Juveniles

BOOKS: "Make Me Believe: A Crime Novel Based on Real Events"

Posted: June 03, 2011
in

A new novel by Dax-Devlon Ross, Make Me Believe: A Crime Novel Based on Real Events, follows the discoveries and dangerous encounters of a fictional author investigating the case of Toronto Patterson, the last juvenile defendant executed in Texas before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down this practice in 2005. Employing actual interviews with Patterson, court documents, news articles and courtroom testimony, Ross's book blends fact and fiction to confront some of the problems of capital punishment in Texas while providing a fascinating story.  Dax-Devlon Ross is a lawyer and writer of nonfiction, fiction and poetry.

(D. Ross, "Make Me Believe: A Crime Novel Based on Real Events," Outside the Box Publishing, 2011). 

BOOKS: "Anatomy of an Execution"

Posted: January 06, 2010
in

A new book authored by Todd Peppers and Laura Trevvett Anderson, "Anatomy of An Execution," follows the story of Douglas Christopher Thomas, a juvenile offender who was executed in Virginia in 2000.  Thomas was convicted of a double homicide in 1990 and sentenced to death in 1991. He was one of the last juveniles put to death before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the execution of those under the age of 18 at the time of their crime to be unconstitutional in 2005 (Roper v. Simmons). The authors explore a variety of death penalty issues surrounding the case, including the quality of court-appointed counsel, conditions on death row, and the reasons for excluding the execution of juveniles.  The book was published by Northeastern University Press.

Florida Inmate Who Faced Death Penalty at 15 to be Freed 26 Years Later

Posted: September 10, 2009
in

Anthony Caravello was convicted of rape and murder for a crime he allegedly committed in 1983 at age 15 in Florida.  The prosecution sought the death penalty. Now DNA evidence from the crime scene points to another individual and may result in his exoneration.  The state is not contesting his release.  Caravello has an IQ of 67 and was convicted largely on the basis of his own statements, which he says were obtained from him after beatings during his interrogation.  At his sentencing, the judge commented, "I'll tell you this, Anthony: If the jury had recommended death, I would have had you electrocuted."  Instead, he was sentenced to life.  The prosecution is still pursuing the investigation.

NOW PLAYING IN NY: “The Two Lives of Napoleon Beazley,” a Play by John Fleming

Posted: February 27, 2008
in

“The Two Lives of Napoleon Beazley” is a new play by John Fleming that explores the true story of a 17-year-old African-American defendant who was sentenced to death for a carjacking and murder in Texas. The victim was the father of a federal judge. Using a variety of factual resources, including court transcripts and media accounts, the play examines race and the criminal justice system before the Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that the death penalty for juveniles violates the Constitution. Beazley was one of the last juvenile offenders executed in the U.S.

The Austin Chronicle writes that “The Two Lives of Napoleon Beazley” is:

The most important play to see in Texas right now.... Voicing all the opposing viewpoints on the issues of racism, judicial nepotism, ageism, and capital punishment, [this play] presents the story dramatically with heartbreaking scenes that are not at all contrived or insincere. Fleming’s well-knit play unfolds effortlessly before us, evoking pathos for injustice.

Former Death Row Inmate Acquitted at Re-Trial

Posted: October 06, 2005
in

A jury in Arizona acquitted Christopher Huerstel of first-degree murder and of attempted armed robbery of a Tucson pizzeria in which 3 people were killed.  Huerstel, who was 17-years-old at the time the crime was committed, was orignally convicted along with a co-defendant and both were sentenced to death in 2001.  His conviction was overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court because of errors by the trial judge.  The jury at the re-trial was unable to reach a verdict on second-degree murder, and Huerstel may face another trial on that charge.   The defense claims that the prosecution had argued that there was no evidence of second-degree murder.  The prosecution was not able to seek the death penalty at Huerstel's re-trial because he had been a juvenile. 

Texas Governor Commutes 28 Juvenile Offender Death Sentences

Posted: June 23, 2005
in
Texas Governor Rick Perry (pictured) has commuted the death sentences of 28 juvenile offenders to life in prison, an act that brings the state into compliance with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that deemed the practice of executing those who were under 18 at the time of their crime unconstitutional. While some of these inmates will remain in more restrictive segregation, many will have their first exposure to prison work programs, schooling, and jobs within a prison unit.
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