Executed man's co-defendant says years of guilt have led him to try to clear his friend's name

Houston Chronicle ^ | Nov. 21, 2005 | LISE OLSEN

[Ninian Dryhope]

Still, Barrera said he found it suspicious that Garza would speak out now despite having had "the responsibility and the opportunity and every reason for the number of years that his best friend stayed on death row."

"In my opinion, he failed to do it because what he told you is not true," said Barrera, who is now a defense attorney. He did it "because he has nothing better to do and he wants to put everybody on a guilt trip."

This same story ran on Sunday. Lise just takes the same story and rearranges the words a little and runs the story again. What are they going to do, run the same story for a week?

This whole story is just bullcrap. This is being done to undercut support for the death penalty. I don't think it will work in Houston, but the liberals will keep trying.

[ClearCase_guy]

This is being done to undercut support for the death penalty.

Absolutely agree.

[GBA]

He could have saved his "friend" but chose not to? If his story is true, then it almost makes Garza a murderer.

[dennisw]

These people are criminal nut cases. If they don't want to talk then I have no sympathy for them if the state executes one of them by mistake. There is lot of BS being flung around here

[agere_contra]

Stinks of a put-up job

[Revelation 911]

This is being done to undercut support for the death penalty. I don't think it will work in Houston, but the liberals will keep trying.

what kind of deterrent keeps you alive for 20 or so yrs of appeals?...The penalty is inherently flawed by our own legal system to never be quick or expedient

Sorry, this evangelical conservative values the sanctity of life above all -if that camps me with the libs....so be it

Now, if you, by your tacit approval have actually condemned an innocent man (lets say its later proven), I would counsel you to seek forgiveness

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Now, if you, by your tacit approval have actually condemned an innocent man (lets say its later proven), I would counsel you to seek forgiveness"

Up yours.

Killing that punk murderer was a good thing.

While it is try that justice delayed is justice denied, better late than never.

[PeteB570]

The only problem with the first execution was that they were two seats short.

That can be fixed now. Oh, wait! The little darling was only 15 so whatever he says now still means no death penalty. OK, so just who was the killer?

[GOPJ]

If his words are true, they provide some of the first evidence ever that the state of Texas wrongfully executed a man, who at the time of his crime was a juvenile.

A known liar and killer telling the truth? Only a liberal could believe this is anything other than a self serving stunt.

[ThirstyMan]

"...then it almost makes Garza a murderer."

It certainly does. Like Cantu's father said, "I think his friends killed him."

[Mark was here]

Now, if you, by your tacit approval have actually condemned an innocent man (lets say its later proven), I would counsel you to seek forgiveness.

Reality is that a jury was convinced. What else anyone thinks is not relevant and not worthy of forgiveness, because no sin was committed.

[DB]

Almost?

If the witness lied and sent the wrong man to death then he is 100% responsible it. It was his word that sent him there.

[Krankor]

Then Cantu shot an off-duty police officer at a neighborhood bar on March 1, 1985

Gee, they kinda snuck that in the middle of the story. The guy would try to kill a cop but would bever shoot some guy during a robbery.

[prion]

The guy would try to kill a cop but would bever shoot some guy during a robbery.

Heh heh. No fooling. Innocence is relative. He was one of a party of thieves and murderers. If he didn't do the deed he was done for, he clearly did others worthy of it.

"Executing an innocent man" makes it sound like Sam the insurance salesman is walking down the street whistling a merry tune, and next thing he knows he's done for murder. When justice miscarries, it's usually because it's a close run thing: which of these brutal thugs actually pulled the trigger this time? Not that it isn't important to try to get it exactly right, but wrong isn't always so very wrong.

[Krankor]

This just shows the total dishonesty of the story. I mean, this revelation comes out of nowhere, with no explanation and no details. Was it during a robbery? An arguement? Did the off duty cop identify himself as such and was then shot? Was the cop hurt badly? Was the m.o. similar to the previous crime?

[WorkingClassFilth]

If you cast your lot with murderers, don't expect to be taken as anything different.

[sport]

That guy is full of crap.

If his story was true, so would not have waited until his partner in crime was executed to "tell" his "story".

He is just parroting what some reporter or lawyer instructed him to say.

As far as I am concerned he should have been along with his parterner.

[monday]

"``He would tell you: `I can't be executed because I'm innocent.' '' Garza said. "

Just another Darwin Award winner. Too stupid to survive. Any brain dead moron knows that a tiny percentage of people who are executed by the state are innocent. It is inevitable. This guy bet with the odds and lost. In my opinion he deserves to be executed for extreme stupidity. The gene pool is better off without him.

[WasDougsLamb]

This is being done to undercut support for the death penalty



----My sentiments exactly.

[Revelation 911]

Up yours.

newbie - learn to discuss all aspects and facets of an issue on this forum - save the name calling fo DU, its indicates you react impulsively

Blessing upon you

Pastor Ron