Execution to Proceed

By: Lowell
Published On: 4/27/2006 7:07:01 PM

This statement was issued by Tim Kaine's just a little while ago.  Personally, I have grave doubts about the death penalty.  However, if there ever was a criminal meriting execution, Dexter Lee Vinson certainly qualifies.  All in all, I'd say "declining to intervene" was probably the best decision Tim Kaine could make in this case, and a courageous one too, given his own deeply held religious beliefs against the death penalty.  However, Tim Kaine swore an oath of office, and he's holding to it, just as he promised he would do.  Tough decisions like this are what leadership is all about.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR TIMOTHY M. KAINE
On the scheduled execution of Dexter Lee Vinson

RICHMOND +óGé¼GÇ£ Governor Timothy M. Kaine issued the following statement tonight on the scheduled execution of Dexter Lee Vinson by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"On December 7, 1998, Dexter Lee Vinson was found guilty of the capital murder of Angela Felton, object sexual penetration, abduction with an intent to defile, and carjacking.  In a separate sentencing proceeding, the jury sentenced Vinson to death on the capital murder conviction.  The trial, verdict, and sentence have been reviewed in detail by various state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Supreme Court of the United States.

"Having carefully reviewed the Petition for Clemency and judicial opinions regarding this case, I find no compelling reasons to doubt Mr. Vinson+óGé¼Gäós guilt or to invalidate the sentence recommended by the jury and imposed, and affirmed, by the courts. 

"Accordingly, I decline to intervene."


Comments



Tough decision. (Laura86 - 4/27/2006 7:12:15 PM)
On one hand the decision he made was the right one, on the other hand it was the wrong one.  Is the law to be upheld if it is immoral?  I too am against the death penalty, but I understand the political implications if he were to have granted clemency.


Good decision - Vinson deserves fate. (Passing Through - 4/27/2006 8:19:21 PM)
This was a no-brainer for Kaine.  Vinson committed a terrible murder, in which his victim - Angela Felton was stabbed, violated and had her head repeatedly slammed in a car door by the killer.

Lowell - quite a number of the cases of Virginia's death row involve criminal acts whose brutality defies the imagination and merit execution.

e.g. DC area sniper John Allen Muhammad,  Manassas area neo-Nazi and child rapist/killer Paul Powell, Winchester cop killer Edward Bell and Danville triple killer Percy Walton all come to mind.



I agree (DanG - 4/27/2006 10:05:13 PM)
I support the Death Penalty.  This was the right move.  Vinson is getting what he deserves.  Also, Kaine made a promise to uphold the Death Penalty against those who deserve it.  This guy appears to deserve it.


I am deeply saddened by this (AnonymousIsAWoman - 4/27/2006 9:29:24 PM)
I am unequivocally against the death penalty. Indeed during the brief time that I was a practicing Catholic, one of the things that I did was work with a social justice group that met to hold a vigil and pray at every execution. This was back when Virginia was executing convicted murderers practically every month. And I wrote the liturgy that they used for the first vigil, which was held in the cemetery of a historic old Catholic church in Fairfax.

However, I honestly don't see how Tim Kaine had any choice. If Kilgore had not made such an issue out of the death penalty and Kaine's opposition to it, Kaine might have been able to slip in a few pardons.

But Tim Kaine looked into a camera (which had the effect of looking the viewer right in the eye) and said that while he personally opposed the death penalty, he would uphold it. And now he can do no less.

There is an awful algebra here. And equation that balances a commitment to life rather than death against an ethical commitment to keep one's word. Both have equal claim on Tim Kaine's heart and I don't envy him this decision. And I won't criticize him for the way it turned out.

Also, you have to pick your battles wisely. As Lowell pointed out, Derek Lee Vinson's is not the case to draw the line in the sand over. Only those utterly convinced that the death penalty should never be used would be able to defend a governor refusing to let this execution go forward. Even if Kaine had never made that TV ad, this is not the case he could have taken a stand on.

And because he did make the ad promising to uphold the law, if he reneged now, what other promise would he break? Would a woman's right to choose be next?

He won because he linked the two and promised not to impose his personal morality on the rest of the state. It's a hard, hard position. And I respect his integrity and courage. And I appreciate the agony it must have cost him.



And will continue to cost him... (elevandoski - 4/27/2006 11:30:53 PM)
for the rest of his life.  My thoughts and prayers are with the Governor tonight.


Clemency? (Dan - 4/28/2006 10:29:08 AM)
However,

  Kaine does have to sign the death warrant, does he not?  Of course, I don't think I would have the stomach to sign off on a man's death.  However, I have no problem with this decision.  It keeps with Kaine's campaign promise.  I guess Kilgore was wrong - Kaine would execute Hitler.  In fact, I would use this against Allen to prove that Howell is a freaking liar, and was wrong in his sick commercial. 



Death warrants in Virginia (Passing Through - 4/29/2006 2:23:21 PM)
These are issued by a judge in the circuit court where the trial and conviction for capital murder occurred.  The Governor does not have any role in this process aside from considering applications for executive clemency.