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Attorneys for death row inmate Philip Workman asked a federal appeals court to stay his execution set for next Wednesday, May 9, 2007.
Workman was convicted for the 1981 shooting death of Memphis Police Lieutenant Ronald Oliver.
His defense team is also reviewing revised execution rules released by the state to decide whether they should be challenged in court.
Workman has two appeals pending before the 6th United States Circuit Court of Appeals.
His lawyers requested the stay of execution claiming he was convicted on perjured testimony and that the state withheld evidence that would have established Workman's innocence.
He has twice been within hours of execution when courts stepped in to spare his life.
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=e4883d65-9653-48ae-88da-a49071e59048
Workman was convicted for the 1981 shooting death of Memphis Police Lieutenant Ronald Oliver.
His defense team is also reviewing revised execution rules released by the state to decide whether they should be challenged in court.
Workman has two appeals pending before the 6th United States Circuit Court of Appeals.
His lawyers requested the stay of execution claiming he was convicted on perjured testimony and that the state withheld evidence that would have established Workman's innocence.
He has twice been within hours of execution when courts stepped in to spare his life.
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=e4883d65-9653-48ae-88da-a49071e59048
1 comment:
URGENT!! Philip Workman's execution has been REINSTATED!! This is one of the
best known death penalty cases in the US and rife with injustice. Even the
victim's daughter and the original prosecutor have campaigned for a new
trial for him. The Governor had a moratorium in place in Tennessee but is
OVERTURNING it to execute Workman, convicted of killing a police officer, to
set an example on being tough on crime.
CALL/WRITE GOV. PHIL BREDESEN - he has the power to grant Philip clemency.
Phone: 615.741.2001
Fax: 615.532.9711
Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us
Board of Paroles
1719 West End Avenue, 5th Floor
Nashville, TN, 37243
Phone (615) 963-1200
Fax: (615) 963-1249
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tuesday, 05/08/07
Workman lands on death watch
Appeals court decision allows early Wednesday execution date
By SHEILA BURKE
Staff Writer
Condemned cop killer Philip Workman was moved to death watch Monday after a
federal appeals court put his planned Wednesday execution back on schedule.
Workman was sentenced to die for the 1981 slaying of Memphis Police Lt.
Ronald Oliver during a shootout after a robbery at a fast-food restaurant.
For members of the police union that represents Oliver's fellow officers,
the execution is long overdue.
"The verdict was rendered, the punishment was issued, and it's just been
delayed
year after year after year," said Tommy Turner, president of the Memphis
Police Association.
"It just goes to that old saying, 'justice delayed is justice denied.' "
said Turner who, as a patrol officer, responded to the scene outside a
Wendy's restaurant where Oliver was shot.
Workman, 53, got a brief reprieve on Friday when U.S. District Judge Todd
Campbell issued a temporary restraining order barring the state from
executing him until a May 14 hearing on whether Tennessee's new lethal
injection procedure is humane.
Critics faulted the state for deciding to use the same three chemicals it
used before to put inmates to death. Gov. Phil Bredesen ordered new
guidelines after reports of botched lethal injections in Florida and
California.
Death penalty opponents say that method is inhumane and the new procedures
are worse than the old ones.
In its decision to overturn Campbell's order, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals said the three-drug method is used in 28 other states and has been
upheld by the 6th Circuit and the Tennessee Supreme courts.
Appeals Judge R. Guy Cole Jr. dissented, saying the state could have waited
five days for the hearing Campbell scheduled to determine whether the
procedure violates constitutional prohibitions against cruel and inhuman
punishment.
The execution is scheduled for 1 a.m. at Riverbend Maximum Security
Institution.
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