Feb. 8 TEXAS: Panhandle death row prisoner found dead----Inmate was awaiting execution for killing of Hemphill deputy A Texas Panhandle death-row inmate convicted of killing a Hemphill County sheriff's deputy in 2001 was found hanging in his cell last week. Christopher Wade Britton, 30, was found dead Friday, Texas prison officials said Monday. Britton was sentenced to death in August 2002 for the shotgun killing of Hemphill County Deputy Jim Bruce Graham, 54, who was trying to serve an arrest warrant on June 17, 2001, in Canadian. "I guess you would say that it cheated the Graham family out of real justice," said Dean Butcher, former Hemphill County sheriff, of Britton's suicide. "He went through the judicial system and the judge and the jury seemed fit to give death. I feel like it is an injustice for the good people of Hemphill County and especially the friends and family of Jim Graham." Although Graham was a soft-spoken man, his words were carried significant weight, said Butcher, who was sheriff at the time of Graham's slaying. "He would be quiet for a while, but when he spoke he said something of meaning," said Butcher, who worked with Graham for about 12 years. Guards found Britton about 17 minutes after a security check, shortly after noon Friday. They cut him down, placed him on a gurney and attempted CPR, but could not revive him. Prison officials said the state Office of Inspector General is looking into the death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in December 2004 affirmed Britton's conviction after his lawyers appealed. A Potter County jury sentenced Britton to death Aug. 8, 2002, after finding him guilty of capital murder in the slaying of Graham. The jury, made up of 6 men and 6 women, took 3 hours and 30 minutes to reach their verdict. The case was moved to Amarillo due to extensive publicity. According to trial testimony, Graham, who knew Britton personally, was trying to arrest Britton on outstanding warrants the day he was shot. Witnesses said Britton pulled out a shotgun, which Graham tried to grab, before shooting Graham in the head. Britton was found hiding in a pond hours later following an extensive manhunt. Britton's Amarillo attorney, Warren Clark, argued during the appeal that his client suffered from a mental illness. Britton's appeal raised four issues, all of which were rejected by the Court of Appeals. Two of the issues related to jurors who were disqualified, one for his opposition to the death penalty and another who said she would not consider probation for Britton, if appropriate. The other issues involved statements made by lawyers from the Texas Attorney General's office who tried the case. Judge Steven Emmert upheld objections to both statements at trial and directed the jury to disregard them, which the court found sufficient. (source: Amarillo Globe-News) KANSAS: Kansas Senate gets death-penalty issue Elizabeth Daily thought justice was done when her son's killers were sentenced to death. The Kansas Supreme Court saw it differently. Jonathan and Reginald Carr were convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of Daily's son, Brad, and 4 other Wichita-area residents. Though the convictions stand, the death sentences are in legal limbo. Daily was on hand Monday as a committee of lawmakers sent the death-penalty debate to the full Senate. The Legislature could fix its crippled capital punishment law now and risk emptying its death row or gamble that the U.S. Supreme Court will reverse the Kansas high court's ruling. Senators charged with studying the issue said it was a choice they were not comfortable making and would leave it to the full Senate. "This is not a debate that, in my mind, is capable of being resolved by this committee," said Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, an Independence Republican. He said the full Senate should "make a choice as 40 senators, with a full range of options." Attorney General Phill Kline has estimated that the state has only a 1-in-7 to 1-in-10 chance of the high court taking the appeal. (source: Kansas City Star) VIRGINIA: Suspect won't face death penalty----Man allegedly used baseball bat to beat pregnant girlfriend Charges were upgraded yesterday against the man accused in the baseball bat beating death of his pregnant girlfriend. But if convicted, Carlos Diangilo Williams won't be put to death. Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert said he cannot bring a capital-murder case because it appears Williams meant only to kill the fetus. Williams had been charged with malicious wounding. "If the defendant had intended to kill the mother in order to terminate the life, it would've been a capital case. But the facts in this case indicate that his intention was to kill the fetus and only the fetus," Ebert said. Investigators said Williams let the teen go after the beating. But Cheri Washington's mother said she would prefer to see Williams on death row. "Nobody deserved to get beaten to death," said Joann Washington. Ebert said it was the first time a defendant was being charged under a new state law making the premeditated killing of a fetus a separate crime. Conviction could result in a life sentence for Williams, 26. He was also hit with murder and abduction charges, which could bring another 50 years. Williams allegedly beat Cheri Washington because he didn't want her to have the baby. Washington, 17, was 4 months pregnant at the time of the Jan. 27 attack. She died a day later, after telling police she had been bound with duct tape and beaten inside Williams' Dale City home. Also yesterday, police announced charges against 2 of Williams' cousins, who they said were in the house at the time of the beating. Stephen James Covington Jr. faces the same charges as Williams for allegedly supplying the bat and helping beat Washington. The other cousin, a juvenile, was charged with being an accessory after the fact. Both were expected to surrender. (source: Associated Press)
