Gov. Perry commutes death row inmate's sentence

[nofurylike]

Source: The Dallas Morning News

“After carefully considering the facts of this case, along with the recommendations from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, I believe the right and just decision is to commute Foster’s sentence from the death penalty to life imprisonment,” Gov. Perry said. “I am concerned about Texas law that allows capital murder defendants to be tried simultaneously, and it is an issue I think the legislature should examine.”



Read more: http://www.kvue.com/news/state/stories/083007kvueFostercommute2-cb.85acc39f.html

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omg

[Captain Hilts]

1. Hell just got a bit cooler. Too bad his predecessor and counsel didn't show any discretion. nt

[Madspirit]

22. I Am a Texan

Rick Perry is the biggest Pig on the Earth and he was handpicked by his predecessor. He makes George Bush look both...smart and liberal. Perry is the worst of the worst. He did this because our Board of Pardons and Paroles is almost as conservative as he is and they even suggested the sentence be commuted and the world is watching. Believe me, this man has no heart and no soul and there was no heart or soul in his decision. He buckled under pressure. Thankfully. Please do not mistake one for the other. Perry is Bush's handpicked Pig.

Lee

[Maestro]

34. I am a Texan and whole-heartedly agree!

Gov. Goodhair did this thinking of his own image only. If given the chance, he would have invited a bunch of his cronies to throw the switch if he thought he could get a photo op out of it. Hell, even the repukes in Texas don't really care for this P.O.S. He only received 32% of the vote in the last elections if memory serves me.

[zanne]

2. Good news.

Lately, stories like this are few and far between, but we'll take what we can get!

[emlev]

3. This is exciting news! Thank you!

[Bucky]

4. Thank you, Gov Perry, for that tiny drop of rain in the desert. May I have another, sir?

Foster is simply not complicit in that murder. He didn't, as the press reports, "drive the getaway vehicle." He was actually unaware that a crime took place until after he finished driving away. He doesn't deserve life in prison, either. He should be resentenced--maybe--as an accessory after the fact. But a review of this case makes it clear that a life sentence is still way too harsh a penalty for having the wrong friend at the wrong time.

[alarimer]

10. Maybe it's time to review the "Law of Parties" as well

And only use it when there is a true conspiracy.

If I am ever on a jury, I am going to have to think really hard about convicting someone in this situation. I would not have voted to convict in this case, and won't as long as it carries the death penalty. Of course I could never vote for the death penalty in any case so I would never have been on that jury I guess.

[gasperc]

5. wow, he did the right thing, once

[wicket]

6. Excellent

n/t

[annabanana]

7. Do you think he got the message?

I know there was a lot of mail generated over the last few days....

[Maestro]

35. He doesn't care.

He is just following what the Board recommended. He's an ass.

[endarkenment]

8. K&R

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. It feels very good to see the right thing done in this case

This would not have happened if not for all the letters, calls and feet on the ground.

This was a win for justice.

[Ian David]

11. But unfortunately, since Foster has no health insurance, under The Texas Futile Care Law... n/t

[tekisui]

12. here here!

[WTF cubed]

13. What wonderful news.

Peace

[hyphenate]

14. Is it an election year or something? eom

[EFerrari]

15. This is a real victory, folks. Let's rate and kick.

:kick:

[redqueen]

16. Halle-frickin-lujah

:bounce:

[nealmhughes]

17. Amy Goodman has been covering this story a lot. Yesterday the Texas Pardons Board was a day overdue

and taking the case to the USSC was the last recourse the guy had. His daughter is the sweetest little girl, begging Perry not to kill her daddy and to let her touch him one last time before he died! Pathetic!
Now Texas may have the right to decide what is and isn't murder, but when there is no premeditation, no intent and one is literally the wrong person at the wrong place and time, there is no justice in Texas.

The law of parties is about as close to fiat "justice" that one can get. I am surprised that the Texas Leg. doesn't bring back confiscating estates and drawing and quartering.

[Generic Other]

18. victory

you have become used to losing these battles. Glad to see you win one.

[Danger Mouse]

19. Good for Perry. If the man had been executed, it would've been a travesty.

Bush would've sent him off to die with gleeful mockery.

[flying_wahini]

20. thank ya jesus!

I cannot believe it.... maybe Gov Goodhair has a soul
AND a spine.....after all.

[Prophet 451]

21. Thank Gods for that

I had horrible visions of Texas re-enacting the Derek Bentley case.

[Madspirit]

23. Rick Perry

I am a Texan. I live in Austin, the capital, the same city Perry lives in. Rick Perry is the biggest Pig on the Earth and he was handpicked by his predecessor. He makes George Bush look both...smart and liberal. Perry is the worst of the worst. He did this because our Board of Pardons and Paroles is almost as conservative as he is and they even suggested the sentence be commuted and the world is watching. Believe me, this man has no heart and no soul and there was no heart or soul in his decision. He buckled under pressure. Thankfully. Please do not mistake one for the other. Perry is Bush's handpicked Pig.

Lee

[ChairmanAgnostic]

24. "Carefully considering the facts. . . " THEY DO THAT IN TEXAS?

amazing. who wooda thunk it.
Good for Perry. Good for justice. I criticize GOPer frequently. When one of them acts properly, we should acknowledge that

[Jacobin]

36. Not ordinarily. Governor Goodhair obviously has ambitions

and wants the attention from the media.

It was this inmate's good fortune.

[rateyes]

25. OMG. I just saw

a pig fly by my window. Come on Gov. Perry, you can do better than that. This guy doesn't even deserve life in prison. But, I guess something is better than nothing.

[rurallib]

26. The poor guy had to sit on death row and come within hours of

dying while the Guv fiddled. From what I heard it was fairly clear Mr. Foster did nothing, yet he was allowed to twist in the wind.
Well thank goodness he was at least saved. I sure don't understand why he is even in jail. Guilt by association?

[brentspeak]

38. The "poor guy" you're referring to is no innocent victim

Kenneth Foster had spent the entire night of the murder robbing people at gunpoint all over San Antonio with his friends. He may not have been the one to pull the trigger, but he knew damn well that sooner or later one of his gang's victims was going to lose their life.

[Zodiak]

27. Wow....I agree with Perry

for once.

And the accused wasn't white, either.

Georgie boy only had compassion for Henry Lee Lucas.

[Vinca]

28. It's absolutely a shocker that a Republican did the right thing for once. nt

[populistdriven]

29. Wow, I am so glad I called the guvnah's office *whew*

:D

[DemoTex]

30. Good for Gov. Goodhair ..

That is the only thing that Ricky Goodhair has ever done right, IMO.

[Baby Snooks]

33. The 6-1 Factor

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles recommended commutation by a vote of 6-1. I suspect the issues Governor 39% raised were in fact raised by the board and he may have decided he couldn't risk becoming former Governor 29% the next time.

[0rganism]

31. Before this, how long had it been since a Texas inmate had a death sentence commuted?

I'm kind of amazed.

[McCamy Taylor]

32. Foster has been a cause celebre here in Texas with editorials etc.

calling for a pardon. If you review the case, it is clear that the shooter did this on his own, and that none of the others was involved. They all committed the other crimes earlier in the night, but this murder was a different crime.

[nofurylike]

37. i read that, since kenneth foster has served more than

the time he would have if he'd been tried properly and found guilty, he may be released soon.

hoping.


peace and solidarity, DUers!

[Javaman]

39. maybe helmet head had a stroke? or perhaps it was an aneurysm

because I can't explain this sudden act of decency any other way.

orrrrr...

he found a way to make money off of it.

[rocktivity]

40. The governor didn't make this happen--WE did

with our outrage and media attention. As Stephanie Miller has said, Rethuglicans always have to be shamed into doing the right thing.

I have no problem with Foster's conviction--if someone dies in the course of your committing a felony, you've also committed a murder--but his punishment didn't fit the crime. Only the actual shooter should have been looking at the death sentence. Come to think of it, what WAS the actual shooter sentenced to?

:headbang:
rocknation