8/2/2022 5:15:54 AM Central Standard Time, sharpjfa@aol.com writes:
To: ProPublica
BCC: Governor Kevin Stitt
Oklahoma Legislators and staff
Attorney General John O’Connor and staff
Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Pardon and Parole Board
District Attorneys' Council
media throughout Oklahoma and CNHI Newspapers
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Catholic Conference of Oklahoma
RE: Criminal Justice:"Richard Glossip Has Eaten Three Last Meals on Death Row. Years Later, the State Is Still Trying to Execute Him, Ziva Branstetter, ProPublica, July 24, 2022
From: Dudley Sharp, independent researcher, death penalty expert, former opponent, 832-439-2113, CV at bottom
A few things that avoided investigation, explanation and/or context, within the article, with an interesting twist.
Ziva is the quote from the referenced article/journalist, with Sharp my reply.
1) Ziva: "They’re (25 inmates) scheduled to die at a fast clip — about one each month through December 2024 — a rate that would eclipse the number of executions by all states combined since 2020."
Sharp: On average, the 25 will be executed after 20 years on death row - a very slow snail's pace. Many will have additional stays of execution, as well, making the average longer. Not in the story.
Of those 25, the shortest period of time, on death row, prior to execution, could be 13 years.
Since 1976, Virginia has executed 113 murderers, within 7 years of appeals, on average. How? Responsible judges.
None in the story.
2) Ziva: " Many observers, including those who support the death penalty, doubt the state’s ability to carry out executions in a constitutional manner . . . " "If the past is any judge, they’re probably right."
Sharp: Since 1976, the past details that Oklahoma has, constitutionally, executed 116 murderers. The executions of Lockett and Warner were, fully, irresponsible. That's 2 out of 116, making Ziva's presumption possible, but without merit.
The probability would be more likely to fall on the side of the 98.3% (114 inmates) than on the 1.7% (2 inmates).
3) Ziva: " Grant convulsed and vomited during the process (lethal injection execution).
Sharp: Ziva left out, as did all journalists, whose stories I read, that such are the well known and normal side effects of the drugs used, as well as for an overdose of the drugs used. Found with the easiest of fact checking, as could have been the reporting of that fact checking, but was not. Incurious?
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Richard Glossip: Little Credibility with His Supporters
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4) Ziva: “I’m 99% sure that (Glossip) is not guilty sitting on death row,” state Rep. Kevin McDugle said in an interview with ProPublica."
Sharp: Oddly, McDugle wrote an op/ed "I believe Richard Glossip is innocent. This is why" (The Oklahoman, June 26, 2022). He provided zero evidence of innocence. Why? Rather important.
"In their rush to build a compelling narrative of an innocent man about to be executed, some journalists who should know better have been remarkably incurious." ZIVA BRANSTETTER, 8/29/2015 (1)
Yep, same Ziva.
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The Death Penalty: A Repudiation of Journalism, by Journalists?
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5) Ziva: " (US Supreme Court) Justice Stephen Breyer argued that the death penalty was no longer constitutional . . . (citing) studies showing death penalty crimes have a disproportionately high exoneration rate."
Sharp: Absurd. Studies show that the death row "exoneration" claims are 71-83% false, meaning that the actual innocent cases represent from 0.3-0.5% of death row and they have all been released, very likely the most accurate of sanctions, considering the actually innocent found and released, after 50 years of detailed review (3).
Breyer (and Ziva?), seemingly, have no clue. How (3)? Incurious?
About 45% of death row inmates are removed from death row by appeals or commutation. How many of the actual innocents are removed from death row prior to a finding of actual innocence? Curious?
6) Ziva: "(Oklahoma) lawmakers commissioned a review by a law firm which found: " . . . that Glossip’s 2004 conviction “cannot be relied on to support a murder-for-hire conviction. Nor can it provide a basis for the government to take the life of Richard E. Glossip.”
Sharp: Ziva did not review all of the findings, from the law firm, that had already been reviewed and rejected by the courts. Did Ziva not, already, know (1,2)?
Nor did Ziva tell us that the law firm is not objective, very anti-death penalty. It's like having a trial and hearing only one side. Pretty important.
Likely, this journalist may be helpful (1). And this (2).
Sharp: Since the January. 8, 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese, Glossip had 17 years t0 prepare for his 2014 clemency hearing:
"Board members asked Glossip why he lied to police about (Barry Alan) Van Treese’s whereabouts after he was made aware by Sneed that Sneed had killed their boss. Glossip said at first he did not believe Sneed, but he was unable to give the board a reason as to why he did not report the crime to police." (4)
Very hard to overcome that actual fact, not mentioned in any of the recent articles, which all, showed no proof of actual innocence for Glossip.
Left out by Ziva.
7) Ziva interviewed Sister Helen Prejean, who stated: " You go to the public and you raise questions.”
Sharp: Exactly. Why did Ziva not tell the readers important facts or review the many false claims of Prejean (5). Why? No anti death penalty reporter or organization cares to expose that and will not. It's the norm.
Just incurious investigative reporting.
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FN - Be sure to read fn 1 and 2
00) Medis Disasters & The Death Penalty
1) Skepticism, key details missing from stories on Glossip case, ZIVA BRANSTETTER, The Frontier, Aug 29 2015
2) Two truths and a lie: What records, interviews reveal about Richard Glossip’s murder conviction, CARY ASPINWALL, The Frontier, September 13, 2015,
3) The Death Row "Exonerated"/"Innocent" Frauds
71-83% Error Rate in Death Row "Innocent" Claims, Well Known Since 2000
4) "Clemency denied for Oklahoma man sentenced to death for role in murder" Graham Lee Brewer, The Oklahoman, Oct 25, 2014
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600+ pro death penalty quotes from murder victim's families &
3300+ from some of the greatest thinkers in history
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Victim Services
Research, w/sources, w/fact checking/vetting & critical thinking, as required of anyone within a public policy debate and which rebut all anti-death penalty claims.
The Death Penalty: Justice & Saving More Innocents
and
Students, Academics & Journalists: Death Penalty Research
(7 pro-death penalty experts are included)
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Partial CV
bcc: Churches throughout Oklahoma
Oklahoma Baptist Convention
Oklahoma Faith Network
OKLAHOMA STATE COUNCIL FELLOWSHIP OF CHURCHES
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Catholic Conference of Oklahoma
Hope For Generations
