FRANCES NEWTON MAY BE INNOCENT/ HER EXECUTION WOULD BE UNJUST
Texas has executed 10 people through July 31, 2005. This is about 25% of
all execution in the United States this year, confirming once again that
Texas is the center of the death penalty in the western world. Eight
more executions are currently scheduled this year. One of these
executions, Frances Newton, will surely gather national and international
attention. Frances is an African-American woman who is scheduled to die
on September 14, 2005, for the murder of her husband and two children.
Frances denies that she ever committed these murders and the evidence is
weak that she ever did.
Frances Newton's appeals attorneys believe she may be innocent and would
never have received the death penalty if her legal representation during
the trial had done a halfway decent job in defending her. As it turned
out, however, she was represented by the nortoriously incompetent Ron
Mock who failed to investigate the case or call any witneses on her
behalf. If he had done so, the State's case against Frances would not
have held up to scrutiny.
However, Frances' poor legal representation is not the only reason why
she should not be executed. As it turns out, the State has destroyed the
only evidence that possibly could prove her innocence! This alone should
be reason enough to take the death penalty off the table.
Finally, Frances has been a model prisoner during the many years she has
been in prison. To get the death penalty in Texas, you must be a "future
danger to society". Frances' model behavior in prison has shown that she
is not a "future danger" and that society can be adequately protected by
keeping Frances in prison. Her execution is totally unnecessary.
In view of the above, the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
calls on Governor Perry and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to
commute Frances Newton's sentence to life in prison.
Governor Perry can be contacted by writing:
The Honorable Rick Perry,
Governor, State of Texas
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428
Fax No. (512)463-1849
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles can be contacted by writing:
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
Ms. Maria Ramirez, Clemency Administrator
Executive Clemency Section
P.O. Box 13401 Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
Fax No. (512) 467- 0945
