserve to fire a found handgun. A wildlife officer stopped
them, searched their car, and confiscated the gun. Martin, who is reported to
have an IQ of 77, panicked and began pleading with the officer not to report him
as he would be in violation of his probation. When she reached for her radio a
struggle ensued, which resulted in the officer reaching for her own gun,
whereupon Martin panicked, snatched her gun and shot her. A psychiatrist who
evaluated him concluded, from his psychological and medical condition, that he
could not have formed the intent to kill. Taylor served less than three years in
prison while Martin was sentenced to death. Mr. Grossman has been on death row
for over 25 years.
The petition argues that the death sentence meted out
to him is disproportionate in the extreme and that his defense was inadequate.
Only one-percent of murder sentences end in capital punishment, crimes commonly
referred to as the worst of the worst.
The petition further argues that
Martins crime, considering the lack of premeditation, his drug addiction, his
IQ level, and several other compelling factors does not qualify for the death
penalty, and that the court ignored mitigating circumstances. Only four of
thirty-three available defense witnesses were used in the sentencing phase.
Additionally, there are allegations of prosecutorial misconduct as well. A
fellow prisoner and key witness for the government swears that he lied at trial,
and that he was rewarded by having his own charges dropped. Martin Grossmans
appeals regarding these issues have been rejected without hearings, but they
could be considered in a clemency petition.
Martin has shown deep and
profound remorse over the years, and is no longer the same wild reckless person
he was 26 years ago argues Rabbi Menachem Katz from the Aleph Institute, who has
visited Martin regularly over the past 15 years.
As of this release,
Governor Crist has not agreed to grant a stay. Execution is set for February
16th, 2010 at 6:00 PM. Concerned citizens are encouraged to call or
email the governor and ask for clemency and mercy for Martin Grossman. Thanks in
advance for taking a few minutes of your valuable time to assure that justice
prevails and Mr. Grossman is granted the time needed so that unconsidered issues
may be aired and resolved.
Grossman, on the day of his Bar Mitzvah
http://www.chabad.info/index.php?url=article_en&id=17350
Charlie.Crist@eog.myflorida.com
http://florida-issues.blogspot.com/2010/02/leaders-seek-to-prevent-execution.html