Numerous experts have verified Michael Worthington, scheduled to be executed in Missouri on August 6th, suffers from severe mental health problems: Bipolar Disorder, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Tourette’s Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and severe frontal lobe dysfunction. Causes for these conditions are probably significant head injuries, substance abuse and congenital abnormalities. Unfortunately, his lawyer did not present this information at his trial and courts have refused to hear further testimony. Now we are calling on the Governor to grant Worthington clemency and sentence him to life in prison without parole. Please call Governor Nixon at 573-751-3222 and support this request.
Missouri can take hope from California precedent where a judge ruled California’s death penalty unconstitutional. According to CNN, United States federal fudge Cormac J. Carney vacated the 1995 death sentence of Ernest D. Jones. Judge Carney wrote: “Allowing this system to continue to threaten Mr. Jones with the slight possibility of death, almost a generation after he was first sentenced, violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.” In California, there are 748 people on death row, the most of any state. No executions have been carried out in since California put a moratorium on the death penalty in 2006. The judge noted 285 of the people on death row have been there longer than Jones. Those on death row in California spend 23 hours a day alone in their cells. CNN legal analysts, Jeffrey Toobin and Mark Geragos say the decision will certainly be appealed. Let us hope and pray it is not overturned on appeal.
Daryl Charron, C.PP.S.
