2010.09.17
McDonnell won’t stop Teresa Lewis execution
Gov. Bob McDonnell said tonight that he won’t stop next week’s scheduled execution of Teresa Lewis, who would become the first woman executed in Virginia in nearly a century.
Lewis was convicted of capital murder for conspiring with two men to kill her husband and stepson in Pittsylvania County in 2002.
Staff writer Laurence Hammack has more here.
Here’s McDonnell’s statement:
“On May 15, 2003, Teresa Lewis pled guilty to two counts of capital murder for hire of her husband, Julian Lewis, and her stepson, Charles Lewis, as well as other associated charges. On July 1, 2003, the Pittsylvania County Circuit Court sentenced her to death on both counts. On July 29, 2010, the Pittsylvania County Circuit Court set the execution date for September 23, 2010.
The record reflects that in the fall of 2002, Teresa Lewis conspired with two men to murder her husband and her stepson, a U.S. Army reservist set to deploy for active duty, in order to obtain her husband’s assets, including the life insurance proceeds from another son’s accidental death, and her stepson’s life insurance policy. In furtherance of the plot, Teresa Lewis agreed to share the proceeds with her co-conspirators, paid for the firearms and ammunition used in the murders, and enticed her 16 year-old daughter to become involved in the murder plans. Teresa Lewis intentionally left a rear door to their home unlocked to allow the co-conspirators to easily enter the premises. After one unsuccessful attempt to kill her husband a week earlier, the plan reached its tragic conclusion in the early hours of October 30, 2002. After her co-conspirators shot the two victims multiple times with shotguns at close range, Lewis waited more than 45 minutes to call emergency response personnel, during which time her husband was still alive. Lewis initially denied involvement in the murders but confessed a week later when faced with the evidence against her.
Lewis filed a Petition for Executive Clemency on August 25, 2010, requesting that I commute the sentence of death to a sentence of life without parole.
Lewis’s guilty plea, verdict, and sentence have been reviewed by state and federal courts. The Supreme Court of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit have unanimously upheld the sentence in this case. The Supreme Court of the United States denied her petition for certiorari once and has another petition pending. Lewis does not deny that she committed these heinous crimes.
Numerous psychiatrists and psychologists have analyzed Lewis, both before and after her sentencing. After numerous evaluations, no medical professional has concluded that Teresa Lewis meets the medical or statutory definition of mentally retarded.
Having carefully reviewed the petition for clemency, the judicial opinions in this case, and other relevant materials, I find no compelling reason to set aside the sentence that was imposed by the Circuit Court and affirmed by all reviewing courts.
Accordingly, I decline to intervene and have notified the appropriate counsel and family of my decision.”
Why is mercy no longer part of society? Its only vengeance now.
Its not just Mcdonnell,even Kaine.the missionary toward the end didnt grant clemency.
We need to quit killing,in wars,in crime ,in so called justice..lets just quit killing OK?
Comment by Jack McGuire — September 17, 2010 @ 9:07 pm
Jack
You are absolutely right. The conservative christian right as represented by the governor and the ag are long on the vengeance part of the Bible
and short on the mercy. Kaine went against his priciples when he
didn’t stop executions and these two don’t have principle.
Comment by dave — September 18, 2010 @ 12:20 am
“The Supreme Court of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit have unanimously upheld the sentence in this case. The Supreme Court of the United States denied her petition for certiorari once and has another petition pending. Lewis does not deny that she committed these heinous crimes.”
She caused the death of 2 people in her own family to die! She should have been executed before this. The bible has nothing to do with this! With no rules or repercussions for breaking them the world would be even more of a mess than it is.
Comment by Flo Sielaff — September 18, 2010 @ 10:00 am
She had two people killed. Lets just feed her, give her a good education and free health care in jail. She was given a fair trial under our judical system. It’s time for her to make her peace and go quietly. Those two men that died, didn’t have a chance to do that. Gov. McDonnell did the right thing.
Comment by Jean — September 18, 2010 @ 2:03 pm
So will her death bring um back?
Who the hell is government to murder someone.Just because the state says it so makes it no less murder.Shall we execute the judge?
But let me ask you Jan and Flo,will you forfeit your life if your wrong….let me hear it!
Comment by Jack Mcguire — September 18, 2010 @ 9:03 pm
Jack,
Letting her live won’t bring um back either. Your point?
#1 and #2, Mercy comes from GOD. That’s what Christ is. Christ didn’t say one would be spared the consequences of their actions just because they believe in Him. Quite the contrary, He said that following Him would lead to death and persecution.
Many a murderer has found Christ in prison. That is a good thing if it has actually happened and isn’t for show. The criminal who was crucified with Jesus didn’t receive pardon or clemency, just eternal life.
Comment by BobH — September 20, 2010 @ 9:50 am
“Letting her live won’t bring um back either. Your point?”
My point is that more blood is not the answer.
And mercy doesnt just come from God.Humans can have mercy as well.In fact those that give mercy will obtain mercy.
In addition Vengeance is supposed to come from God,correct?
Killing by the State is sanctioned murder no more no less.So what shall the states punishment be? Who shall be held accountable if the State is later proved to have killed the wrong person?
The death penalty is barbaric and is proof positive how little weve progressed as a civilized society.
Comment by Jack McGuire — September 20, 2010 @ 1:38 pm
on comment #6: Jack, it’s interesting that you apparently see no contradiction in supporting the death penalty and, almost in the same paragraph, talk about the criminal crucified with Jesus, who by the way was a victim of death penalty. Try to forget, at least for a moment if you can, if the process that led Jesus to be condemned was right or wrong, if the evidence was baseless or right. Jesus received the death penalty, period. Doesn’t that create some kind of noise in your belief about the justice of such a sentence?
Comment by Martin — September 21, 2010 @ 4:15 pm
No 6 was a comment by BobH..not me
Comment by Jack McGuire — September 21, 2010 @ 4:33 pm
Executing a mental retard and the usa thinks its an educated,civilised country.
Comment by Marion — September 23, 2010 @ 5:28 am
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee. Neither can we call this a begging of misery, or a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves, but must fetch in more from the next house, in taking upon us the misery of our neighbours.”
Meditation XVII
Comment by Sandi Saunders — September 23, 2010 @ 9:35 am