NAMI E-News February 15, 2002 Vol. 02-52

NAMI, NAMI-Georgia Urge Clemency For Man With Schizophrenia Scheduled For Execution

On Wednesday, February 20, Alexander Williams is scheduled for execution by lethal injection in Georgia. There are many aspects of this case that have captured public attention, including the fact that Mr. Williams was a juvenile at the time he committed the crime that gave rise to his death sentence. NAMI has been involved in this case because Mr. Williams also suffers from longstanding schizophrenia. In fact, Mr. Williams is currently so ill that the State obtained an involuntary medication order to restore him to competency so that he can be executed. 

Mr. Williams was first scheduled for execution in 2000. His execution was canceled several days before it was scheduled to occur when the Georgia Supreme Court took a case raising constitutional challenges to the state?s method of executions. Recently, this case was resolved and the state immediately rescheduled Mr. Williams? execution date. 

NAMI and NAMI-Georgia have written separate letters to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole requesting commutation of Mr. Williams? death sentence. NAMI?s letter is included on this E-News. Advocates who wish to send their own letters should address these to: 

Mr. Walter S. Ray, 
Chairman State Board of Pardons and Parole 
Floyd Veterans Memorial Building 
Balcony Level, East Tower 
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, 
S.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30334 

The same letter should also be sent to: 

The Honorable Roy Barnes 
Governor of Georgia 
203 State Capitol 
Atlanta, GA 30334 

NAMI?s letter follows. 

February 15, 2002 

Mr. Walter S. Ray, 
Chairman State Board of Pardons and Parole 
Floyd Veterans Memorial Building 
Balcony Level, East Tower 
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, 
S.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30334 

Dear Chairman Ray: 

In August, 2000, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) wrote a detailed letter asking you to spare the life of Alexander Williams, a man with a longstanding severe mental illness, by commuting his death sentence to a more humane alternative sentence. Today, NAMI once again respectfully requests that the parole board commute Mr. Williams? sentence. NAMI, with more than 210,000 members, is the nation?s leading voice for people with severe mental illness and their families. 

The execution of an individual as profoundly ill as Alexander Williams runs contrary to the spirit of the Eight Amendment of the U.S. Constitution with its prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, to international law, and to all standards of decency. 

In our previous letter, we provided extensive documentation from the medical record clearly and unequivocally establishing that Mr. Williams suffers from a severe mental illness of longstanding duration. In the ensuing two years, the symptoms of Mr. Williams schizophrenia have been so severe that the State obtained a standing involuntary medication order to ensure that he would be sufficiently competent to be executed. 

While requesting commutation of the death sentence, NAMI does not excuse Alexander Williams? crimes, nor overlook the suffering of Aleta Carol Bunch, the victim, and her family. However, executing Mr. Williams will not serve any useful purpose in this case. Mr. Williams? mental illness is so severe that there are serious doubts that he understands the nature of the punishment scheduled to be meted out on February 20th. Moreover, it is beyond comprehension that the death penalty has any effective deterrent effects in cases attributable to psychotic delusions caused by untreated mental illnesses. 

A just and proper course in this case would be to incarcerate Mr. Williams in a secure facility where he can receive the treatment he so desperately needs, while also protecting the public welfare. Once again, I respectfully urge the parole board to commute Alexander Williams? death sentence. Thank you for your careful consideration of this urgent request. 

Sincerely, 

Richard C. Birkel, Ph.D 
Executive Director 

The NAMI E-News is an electronic newsletter delivering the latest in federal action alerts, legislative and policy updates, and NAMI press releases. Provided free of charge as a public service, the NAMI E-News is read by more than 16,500 NAMI members, policymakers, federal and state legislators, media, providers, health care policy experts, and others interested in improving the lives of individuals with severe mental illnesses and their families. 

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