Call the Governor!
- If you hate death and state-sponsored killing, please call Brad Henry, Governor of Oklahoma today at 405-521-2342 to urge him to grant clemency tonight to Jackie Willingham.
There are currently ongoing civil disobedience actions today at the state capitol and I’m sure there will be at the Governor’s mansion and at the scheduled place for the killing (the prison at McAlester). Please remember those participating in your prayers today.
Here is some background on the Willingham case from the OCADP listserve:
- *****Action Alert*****
Execution of Jackie Lee Willingham
Jackie Lee Willingham is scheduled to be executed on July 24, 2003
FLOOD THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE WITH CALLS
521-2342
ASK FOR CLEMENCY FOR JACKIE LEE WILLINGHAM:
? JURORS WERE NEVER GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER WHETHER WILLINGHAM
COULD HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER, INSTEAD OF
FIRST-DEGREE MURDER
? WILLINGHAM’S IS THE ONLY DEATH PENALTY CASE IN HISTORY OF THE STATE IN
WHICH EVIDENCE SUPPORTED A 2ND-DEGREE MURDER INSTRUCTION, BUT NONE WAS GIVEN
AND THE DEFENDANT WAS NOT GRANTED A NEW TRIAL
? THE PARDON AND PAROLE BOARD VOTED FOR CLEMENCY 3-2
? ALL THREE ATTORNEY BOARD MEMBERS VOTED FOR CLEMENCY
? PATRICK MORGAN DECLARED WILLINGHAM’S CASE TO BE ONE OF THE “CLOSEST CASES”
HE HAS SEEN IN HIS 3 1/2 YEARS ON THE BOARD
Background
On December 20, 1994, Lawton civic leader, Jayne Van Wey, was beaten in the
ladies room of an office building. In video taped confessions, Jackie Lee
Willingham admitted he had a hot temper and “snapped” when Jayne Van Wey was
rude to him after he tried to sell her perfume and she ordered him out. He
followed her to the ladies room and hit her three times with is fist,
slammed her head into the wall and kicked her in the head. He asserted she
was alive and breathing when he left her. Jackie Lee Willingham was
convicted of Murder in the First Degree and sentenced to death in 1995. His
execution is scheduled for July 24, 2003
Willingham’s attorney, Fred Staggs, has argued that jurors should have been
given the option to convict Willingham of 2nd-degree murder for what he
described as a crime of passion. Willingham’s attorney asserted that the
jury was not even allowed to consider a second-degree murder, therefore, the
jury found him guilty of first-degree murder.
On June 26, 2003, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency.
The board voted 3-2 to approve Jackie Lee Willingham’s application. It is
obvious that the court’s denial to instruct the jury on second-degree murder
troubled the three Pardon and Parole Board attorneys. All three Board
attorneys voted for clemency. Board Chair, Patrick Morgan, stated, “This is
one of the closest cases I’ve seen in my 3 1/2 years on the board; I think
too close. It’s for the governor to decide.”