Posted on 03/12/2010 6:37:03 PM PST by CitizenM
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Governor Bob McDonnell issued the following statement today on the scheduled execution of Paul Warner Powell.
"On January 15, 2003, Paul Warner Powell was convicted in Prince William County Circuit Court of the brutal capital murder and attempted rape of sixteen year old Stacie Lynn Reed. Powell was previously convicted of the rape and attempted murder of Stacie's fourteen year-old sister.
"On May 8, 2003, the trial court, in accordance with the jury's verdict and recommendation, sentenced Powell to death. Powell admitted to the murder and attempted rape, and thus Powell's guilt is not at issue. On January 27, 2010, the Circuit Court set the execution date for March 18, 2010.
---snip---
"Powell's trial, verdict and sentence have been reviewed and affirmed by state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. I have considered the petitioner's principal arguments concerning gubernatorial conflict and prejudicial errors in the admission of evidence, and found them not to warrant commutation.
"After conferring with the appropriate parties, as well as thoroughly reviewing the clemency petition and the judicial opinions regarding this case, I find no compelling reason to set aside the sentence that was selected by the jury and imposed and affirmed by the courts.
"Accordingly, I decline to intervene."
(Excerpt) Read more at nbc12.com ...
Thank you Gov. McDonnell!!
His life was forfeit when he took her life with no justification. A painless death is too good for him.
The Commonwealth of Virginia leads the nation in executions per capita. This particular case is troubling to me though because it took seven years to execute. I remember a case near my hometown in the Shenandoah Valley a few years back where a couple of hoodlums kidnapped, raped, and murdered two young girls. They were executed less than three years after sentencing.
Good call......
There is never any compelling reason to let convicted vicious, murderers get away with murder. Execute this vermin already.
More innocents will be killed by murderers who are not executed (in prison, or once released or if they escape) than will be killed by the state in erroneous executions.
Time for this guy to be sorted out eye to eye with Himself, our Creator.
I can only shed tears for those girls.
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