According to the Washington Post, the US Supreme Court has refused to review John Allen Muhammad's application for a stay of his execution. Muhammad is scheduled to be executed tomorrow night at 9pm.
3 of the justices (Ginsberg, Stevens and Sotomayer) accused the Commonwealth of Virginia of "truncating" the process of execution.
The Supreme Court has only granted a handful of stays of execution in its history, many of which have gone on to set precedent (i.e. Furman v. Georgia, where the court upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty as a practice but that its application in the case was arbitrary and thus unconstitutional).
The Court's denial of the application means that only Governor Tim Kaine may stay (or grant clemency for) the execution. Kaine, a Catholic, has espoused a personal abhorrence for the death penalty, but has indicated he is unlikely to make an attempt to stop this execution.
Comments
it is ridiculous that they even consider this. he killed innocent people who were just going about their everday lives. he went on a killing spree and terrorized not just the nation's capital but the surrounding areas as well. people seem to forget what it was like during the period of time when the "snipers" were still at large.
ME- the Supreme Court has granted very few stays of execution in its existence. They typically defer to the lower courts in this matter unless allegations of judicial misconduct or constitutional violation have been raise. In this case, Muhammad's lawyers attempted to stay the execution and eventually get clemency by using the insanity defense. Muhammad had previously been found competent to stand trial, even serving as his own attorney at one point.
If only it were televised.
Nah, I probably wouldn't watch it-- but to know he's suffering FINALLy after all he has put us through is good enough for me. I definitely could not live life back then.
i think the death penalty is wrong in any situation
how do you teach the value of a life by taking one?
that being said, this man is scum and while i disagree on moral grounds with the punishment i will shed no tears
As of9:11pm, John Allen Muhammad is no longer among the living. It will not bring back the victims but at the least I hope it brings the families some closure.
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