Way cleared for Muhammad execution
on Nov 9, 2009 at 12:36 pm
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to delay the execution in Virginia Tuesday night of John Allen Muhammad for a murder that was part of a sniper shooting rampage in the Washinton area seven years ago. The Court also refused to hear an appeal filed by Muhammad’s lawyers. The order is here.
Three Justices filed a separate statement saying the case “highlights once again the perversity of executing inmates before their appeals process has been fully concluded.” Justices John Paul Stevens wrote the statement, joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor. The statement, however, pointedly added that those Justices did not dissent from the Court’s refusal to hear Muhammad’s legal claims.
Muhammad is scheduled to be executed at 9 p.m. Tuesday.
