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Petra.
TX: A Horror at Every Turn
Sat Apr 9, 2011 07:08
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EDITORIAL
A Horror at Every Turn
Published: April 7, 2011

Cleve Foster, a former Army recruiter convicted of murder, was scheduled to be executed earlier this week in Huntsville, Tex., when the Supreme Court rightly granted a stay pending a review of his case.

There are so many reasons why the death penalty should be repealed everywhere. It is barbaric, and a terrifyingly high number of innocent defendants have been placed on death row or executed. Mr. Foster’s petition makes a strong case that, but for his ineffective state-appointed trial lawyer, he would not have been sentenced to death and that the evidence against him leaves conspicuous room for doubt about his guilt. It also makes a strong case that, but for the weakness of a second state-appointed lawyer who filed a writ of habeas corpus, he would have been granted a new trial.

The Supreme Court must decide whether Texas violated Mr. Foster’s rights by providing an ineffective habeas lawyer. The answer must be, “Of course.” Otherwise, the state will be allowed to pretend to satisfy his right to be heard while callously denying it. “This is my Life,” Mr. Foster wrote the lawyer when he fired him. “I feel you treated me Like a Dog.”

The means for Mr. Foster’s planned execution are also tainted. Last month, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said it would use pentobarbital as the sedative in place of sodium thiopental in the state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol. (Spookily, in apparent violation of federal law, it was sent using a federal license number registered to the Huntsville Unit Hospital, which was shut down in 1983 because of its abysmal treatment of prisoners.)

Rick Thaler, director of the Correctional Institutions Division, made the switch to the new, unproven protocol without consulting any doctors or other medical professionals. Also in apparent violation of federal law, the prison system is not following prescribed steps to safeguard the drug to ensure there is no tampering.

The suffering of any inmate during execution is inexcusable. The execution of an innocent person is an even greater horror. The Supreme Court should give Mr. Foster the chance to prove his innocence.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/08/opinion/08fri3.html?_r=1


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  • TX: Cleve "Sarge" Foster scheduled for January 11 — Petra., Tue Oct 5 16:21
    Tarrant County, Fort Worth set an execution date for Cleve "Sarge" Foster. It is scheduled for January 11, 2011
    • Re: TX: Cleve "Sarge" Foster scheduled for January 11 — Petra., Tue Oct 5 16:55
      Patrick Knight, executed June 26, 2007, "Yes, I do. I thank the Lord for giving me my friends, for getting me the ones I love. Lord reach down and help innocent men on death row. Lee Taylor needs... more
      • TX: Cleve Foster loses at Supreme Court — Petra., Mon Dec 13 13:39
        Condemned Ex-Army recruiter loses at Supreme Court By MICHAEL GRACZYK Associated Press © 2010 The Associated Press Dec. 13, 2010 HOUSTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review the case of a... more
        • TX: Cleve “Duke” Foster in line for execution in Texas — Petra., Sun Jan 9 11:35
          Kentucky native in line for execution in Texas Larry Johnson, The Record Newspapers Published 01/08/2011 - 6:21 p.m. CST A former oil field worker, Cleve “Duke” Foster, 47, is the next death row... more
          • TX: Execution set today in 2002 Fort Worth slaying — Petra., Tue Jan 11 13:55
            Execution set today in 2002 Fort Worth slaying Posted Monday, Jan. 10, 20111 BY TIM MADIGAN tmadigan@star-telegram.com Barring a last-minute intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court, former Army... more
            • TX: Cleve Foster - The U.S.SC gave a last-minute STAY — Petra., Wed Jan 12 14:10
              Ex-recruiter's execution for 2002 Fort Worth slaying is halted at last minute Posted Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 Express your opinion in a letter to the editor By Michael Graczyk The Associated Press... more
              • TX: Victims' families distressed by delay of Cleve Foster's — Petra., Sat Jan 15 10:13
                Victims' families distressed by delay of Cleve Foster's execution Posted Friday, Jan. 14, 2011 BY TIM MADIGAN tmadigan@star-telegram.com Assured by officials that convicted killer Cleve Foster had... more
              • TX: Cleve Foster - Stay of Execution for Sarge — Petra., Wed Jan 12 17:58
                http://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/011111zr.pdf
                • TX: Supreme Court lifts stay of execution -Cleve Foster — Petra., Tue Jan 18 14:25
                  Supreme Court lifts stay of execution in Fort Worth slaying Posted Tuesday, Jan. 18, 20110 BY TIM MADIGAN tmadigan@star-telegram.com The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the appeal of condemned killer ... more
                  • TX: Cleve Foster - New execution date set — Petra., Sat Jan 29 17:06
                    New execution date set for death row inmate Last Update: 1/28 10:35 pm A new execution date has been set for a death row inmate charged in the murder of a Texas Tech student and convicted of killing... more
                    • Cleve Foster has moved a step closer to execution scheduled — Petra., Mon Apr 4 17:04
                      Death Row inmate denied last-minute clemency in Fort Worth murder case Posted Monday, Apr. 04, 20110 The Associated Press Condemned prisoner Cleve Foster has moved a step closer to execution... more
                    • TX: Cleve Foster Seeks Reprieve Over Drug Method — Petra., Mon Apr 4 13:46
                      Death Row Inmate Seeks Reprieve Over Drug Method By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS Published: April 4, 2011 A former Army recruiter convicted of killing a woman he met in a Fort Worth, Tex., bar nine years ago is... more
                    • Cleve Foster -Texas set to use new drug in Tuesday execution — Petra., Mon Apr 4 12:38
                      Texas set to use new drug in Tuesday execution By MICHAEL GRACZYK © 2011 The Associated Press April 3, 2011, 3:22PM LIVINGSTON, Texas — Cleve Foster says he's not afraid to die — but he doesn't want... more
                    • TX: Cleve Foster -Judge denies request to block drug — Petra., Sat Apr 2 17:22
                      Judge denies request to block execution drug By Jim Vertuno Associated Press Posted April 2, 2011 at 12:36 a.m. AUSTIN — A Texas judge on Friday refused to block Texas' switch to a new lethal... more
                      • TX: Cleve Foster -Execution of woman's killer still being — Petra., Sun Apr 3 06:36
                        Execution of woman's killer still being challenged Posted Saturday, Apr. 02, 2011 BY MELODY MCDONALD mjmcdonald@star-telegram.com More than nine years ago, on Valentine's Day, construction workers... more
                        • One sided discussion — timmie, Mon Apr 4 21:39
                          So I see this site has become even more of a one sided discussion board. In fact this is not a discussion board anylonger.
                          • Re: One sided discussion — Petra., Thu Jun 21 17:16
                            damn... do debate about this torture receive 3 execution dates and stopping the murder an hour before in one year. Cleve Foster, 47, known as "Sarge" on Death Row, had eaten his final meal and was... more
                          • Texas excecution cell empty today again — Petra., Tue Apr 5 13:47
                            What do you have to say?
                          • Texas' switch in execution drugs warrants proper review — Petra., Tue Apr 5 12:27
                            Texas' switch in execution drugs warrants proper review Posted Monday, Apr. 04, 2011 A state-administered execution isn't supposed to inflict as much pain and horror on the convicted killer as the... more
                          • Re: One sided discussion — Mal Reynolds, Tue Apr 5 11:35
                            I like how they have to keep recycling old posts to make it look like there is even minimal activity on this board. lol!
                    • TX: Execution Set for April, But State Out of Key Drug — Petra., Wed Mar 9 14:00
                      Execution Set for April, But State Out of Key Drug • by Brandi Grissom Judges have set the dates for four more executions this year, and all of them scheduled to take place after the state's supply... more
                      • Texas: New execution drug chosen — Petra., Wed Mar 16 15:38
                        New execution drug chosen By Mike Ward | Wednesday, March 16, 2011 Texas will change the three-drug cocktail it uses to execute condemned criminals — switching from the difficult-to-get sodium... more
                  • TX: Cleve Foster -Sister Speaks Out — Petra., Thu Jan 27 17:24
                    Sister of a Henderson Man on Death Row Speaks Out Reported by: Drew Gardner January 26, 2011 The family of a Henderson man sitting on death row in Texas is speaking out to FOX 7. They are revealing... more
          • Cleve Foster scheduled to be executed tonight in Texas. — Petra., Tue Jan 11 13:38
            Henderson County, Kentuck, native is scheduled to be executed tonight in Texas. A jury found Cleve Foster guilty in 2004 of the rape and murder of a 28-year-old woman in Fort Worth. Foster claims he... more
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