Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Leaders Seek to Prevent Execution

Grossman, on the day of his Bar Mitzvah

http://www.chabad.info/index.php?url=article_en&id=17350


Leaders Seek to Prevent Execution

National Council of Young Israel, Agudath Israel of America, Orthodox Union, Chabad, Satmar, Rabbinical Alliance of America, are amongst a list of 200 organizations pleading with the Florida Governor to grant a 60 day stay which would enable for a comprehensive clemency application to be presented and considered.

Chabad.Info Editor
25 Shvat 5770 (09.02.2010)

Both Jewish and non-Jewish community leaders are petitioning Florida Governor Charlie Crist for an emergency stay of execution for death-row prisoner Martin Grossman, scheduled to be executed on Feb. 16th.

National Council of Young Israel, Agudath Israel of America,Orthodox Union, Chabad, Satmar, Rabbinical Alliance of America, are amongst a list of 200 organizations pleading with the Florida Governor to grant a 60 day stay which would enable for a comprehensive clemency application to be presented and considered.

The case of Martin Grossman is gaining national attention. Grossman, in 1984 was a 19-year-old drug-addicted high-school drop-out with a juvenile record for trespassing. He and a friend, Thanye Taylor, drove to an isolated nature reserve to fire a found handgun. A wildlife officer stopped them, searched their car and confiscated the gun. Martin,who is reported to have an IQ of 77, panicked and began pleading with the officer not to report him as he would be in violation of his probation. When she reached for her radio a struggle ensued, which resulted in the officer reaching for her own gun, whereupon Martin panicked, snatched her gun and shot her. A psychiatrist who evaluated him concluded, from his psychological and medical condition, that he could not have formed the intent to kill. Taylor served less than three years in prison while Martin was sentenced to death.

Mr. Grossman has been on death row for over 25 years.

The petition argues that the death sentence meted out to him is disproportionate in the extreme and that his defense was inadequate. Only one percent of murder sentences end in capital punishment, crimes commonly referred to as “the worst of the worst.”

The petition further argues that Martin’s crime, considering the lack of premeditation, his drug addiction, his IQ level, and several other compelling factors does not qualify for the death penalty, and that the court ignored mitigating circumstances. Only four of thirty-three available defense witnesses were used in the sentencing phase. Additionally, there are allegations of prosecutorial misconduct as well. A fellow prisoner and key witness for the government swears that he lied at trial, and that he was rewarded by having his own charges dropped. Martin Grossman’s appeals regarding these issues have been rejected without hearings, but they could be considered in a clemency petition.

“Martin has shown deep and profound remorse over the years, and is no longer the same wild reckless person he was 26 years ago” argues Rabbi menachem Katz from the Aleph Institute, who has visited Martin regularly over the past 15 years.

As of this release, Governor Crist has not agreed to grant a stay. Execution is set for February 16 at 6:00 PM.

Concerned citizens are encouraged to call or email the Governor and ask for clemency and mercy for Martin Grossman:

Charlie.Crist@eog.myflorida.com

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It is imperative that people -and especially academicians, professors, and mental health professionals, write to each of the four Clemency Board members individually.

Below is the most recent updated contact information:

Executive Clemency Board

1 - Governor Charlie Crist
The Honorable Governor Charlie J. Crist, Jr.
The Capitol PL-05
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone 1:850-488-4441
Phone 2 (Chief of Staff): 850-488-5603
Phone 3: 850-488-7146
Fax: 850-487-0801
Email 1: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
Email 2: Charlie.Crist@eog.myflorida.com
---
(as candidate for U.S. Senate)
Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate
PO Box 1694
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 850-907-1218
Fax: 850-907-1219
Email: info@CharlieCrist.com
Web Email: http://charliecrist.com/contact/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 - Attorney General Bill McCollum ***Most Important***
The Honorable Bill McCollum
State of Florida Attorney General
The Capitol PL-01
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
Phone 1(Executive): 850-245-0140
Phone 2: 850-414-3990
Phone 3: 850-414-3300
Fax: 850-410-1630
Email: ag.mccollum@myfloridalegal.com
Web E-mail: http://myfloridalegal.com/contact.nsf/contact?Open&Section=Attorney_General
---
Capital Appeals – Tallahassee Office
Office of the Attorney General
Collins Building, Third Floor
107 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Fax: 850-487-0997
---
Civil Appeals Section – Tallahassee Office
Office of the Attorney General
Collins Building, Fourth Floor
107 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Fax: 850-488-4872
---
ADA Coordinator – Tallahassee Office
Office of the Attorney General
Collins Building, First Floor
107 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Fax: 850-488-5106
---
Administrative Law – Tallahassee Office
Office of the Attorney General
Florida State Capitol,
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
Fax: 850-922-6425
----
(as Republican candidate for Governor)
Bill McCollum for Governor
PO Box 10829
Tallahassee, FL 32302-2829
Phone: 850-241-1885
Fax: 850-681-0184
Email 1: jason@BillMcCollum.com
Email 2: info@BillMcCollum.com
Web email: http://www.billmccollum.com/contact/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 – CFO Alex Sink
The Honorable Alex A. Sink (It’s a Mrs.)
Florida Chief Financial Officer
200 East Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4228
Phone 1: 850-413-2806
Phone 2: 850-413-3100
Fax 1: (850) 413-2950
Fax 2: 850-413-4993
E-Mail: Alex.Sink@MyFloridaCFO.com
E-Mail 2: cfo@dfs.state.fl.us
Web email: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/askFLDFS/
---
(as Democratic candidate for Governor)
Alex Sink for Governor (It’s a Mrs.)
P.O. Box 75590
Tampa, FL 33675
Phone: 813-374-9175
Fax: 813-374-9246
Email 1: Campaign@alexsink2010.com
Email 2: alexsink@alexsink2010.com
Email 3: contact@alexsink2010.com
Email 4: Info@AlexSinkFlorida.com
Web emaiI: http://www.alexsink2010.com/contact/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 – Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson
The Honorable Charles H. Bronson, Jr.
Commissioner of Agriculture
The Capitol PL-10
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800
Phone: 850-488-3022
Fax: (850) 922-4936
E-mail: commissioner@doacs.state.fl.us
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please also write to the Executive Board Office:

The Office of Executive Clemency
2601 Blair Stone Road, Building C
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2450
Toll Free: 1-800-435-8286 Ext. 2
Phone: 850-488-2952
Fax: 850-488-0695
Email: ClemencyWeb@fpc.state.fl.us