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Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed

By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Mon Jul 11, 2005 at 01:39:48 PM EST
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Update: Execution stay granted. Among those fighting for the stay of execution: Former Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr - whose involvement is detailed in this WaPo article. [link via Sentencing Law and Policy]

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Robin Lovitt, 41, is scheduled for execution tonight in Virginia.

Virginia prepared Monday to execute a man convicted of stabbing a pool hall manager to death with a pair of scissors, a case that has attracted national attention because the murder weapon and DNA evidence were destroyed after the trial.

"It boggles the mind that Virginia is even proceeding with this and that the governor hasn't intervened before now to stop it," said Jack Payden-Travers, executive director of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. "We are going to be the laughingstock of the justice system if Virginia proceeds with this execution."

Initial DNA tests of the bloody scissors could not conclusively link Lovitt to the 1998 slaying. A court clerk later destroyed most of the evidence, including the scissors, making additional DNA testing impossible.

Details of the case are available here.

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    • Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:05 PM EST
    A stay has just been granted. Kudos to all involved, including...Ken Starr.

    Re: Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed (none / 0) (#2)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:05 PM EST
    I didn't realize that court clerks were empowered to destroy eveidence.

    Re: Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed (none / 0) (#3)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Starr has been involved in cases like this before. It's one of life's mysteries.

    Re: Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed (none / 0) (#4)
    by wishful on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:01:06 PM EST
    Illegal destruction of evidence by the government which denies a citizen his legal right to appeal his conviction should be a criminal offense at best. It should also automatically and unequivocally deprive the government of its authority to deny the life or liberty of one of us. The government should have to at least follow it own damn rules fergawdsakes. That is clearly what we expect of our citizens, and it is what we expect of our representatives, enforcement officials and our judiciary employees.

    Virginia Execution Tonight - Stayed | 4 comments (4 topical)