Arkansas – Kate Loving

This evening, Kenneth Williams is scheduled for execution in Arkansas because its supply of a key execution drug is set to expire, a drug never meant to kill, but relax, similar to Valium. The pharmaceutical company who makes the drug refuses to issue more for the purpose of killing. In fact, originally Arkansas lied and said they wanted the drug for strictly medical purposes.

The family of the man that Williams killed is pleading for clemency. So often, states killing the guilty and innocent say this creates closure for grieving families. Does one death necessitate the need for another? Are we still living by the doctrine of the Old Testament? Apparently, the family of the man Williams killed does not want to live by that doctrine.

The West Memphis three witch hunt must not be forgotten. I was a pediatric nurse practitioner for over a decade. We dealt with child abuse and child sexual abuse cases weekly. Each instance, the children were abused by a parent, step parent or grandparent, boyfriend, uncle, or aunt. The legal system in the town I worked in was well schooled in child abuse cases. That was because the head of pediatrics, or the Pediatric Guru, as we called him, took the legal system under his tutelage and told them what to look for. Children are coming to us from other areas were not as fortunate.

The Arkansas legal system didn’t even consider the parents or step parents as murderers in the case of the three eight year olds boys.

We celebrate the Pediatric Guru’s 90th birthday this weekend. I am going to give him the Paradise Lost Trilogy which tells the full story of the WM3. (The West Memphis 3). The stories of the murders and botched prosecution (persecution) would fascinate him.

Capital punishment has no place in a society that claims to be civil or humane. Nor does war or the patriarchy. Look no further than Trump’s cabinet. They want to kill us all, stripping healthcare, the social safety net and building the war machine.

In reality, we are all fighting for our lives.

Damien Echoles and Lorrie Davis on Charlie Rose.

Arkansas executed Ledell Lee four minutes before his death warrant was set to expire on 4/20/17. The state of Arkansas would not wait to admit Lee’s DNA into evidence, which could have proved Lee’s innocence. Lee has always contended his innocence in the murder of Debra Reese.

What is it with Arkansas? I remember when Bill Clinton left the presidential campaign trail in 1992 to execute a mentally retarded man, Ricky Ray Rector. Ricky wanted to save half of his meal for breakfast the next day. He was not able to comprehend the severity of his situation.

The Clintons may as well be on the set of Deliverance with all the rest of those so called politicians in Arkansas.

The provider of the execution drug, a pharmaceutical company called the McKessen Corporation, accused officials of misleading the drug company when the officials concealed their reason for using the drug for execution.

Three more death row prisoners are slated for execution next week.

In a series of tweets, the nun featured in the movie, “Dead Man Walking,” played by Susan Sarandon, explains what went down with Ledell Lee:

Here’s some information on the legal representation Ledell Lee received over the years:

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

Ledell’s trial lawyers wanted off the case because they couldn’t work with him. The trial judge wouldn’t appoint new lawyers.

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

Ledell’s first appellate lawyer showed up to court drunk, slurred his speech, and ended sentences with “and blah, blah, blah…”

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

Ledell’s second set of appellate lawyers missed appeal filing deadlines and ignored Ledell’s phone calls and letters.

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

Ledell’s federal lawyer represented him for 10 years but had no files. By the time she left the case, she hadn’t talked to Ledell for years.

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

Ledell’s next federal lawyer had his law license suspended “to prevent possible harm to clients” due to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

Politicians use victims’ families to legitimize what they are doing. But that’s specious, it’s bogus; the death penalty harms families.

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) April 21, 2017

And finally, Damien Echoles says he would have been executed along with this line up of Death Row inmates, only because the drugs used to kill are due to expire at the end of this month. He was released from Death Row five years ago. Damien was accused in the West Memphis killings of three 8 year old boys, along with three other young men. The Paradise Lost Trilogy on Amazon Prime details this case.

“Even the best-laid plans seem to go bad in a split second. All you can do is stand there in a state of shock, wondering what went wrong. It’s one of the worst feelings possible, to helplessly watch as the world slips through your fingers like sand. Your heart seems to run out with it.” from “Life After Death” by Damien Echols

“In the end, it’s not the fruit I miss most, though if you rolled all the deprivations into one thing, it would be this: I miss being treated like a human being.” from “Life After Death” by Damien Echols

Tag: Arkansas

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