Teresa Lewis is scheduled to be executed September 23, 2010
Below is a press release from her attorneys:
Virginia
Set to Execute Woman with 72 IQ As “Mastermind” of Husband’s Murder
Lives of Two Actual Killers Spared
Media Contact:
Alex Howe,
newsPRos 202 271 7997,
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or
Jamie
Moss, 201 788 0142,
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The
Commonwealth of Virginia this morning ordered Teresa Lewis’s execution to take
place on September 23, at 9:00 p.m. at Greensville Correctional Center. Lewis
has been on death row in Virginia since June 2003.Now 41 and a mother and grandmother, she is
described by her former prison chaplain as “loving, faithful, and child-like.”
She would be the first woman executed in Virginia since 1912.
In June
2003, incomplete and inaccurate evidence led a judge to impose the death
sentence on Teresa Lewis, who has an IQ of 72, as the “mastermind” behind a
plan to kill Lewis’s husband, Julian Lewis, and his adult son C.J.The two men who actually committed the
murders were sentenced to life in prison.
“We firmly believe that Teresa should not be
put to death based on inaccurate and incomplete information that she was the
‘mastermind’ in the deaths,” said Jim Rocap, partner at Steptoe & Johnson
in Washington, DC, who has been representing Teresa for the past 6 years.
“Tragically,
the judge who sentenced Teresa never had an accurate picture of how the crimes
came to be,” Rocap added.“Due largely
to procedural technicalities, none of the courts that have looked at Teresa’s
case have been allowed to consider evidence that dramatically reduces Teresa’s
culpability. The Governor will be the only person who has had an opportunity to
consider evidence, for example, that the actual killer admitted that Teresa was
not in fact the person who planned
the murders and that he boasted about using Teresa to get Julian’s money.Anyone who looks at all the evidence will see
that Teresa’s death sentence is based on an incomplete and inaccurate account
of the crimes.”
Teresa was
33 years old when she met Matthew Shallenberger, a 21 year-old with an IQ of
113.He had just completed a brief stint
in the U.S. Army.According to a report
by a psychologist who evaluated Shallenberger just after the murders,
Shallenberger was “tall and lean” with a “carefully messed-to-look-stylish
quaff of hair.”The psychologist said
Shallenberger was “unusually bright” and “difficult to interview.”Shallenberger “thoroughly enjoyed a verbal
cat-and-mouse game . . . finding ways to answer questions by not answering them
and then smiling.”The psychologist
reported that Shallenberger “boasted ofdreams of becoming a “hitman” for the Mafia.Shallenberger initially denied involvement in
the murders but later “insisted it was he who was in control of [the]
relationship [with Teresa] and he who was the mastermind of the offense.”
Shallenberger
explained to a friend that Teresa was “just what I was looking for: some ugly
bitch who married her husband for the money and I knew I could get to fall head
over heals [sic] for me.”Although
married to Julian, Teresa soon began to visit Shallenberger at his
trailer.She showered him with gifts and
money, and even sent a dozen red roses to him, attempting to gain his
affection.When Teresa complained about
abusive treatment from her husband, Shallenberger made a plan to kill Julian,
telling Teresa that he would use Julian’s money to run away with Teresa and
start a new life.In reality,
Shallenberger was involved with two other women at the time and considered his
involvement with Teresa “just part of what had to be done to get the money.”He boasted to friends that he planned to head
to New York, meet with his “connections,” and become a “hit man” for the
Mafia.
People who
have known Teresa throughout her life have testified that she has never lived
on her own, is incapable of buying more than one day’s worth of groceries at a
time, and cannot balance a checkbook.Following surgeries for painful medical conditions, in the year before
the murders Teresa became addicted to prescription medications.
Dr.
Elinore McKance-Katz, a specialist in prescription drug addiction, testified in
2005 (after the death sentence had been imposed) that Teresa suffered from
“severe addiction” including opioid dependence, sedative hypnotic dependence,
and anxiolytic dependence.This impaired
Teresa’s judgment, she explained, and negatively affected the functioning of
her cortex and frontal lobes, the areas of the brain responsible for thinking,
reasoning, judgment, and executive function.Teresa also was diagnosed with dependent personality disorder, which manifested
itself in her need for attention, approval and validation from men.Dr. Philip Costanzo, a Duke University
psychologist who also examined Teresa after sentence was imposed, concluded
that “Teresa’s intellectual limitations are magnified by her tendency toward a
socially naïve, passively compliant and inadequate style of relating.Her need for affirmation and validation from
men reduces further any ability . . . that she might have to
independently reason.”Both Dr.
McCance-Katz and Dr. Costanzo said it was highly unlikely that Teresa would
have the intellectual capacity to plan and direct the murders.
Shallenberger
enlisted Antwain Bennett, a 19 year-old high school drop-out, to purchase
shotguns with money Shallenberger got from Teresa.He first planned to kill Julian on his way
home from work and tricked Rodney Fuller, the other triggerman, into
accompanying him.When that plan failed,
Teresa was told to leave the door to her home unlocked on October 30, 2002, and
Shallenberger and Fuller then entered and shot Julian and C.J.
Teresa was
unable to keep to Shallenberger’s plan to obtain the money he wanted.Teresa bungled attempts to retrieve Julian’s
cash and C.J.’s insurance, including presenting an obviously forged check to
the bank.When she was questioned by
police, she could not keep to a story and quickly confessed her involvement and
alerted police to Shallenberger and Fuller.
Prosecutors
agreed to a life sentence for Fuller.When he later sentenced Shallenberger, the judge assigned to all three
cases explained that he could not “in good conscience” impose a sentence on
Shallenberger that was more severe than what Fuller had received, and then
sentenced Shallenberger to life in prison.
Teresa
pled guilty.Based on the prosecutor’s
summary of evidence, and without knowledge of critical information set out
above, the same judge described her as the “head of the serpent” and sentenced
her to death.
Teresa has
been in a segregation cell for seven years.A former prison chaplain notes that, although prohibited from direct contact
with other inmates, Teresa holds steadfastly to her faith and shares her love
and support with women in the cells around her, ministering with her kind words
and beautiful voice.When she sings
hymns in her cell, the entire segregation wing calms.Teresa prays throughout her day for anyone
she thinks might be in need.
“The
Commonwealth should not carry out a death sentence like Teresa’s, which was
imposed on the basis of inaccurate and incomplete information,” says
Rocap.“The truth about her involvement
in the tragic deaths of Julian and C.J. Lewis does not require or justify her
execution, especially in light of the fact that the lives of those who actually
gunned down Julian and C.J. were spared.”
Rocap
added, “Teresa’s life and prison ministry should be allowed to continue and
grace the lives of those around her.Please join us by calling and writing the Governor, by signing an email
petition in support of sparing Teresa’s life, and by sharing Teresa’s story
with others.”
For more
information about Teresa and her case, please visit: www.saveteresalewis.org.
And on
Facebook, visit:www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Friends-of-Teresa-Lewis/104370726282292
Darick Walker pronounced dead at 9:24 pm May 20, 2010
HELP
STOP VIRGINIA’S 107th EXECUTION – May 20, 2010
In September, 1998, Darick
Demorris Walker was sentenced to death for the capital murders of Stanley Roger
Beale and Clarence Threat. Beale was killed in November, 1996 and Threat in
June, 1997. It is
important that the Governor continue to hear from you that you oppose
the execution of Darick Walker. Please take a few minutes to
say “NO” to executions and help us stop the cycle of violence that state
sanctioned killing perpetuates.
Please
take one or more of the following actions:
1.
Contact
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell TODAY and ask him to stop the
execution
2.
Forward
this and ask people you know to also contact Governor
McDonnell
3.
Attend
a vigil on May 20th
ACTION
#1:Contact Gov. Bob McDonnell RIGHT
NOW.
Contact Governor
McDonnell and ask him to reconsider his decision and ask that he grant
clemency
by commuting Walker’s death sentence to life without the
possibility of
parole.You can contact
the governor by telephone, email, and/or fax. If you live in Virginia, be
sure to
start by stating your name and where you live.
ACTION
#2:
Ask others to join you in taking action.
Ask people you
know to also contact Governor McDonnell, including people at religious
services
or other activities you attend.
ACTION
#3:Attend an execution protest or vigil on May20th.
We will have a
vigil at the execution site; GreensvilleCorrectionalCenter in Jarratt
at 8:30 pm to protest
the execution. If you are interested in attending this vigil please contact us
at
(434) 960-7779 or
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. There will
also be vigils held across the Commonwealth on May 20th.
VIGILS
TAKING PLACE
MAY 20th
ALEXANDRIA
Alexandria
Friends
Meeting at Woodlawn 8660
Woodlawn Road, Ft.Belvoir,
VA
Barbara
Ginsburg: 703-455-0194,
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or
John Carle:
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ARLINGTON
Clarendon
Metro:
Vigil will be held in the public park between Clarendon and Wilson
Boulevards, right behind the Metro exit.
Contact: Tobias Salinger,
816-721-4037,
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ASHLAND
St.
Ann's Catholic Church, 8:30
pm
1-804-798-5039, ask for Debbie Novroski or Marty Moran
CHARLOTTESVILLE
Protest:
Charlottesville
Circuit Courthouse, 12:00
pm 315 E.High
Street Virginia
Rovynak: (540) 456-6930
Vigil:
Friends Meeting House, 8:45 pm 1104 Forest Street
Harry Landers: (434)
978-1351
FAIRFAX
St.
Mary of
Sorrows Parish (in the Grotto area outside the church) 8:45-9:15 pm, Rt.
123 and
Fairfax Station
Rd.
Mason
Nottingham: (703) 323-5726
Carol
Mayfield: (703) 978-4141, ext 19
FARMVILLE
Farmville
Courthouse
Tim & Barbara Lietzke: (434) 223-4160
HARRISONBURG
The
Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee plans to
hold
vigils beginning at 8:45 p.m. the night of each execution, on the south
side of
Court Square.
Chris
Edwards: (540) 434-0457,
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bots, you
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Linda
Royster: (540) 828-3750,
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LEECOUNTY
Holy
Spirit
Catholic Community, 9 p.m.
Beth
Davies: 276-383-4693 (eve), 276-546-5432 (day),
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LEXINGTON
Old
CountyCourthouse
8:45 pm, Main Street
Kathy
Fox: (540) 463-7001
LOUDOUNCOUNTY
Goose
Creek Friends Meeting
8:00 pm, Lincoln (LoudonCounty)
We are currently seeking a
volunteer coordinator for this vigil.
LYNCHBURG
LynchburgPeachEducationCenter
8:30 pm, First Christian Church,
3109 Rivermont
Ave.
Contact
Ev Heath: (434)
660-7566
MADISON
Madison County
Court House
6:30-7:30pm
Mary
Grace: (540) 948-6328
MANASSAS
Peace
Pole (at Lee Ave.
and Grant Ave.)
8:45-9:45 p.m.
Jeff
& Sharon Haydon: (703) 369-3407
Illana
Naylor: (703) 361-8306
Joan
Betz: (703) 361-806
NEWPORT
NEWS
Our
Lady of Mount CarmelChurch, 100 Harpersville Rd,
8:30 pm
Mary Ann
Stiegleman: (757) 595-0385 ext. 118,
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enabled to
view it
NORFOLK
NorfolkCity Jail - St. Paul's Blvd.
and
City Hall
Ave. 5-6 p.m
Kim,
Steve, or Sam - Catholic Workers: (757) 423-5420
RADFORD
7:00
p.m.
Meet
at Radford Public Library
Contact
Taryn Chase at
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and (540)239-6647
RICHMOND
St.
Peter's Catholic Church
OR
Richmond
Friends
Meeting, 8:30 pm
Contact:
Ann Gray: (804) 359-5108 or John Gallini: (804)
272-8141
ROANOKE
There
will now be two vigils in Roanoke, both
in downtown Roanoke in front of the CityMarketBuilding on Campbell Ave.
The
first will be from noon-1pm and the second from
8:45-9:15pm
Please
contact Gene Edmunds at (540) 343-3100 for more
information.
VIRGINIA
BEACH
Star
of the SeaChurch, 1404 Pacific Ave.,
7:00 - 7:30pm
Martha
Franklin: (757) 422-8282
WINCHESTER
ShenandoahUniversity,
Goodson chapel, 8:30 PM
WOODBRIDGE
St
PaulUnitedMethodistChurch, 1400 G. Street, 8:30 - 9:15pm
Mike
Wilson: (703) 680-4972,
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Statement of Governor McDonnell on the Scheduled Execution of Darick Demorris Walker
RICHMOND- Governor Bob McDonnell issued the
following statement today on the scheduled execution of Darick Demorris
Walker.
"On September 1, 1998, Darick Demorris
Walker was convicted in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond of the
brutal capital murders of Stanley Beale and Clarence Threat, both of
whom were in their respective homes when Walker kicked in their doors
and shot them to death. Walker was also found guilty of two counts of
burglary, and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of murder
and burglary.
On October 8, 1998, the trial court, in
accordance with the jury's verdict, sentenced Walker to death. On March
26, 2010, the Circuit Court set the execution date for May 20, 2010.
Walker's attorney recently submitted a
letter listing the reasons why I should intervene in this execution. I
have read the letter and considered the reasons set forth.
Walker's trial, verdict and sentence have
been reviewed by state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court
of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Eastern District
of Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit,
and the United States Supreme Court.
After conferring with the appropriate
parties, as well as thoroughly reviewing the letter from Walker's
attorney, Walker's current and past appeals and the judicial opinions
regarding this case, I find no compelling reason to set aside the
sentence that was rendered by the jury and imposed and affirmed by the
courts.
