The Sheboygan Press

Posted Jan. 27, 2004

No matter how you feel about the propriety of capital punishment, you should be opposed to the scheduled death by lethal injection of Wisconsin native Scott Panetti.

Panetti, who suffers from mental illness, is scheduled to die Feb. 5 in a Texas prison. He was given the death sentence for the September 1992 shooting deaths of Jose and Amanda Alvarado, his wife’s parents, in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Panetti, who is from Sheldon, Wis., was hospitalized 11 times in 12 years for severe and persistent mental illness in the 12 years prior to the killings. His illness caused him to hallucinate and act out violently.

Panetti was mentally ill at the time he represented himself in his trial. His lawyer has said he rambled nonsensically and appeared to intimidate the jury with his threatening and bizarre behavior. His lawyer now says the judge in the case should not have allowed Panetti to represent himself.

Panetti’s wife, Sonja Alvarado, told the prosecutor in the case that she pleaded with Fredericksburg police to take away her husband’s guns because he was showing signs of his illness and not taking his medication prior to the killings. The police would not remove his guns.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused last month to hear Panetti’s case.

The case has drawn international attention. Amnesty International, the humans rights organization that lobbies against the death penalty, has issued an urgent appeal to circulate petitions to the Texas Board of Pardons and paroles. His case has so far resulted in petitions for clemency from 1,100 people including Sister Helen Prejean, a Catholic nun whose fight against the death penalty was the subject of the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking.”

Many Americans oppose capital punishment on principle, although a majority in polls still say they favor the death penalty.

But even the most ardent death penalty supporter should be appalled at executing a man who appears to have been mentally ill at the time of his crime and mentally ill at the time he was trying to defend himself without a lawyer.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles should stop this travesty of justice.


				*SAVE SCOTT PANETTI* *The Sheboygan Press*



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		Editorial: Scheduled execution a travesty of justice Posted Jan. 27, 2004 No matter how you feel about the propriety of capital punishment, you should be opposed to the scheduled death by lethal injection of Wisconsin native Scott Panetti. Panetti, who suffers from mental illness, is scheduled to die Feb. 5 in a Texas prison. He was given the death sentence for the September 1992 shooting deaths of Jose and Amanda Alvarado, his wife’s parents, in Fredericksburg, Texas. Panetti, who is from Sheldon, Wis., was hospitalized 11 times in 12 years for severe and persistent mental illness in the 12 years prior to the killings. His illness caused him to hallucinate and act out violently. Panetti was mentally ill at the time he represented himself in his trial. His lawyer has said he rambled nonsensically and appeared to intimidate the jury with his threatening and bizarre behavior. His lawyer now says the judge in the case should not have allowed Panetti to represent himself. Panetti’s wife, Sonja Alvarado, told the prosecutor in the case that she pleaded with Fredericksburg police to take away her husband’s guns because he was showing signs of his illness and not taking his medication prior to the killings. The police would not remove his guns. The U.S. Supreme Court refused last month to hear Panetti’s case. The case has drawn international attention. Amnesty International, the humans rights organization that lobbies against the death penalty, has issued an urgent appeal to circulate petitions to the Texas Board of Pardons and paroles. His case has so far resulted in petitions for clemency from 1,100 people including Sister Helen Prejean, a Catholic nun whose fight against the death penalty was the subject of the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking.” Many Americans oppose capital punishment on principle, although a majority in polls still say they favor the death penalty. But even the most ardent death penalty supporter should be appalled at executing a man who appears to have been mentally ill at the time of his crime and mentally ill at the time he was trying to defend himself without a lawyer. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles should stop this travesty of justice.



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