Posted on 11/19/2009 6:56:57 PM PST by South40
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Inmate Robert Lee Thompson was executed Thursday evening for his part in a fatal Houston store holdup after the Texas governor rejected a parole board's recommendation to spare him because he wasn't the gunman.
Thompson, 34, was an accomplice to triggerman Sammy Butler who gunned down 29-year-old store clerk Mansoor Bhai Rahim Mohammed 13 years ago.
Butler received life in prison. A jury gave Thompson death.
Thompson's lawyer told the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Thompson's punishment wasn't fair and the panel voted 5-2 Wednesday to recommend his sentence be commuted to life.
Gov. Rick Perry was not obligated to follow that rare recommendation and the execution was carried out about 45 minutes after his decision.
Thompson, in brief comments from the death chamber gurney, invoked Allah as his God, and thanked friends and his mother for their love and support.
"I know Allah will forgive me," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...
He now will spend the rest of eternity in one place, commuted sentence of life carried out.
Ron White: “In Texas, I y’all kill somebody, We’ll kill you right back”
I hope governors don’t start overturning jury decisions. I thought the governor of TX could only delay executions.
The governor did the right thing. But it does seem very odd that the guy who actually shot the victim got life in prison while his accomplice in the robbery got death.
NEXT!
A vagary of Texas law.
In Texas, capital murder is the charge only when the murder occurs during the commission of another criminal act. Everybody who participates in a criminal act that results in a murder is considered equally culpable.
The shooter cooperated. The accomplice didn't. Thus, one got a break, the other didn't.
How’s this for cold? Counting him that’s 2 less muslims in Houston.
Ron White: “You kill somebody in Texas and we kill you back.”
“And we put in an express lane.”
That is cold. But I'd wager if he'd have been alive on 911 there would have been a good possibility that he'd have been celebrating the fall of the twin towers as were many.
Yes, but I still miss ole’ Sparky.
And raising his gasoline prices.
The Board of Pardons and Paroles recommended the sentence be commuted to life. With this recommendation, the governor has the power to commute a sentence, but he is not required to do so. Without a recommendation by the Board of Pardons and Paroles, he is limited in what he can do.
Texans have traditionally mistrusted government and by constitution have dispersed and limited power at almost all levels.
Ron White is funny and attractive in a manly charming kinda way.
thanks
And the DA that got that murderer a reduced sentence for "cooperating" should take his place in the execution chamber. Allowing plea bargaining on Capital Murder should be a capital crime.
I can't figure that out either. So now he helps get a Muslim killed and then expects Allah to forgive him for it. Well Allah may forgive him but I doubt God will.
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