Life Without Parole Watch

Salon has a pretty good article on the pending life without parole legislation here in Texas. The article makes reference to the case of Kelsey Patterson, one of the most shameful executions in recent Texas history. Patterson clearly suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, yet was allowed to represent himself in a capital case, where he attempted to subpoena Jesus Christ, among others, and complained during trial about radio transmissions in his head. In an extremely rare move, the Texas Pardons and Parole Board voted 5-1 to recommend that Patterson's death sentence be commuted. (In Texas, the Governor does not have the power to commute a death sentence unless the Pardons and Parole Board has recommended it.) Nonetheless, Perry--comforted by the fact that no Texas governor has been turned out of office for executing too many people--allowed the execution to proceed.