CALIFORNIA----impending execution Donald Beardslee California January 19, 2005 Take Action at www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=306 The state of California is scheduled to execute Donald Beardslee Jan.19 for the 1981 murder of Patty Geddling and Stacy Benjamin in San Mateo County. Beardslee is so severely mentally impaired that one hemisphere of his brain is virtually inert; he was condemned for peripheral involvement in a crime for which the principal instigators received lesser sentences. At the time of sentencing, the jury was unaware of the extent to which Beardlsee's actions were influenced by brain damage at birth and subsequent head trauma. Dr. Ruben Gur, Director of Neuropsychology and the Brain Behavior Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, recently assessed Beardslee. He concluded that Beardslee suffers from severe brain damage that has particularly affected the right hemisphere of his brain leaving it "virtually non-functioning." Dr. Gur determined Beardslee is "unable to correctly process and contextualize information", and "the impairment produced confusion and paranoia under most unfamiliar circumstances." He found that Beardslee struggled to moderate appropriate responses to "fight/flight" impulses, often causing bouts of confusion and panic. This mental condition also left Beardslee with a restricted emotional range, causing him to appear indifferent and aloof at trial. Unaware of his condition, the jury misinterpreted his emotional disconnect as an indication that Beardslee was a cold and calculating killer. The trial court refused jury requests to provide information about the punishments imposed on his co-defendants, leaving jurors unable to weigh the relative culpability of the various participants. Beardslee had a far lesser role in the crimes when compared to his co-defendants. There is no evidence that his participation was pre-meditated and he fully co-operated with law enforcement, immediately informing on the instigators. In twenty years in the structured environment of prison, he has had no disciplinary violations and has been praised by San Quentin staff belying prosecution warnings that he would pose a continued threat to guards and inmates if not executed. He is said to be an asset to the prison community. If the execution is carried out, Beardslee will be the 11th person put to death in California since the state resumed executions in 1992, and the first since Jan. 2002. Please contact Gov. Schwarzenegger immediately asking him to grant Mr. Beardslee clemency. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger State Capitol 1st Fl. Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax:(916)445-4633 Tel:(916)445-2841 Web page:http://www.ca.gov/s/governor/mail.html (sources: NCADP and Rick Halperin)
