CNN
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John Henry Ramirez’s execution date was scheduled final week in south Texas for this coming October, however two days later, a Texas district attorney who doesn’t imagine within the death penalty withdrew his death warrant.
Ramirez was convicted of robbing and murdering Pablo Castro in 2004, stabbing him 29 occasions in a comfort retailer car parking zone in Corpus Christi. He additionally robbed a second sufferer at knife level and fled to Mexico, evading arrest for 3 1/2 years, in line with the Texas attorney common’s workplace.
On April 12, an assistant district attorney signed Ramirez’s execution date, which was scheduled for October 5, practically a 12 months after his authentic execution date, however two days later, Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez, who’s a Democrat, filed a movement withdrawing Ramirez’s death warrant and execution date saying, “the death penalty is unethical and should not be imposed on Mr. Ramirez or any other person.”
The death penalty appeared such a certainty that Ramirez fought in court docket to have his religious adviser pray aloud and “lay hands” on him throughout his execution – and he received in a authorized battle on the Supreme Court final month.
Gonzalez’s workplace requested the execution date, however in his movement mentioned the assistant district attorney had completed so with out understanding his “desire in this matter” and didn’t seek the advice of with him prior.
Gonzalez’s second time period ends in 2024 and anybody who takes his place would have the power to reinstate the death warrant.
CNN has reached out to Gonzalez and his workplace for remark.
“I admit that there are some very bad and evil people out there,” Gonzalez mentioned in a Facebook Live video final Thursday. “But I don’t feel that the government should have that power to put people to death.”
Seth Kretzer, Ramirez’s attorney, mentioned he was pleased and shocked to listen to about Gonzalez’s change of place.
“This informs my belief that the litigation of Mr. Ramirez’s religious liberties case has touched some small part of America’s soul,” Kretzer informed CNN in a assertion.
Castro’s son Fernando, nevertheless, informed CNN his “blood is boiling” over Gonzalez’s resolution. He was 11 when his father was killed.
“There’s a little boy still dwelling in this body. Crying. Hurting. Missing his father,” Fernando mentioned. “Missing the childhood that was stolen from him. I deal with this every day. It’s never-ending. Every time I think it’s coming to an end there’s yet something else preventing this chapter from closing.”
Ramirez’s authentic execution date was set for September 2021, however he requested the Supreme Court to think about his request to have his pastor pray audibly and contact him throughout his anticipated execution. Current Texas coverage permits a pastor within the chamber, however they’ll’t communicate up or bodily contact the inmate.
Kretzer argued final 12 months that Texas’ coverage violates the inmate’s rights below the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. Ultimately, the Supreme Court dominated in Ramirez’s favor, setting precedent for related requests in prisons throughout the nation.
CORRECTION: An earlier model of this story misstated the attorney’s place who withdrew the death warrant. He’s a district attorney.