Posted on 11/24/2004 5:08:45 AM PST by Born Conservative
HARRISBURG - Gov. Ed Rendell on Tuesday said he will not intervene to seek a pardon to spare mass murderer George Banks' life if the stay of execution sought by his attorneys is not granted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Speaking at a news conference, Rendell said there might be instances in which he would urge the state's pardon board to seek a pardon for a defendant, but he would not do that in Banks' case.
"I will not blindly say that everyone who faces a death sentence should be executed. There may be times when I will take action to stop that, but in Mr. Banks' case, in my judgment, no," Rendell said.
Banks is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 2 for the 1982 shooting rampage in Wilkes-Barre and Jenkins Township that left 13 people, including five of his children, dead.
His attorneys on Friday asked the Supreme Court to stay the execution until it resolves a new appeal. That appeal argues the execution would violate the U.S. Constitution's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment because Banks is severely mentally ill.
Luzerne County prosecutors have until Wednesday to reply to the filing. It is not known when the court will issue its decision.
The state Department of Corrections is continuing preparations for the execution, which will be held at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview in Bellefonte.
Spokeswoman Sue McNaughton said the department is taking steps to select media representatives and general members of the public to witness the execution.
McNaughton said 12 seats are available, with six for the media and six for the general pubic. The media representatives are randomly chosen by her from a pool of requests received. The public witnesses are chosen by the superintendent at Rockview.
McNaughton said a number of seats also are available for family members of the victims. Those seats are chosen by the Pennsylvania Office of Victim Advocate, she said.
Banks remains housed at the State Correctional Institution at Graterford. He will be transferred to Rockview a day or two prior to the execution, McNaughton said. The exact date is kept secret for security purposes.
Fry Mumia.
As someone who lived through the events of the Banks' shootings with an AR-15, it became a media frenzy here in NEPA.
I look forward to this man's final elimination from the gene pool.
With regard to Fast Eddy Rendell, he is just positioning himself for a run at the White House in 2008.
Everything Fast Eddy does is for his own gain, so I'm sure you're right on his decision being politically motivated.
22 YEARS LATER!!!!!!!!!
rendell thinks he's being tough on "crime". what do you want,ed? a cookie? a medal? i'm glad he cleared up that he will intervene in other cases.i was getting concerned he might actually allow sentences to go forward ( sarcasm ). maybe ed needs to come down to harris county , texas ( my county ) , and see what 'tough on crime " really means.
If he does run for the WH in 2008, we can always destroy him with his constant approval of any tax increase and his slavish devotion to Philadelphia even though he is governor of the entire state.
Why doesn't "justice delayed is justice denied" apply to victims and the public?
Rendell in '08?
Can you see him in a televised debate?
He will make Richard Nixon's performance in '60
look suave and well-groomed by comparison.
Great point!
Us Texans get bent out of shape when it takes over ten years to carry out an execution. We're slowly but surely cutting down on the time these kinds of animals get to live on the public dole after their death sentences . . . and we're sometimes villified for it. But most of us believe a "death sentence" is just that . . . and it should be carried out in a timely manner.
... or his ownership percentage in gambling parlors.
I don't think we need to worry about Rendell in 2008. It was great of Sean Hannity to expose this idiot for caring more about the convict vote for President than the military vote.
Scum like Rendell don't deserve to be President. He is actually worse than some of the other democrats, and four years isn't long enough to wash off stink like that.
Then he's nuts. Pennsylvania might elect a man who looks and behaves like a mob lawyer, but the country won't. Honestly, I think he just wants to get reelected.
I remember this PoS. The sooner his breath stop polluting the air the better.
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