P.O. Box 4804, Charlottesville, VA 22905

(888) 567-VADP              (434) 960-4673

www.vadp.org                jack@vadp.org

 

VADP Execution Alert

 

Michael Lenz      Execution by Lethal Injection        July 27, 2006

 

Michael Lenz has been moved from death row at Sussex I State Prison to building “L” at the Greensville Prison, Virginia’s death house in preparation for the 97th execution in the Commonwealth since 1982. Lenz is scheduled for execution by lethal injection on Thursday, July 27, 2006 at 9:00 PM.

 

The jury which sentenced Lenz to death was supplied with improper and misleading verdict forms. In 2005 the VA Supreme Court in Morrisette v. Commonwealth reversed a death sentence based on this same defective verdict form.

 

In addition Lenz’s jury never heard critical information that would have counseled in favor of a life sentence. The jury did not know that Brent Parker, the inmate that Lenz stabbed, was himself in prison for murder and had bragged about the man he had killed. The jury that was charged with deciding whether Michael Lenz lived or died should have been informed about the disturbing chain of events that culminated with Michael’s killing of Brent Parker.

 

Governor Kaine needs to hear from you! He will be a guest on two “Ask the Governor” radio programs this week giving you the opportunity to request that he commute this sentence to life in prison without parole. State your support for an immediate moratorium on executions and the appointment of a blue ribbon commission to study capital punishment in Virginia.

 

Tuesday, July 25

 

Washington Post Radio’s “Ask the Governor.” Governor Kaine will be a guest on “Ask the Governor,” a monthly call-in program on Washington Post Radio.

 

When:         10:00 a.m.

 

Where:       107.7 FM or 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C., metro area or online at www.washingtonpostradio.com

Call in Number: 1-877-7678-1077 (Note: This is the correct number even though it has an extra digit. 1-877-POST-1077)

 

 

Thursday, July 27

 

WRVA’s “Ask the Governor.” Governor Kaine will be the guest on “Ask the Governor,” a monthly program on WRVA and the Virginia News Network.

 

When:         9:00 a.m.

 

Where:       1140 AM in the <<Richmond>> metro area or online at http://www.wrva.com/pages/streaming.html

 

Call in Number:   1-888-727-2325

 

For a history of this case see Men/Women on the Row: Michael Lenz posted on the VADP website at: http://www.vadp.org/michaellenz.html. For news articles on this case go to: http://www.vadp.org/news.htm.

 

Please contact Gov. Tim Kaine and ask him to commute Michael’s sentence to life in prison.

Emails messages can be sent via the Governor’s website at http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm.

 

Personal cards and letters should be addressed to

 

The Honorable Timothy M. Kaine

Office of the Governor

Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor

1111 East Broad Street

Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: (804) 786-2211

Fax: (804) 371-6351

 

Also contact your state legislators and ask them to petition Gov. Kaine to commute this sentence. Go to “Who’s my legislator?” at http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

 

Protest the execution:

 

4:00 – 6:00 PM           July 27, 2006

In front of the Office of the Governor

1111 East Broad Street (intersection of North 11th St.)

Richmond, VA

 

Vigils to be held at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt and 20+ locations across Virginia on July 27th. See: http://www.vadp.org/vigils.htm.  www.VADP.org/vigil.htm www.VADP.org/vigil.htm

Send a form letter to Gov. Kaine through the website of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty at http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=4308