Post by sclcookie on May 16, 2006 3:08:38 GMT -5
Jamaican on death row renews call for Government support... shows evidence
of previous requests
LANCELOT ARMSTRONG, the Jamaican man on death row in Florida, continued
the fight to save his life just over a week ago, when a hearing was held
to determine how much his case might have been prejudiced.
The hearing arose from the failure of the prosecution to disclose that a
key witness in Armstrong's original trial had a criminal record.
Armstrong's attorney, David Rowe, told The Gleaner that at the May 4
hearing, the court considered how the non-disclosure of the criminal
record of that particular (prosecution) witness' affected Mr. Armstrong's
ability to represent himself at the original trial.
The biggest test for Armstrong will probably come in a few weeks, however,
when the court considers whether to commute his death sentence to life
imprisonment.
If the court rules to uphold the death penalty, it would be left to
Florida's Governor, Jeb Bush, to decide whether to grant clemency. His
chances of clemency are considered slim, however, as the governor has
repeatedly stated his strong support for the death penalty for anyone
found guilty of killing members of the police force.
Armstrong was convicted for the murder of Broward Sheriff's Deputy John
Greeney, on February 17, 1990. Armstrong and another man, Ercely Wayne
Coleman, with whom he worked, were accused of killing the policeman during
a robbery at a restaurant.
(source: Jamaica Gleaner)
of previous requests
LANCELOT ARMSTRONG, the Jamaican man on death row in Florida, continued
the fight to save his life just over a week ago, when a hearing was held
to determine how much his case might have been prejudiced.
The hearing arose from the failure of the prosecution to disclose that a
key witness in Armstrong's original trial had a criminal record.
Armstrong's attorney, David Rowe, told The Gleaner that at the May 4
hearing, the court considered how the non-disclosure of the criminal
record of that particular (prosecution) witness' affected Mr. Armstrong's
ability to represent himself at the original trial.
The biggest test for Armstrong will probably come in a few weeks, however,
when the court considers whether to commute his death sentence to life
imprisonment.
If the court rules to uphold the death penalty, it would be left to
Florida's Governor, Jeb Bush, to decide whether to grant clemency. His
chances of clemency are considered slim, however, as the governor has
repeatedly stated his strong support for the death penalty for anyone
found guilty of killing members of the police force.
Armstrong was convicted for the murder of Broward Sheriff's Deputy John
Greeney, on February 17, 1990. Armstrong and another man, Ercely Wayne
Coleman, with whom he worked, were accused of killing the policeman during
a robbery at a restaurant.
(source: Jamaica Gleaner)
