| Brewer pushes for death date |
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One of the men convicted in the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. wants his execution date set.
Lawrence Russell Brewer has written to District 1-A Judge Monte D. Lawlis, making the request. Lawlis was the trial judge in Brewer's case, which was heard in Bryan.
Brewer and John William King have been on death row since 1999 for the June 7, 1998, murder. A third man, Shawn Allen Berry, was sentenced to life in prison.
In the letter dated April 2, Brewer wrote: "Due to the continuous appointment of faulty state selected attorneys whom are vigorously preserving the states guilty theory of my person, I think it's about time that we bypass all these childish games and make the necessary arrangements for an execution date Sir."
He added that it wasn't because of any form of "so-called guilt on my behalf, but rather the inactions of the counsel I've had thus far."
His attorneys could not be reached for comment.
Former Jasper County District Attorney Guy James Gray said Brewer's request for an execution date meant nothing until he requested all his federal appeals be dismissed.
State courts have no jurisdiction while a federal writ is pending, Gray said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Brewer's federal appeals are still pending.
Brewer also filed a letter in January in Tyler with the U.S. District Court.
In that letter he wrote that he was he was no longer interested in proceeding with any additional appeals he was entitled to because of the "continuous unethnical (sic) {in}actions of both my current court designated attorneys ..."
" ... My trust in them, as well as with all my previous assigned attorneys, is certainly nonexistent. Therefore, I stand before this court, defeated, requesting an execution date be arranged on my behalf. Thank you."
Lawlis, in a telephone interview Wednesday, said he was looking into the request.
"I know (the case) is in the federal system, so I'm not certain about whether he can make that request. I would not do anything without the attorneys involved in it being notified. I assume there are appeals going on."
Lawlis said all Brewer's state appeals had been completed.
Reach this reporter at:
(409) 833-3311, ext. 420
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