Donald Trump makes ‘history’: Brandon Bernard was executed …

Donald Trump, who is counting days to deliver his chair, will spend his last days as president of the United States in the shadow of the executions of prisoners who have been sentenced to death. While the first execution of this process is taking place; In 1999, Brandon Bernard, a black American citizen who was sentenced to death for murder at the age of 18, was executed by lethal injection in Indiana.

Despite all recent efforts and efforts, his last-minute clemency requests were rejected by the United States Supreme Court, while Bernard also made history as the youngest prisoner to be executed in nearly 70 years. Another name that made history was Donald Trump.

In 1896, Grover Cleveland had 14 executions in the last year of his presidency, some of which were in transition. As a tradition since then, four more people are on the list awaiting execution after Bernard’s execution under the Trump administration, who “made history” while execution of executions was suspended during the transition period. If these executions are carried out, the number of executions since July will reach 13.

About 60 percent of the prisoners who have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution are US citizens BIPOC (black, indigenous and non-white races). On the other hand, the US citizens of BIPOC only make up about 24 percent of the population. Since 1988, 73 percent of death sentences passed by the US Department of Justice have been against BIPOC prisoners. Photo: HelpSaveBrandon.com

WHAT WAS BRANDON BERNARD’S CRIME?

His last words were “I’m sorry. This is the only word that will fully understand how I feel now and the feelings I experienced that day, ”said Bernard, who was convicted in 1999 of murdering Todd and Stacie Bagley. In Texas, five teenagers, including Bernard, forced the couple they had usurped into the trunk of the couple’s car. Christopher Vialva shot Todd and Stacie in the trunk of the car and Bernard set the car on fire.

Defense attorneys claimed that both victims died before the vehicle caught fire, while an independent investigator reported that Stacie had “medically died” before the vehicle caught fire. However, although the prosecution admitted that Todd was shot and killed, Stacie had stated that there was soot in his respiratory tract and therefore died from the smoke after the vehicle caught fire.

In 105 countries, including Turkey among the countries without the death penalty in the world.

Bernard’s lawyers also argued that his clients had followed his instructions and set the vehicle on fire under pressure from Vialva, fearing what Vialva might do to him.

Three of the five people involved were sentenced to prison for being under 18 years of age, while Vialva, the other actor in the incident, who was sentenced to death, was executed in September. Over the years, Bernard’s attorneys have demanded the conversion of their clients’ sentences to life in prison, given their well-being in prison and their voluntary involvement in organizations that would keep young people away from committing crimes.

DESPITE ALL THE SUPPORT …

“Since 2000, after learning a lot about the maturing of the human brain and watching Brandon grow up as a humble, repentant, mature individual who can live peacefully in prison,” said Angela Moore, the prosecutor in the case, who wrote an opinion on the subject to the Indianapolis Star on November 18. So how can we say that he was among that small group of criminals who should have been sentenced to death ”.

However, 5 of the 9 members of the jury still alive gave their opinion to stop Bernard’s execution. Senators Richard J. Durbin and Cory Brooker were among those who asked Trump for mercy on Bernard, whose hundreds of thousands of signatures were collected in many campaigns, particularly on the HelpSaveBrandon.com site.

#BrandonBernard should not be run:
1. I was 18 at the time.
2. It was not the shooter.
3. The prosecutor and five of the jurors now support the pardon.
4. You have spent decades in prison without a letter, helping at-risk youth.
5. There is bipartisan support for his commutation. pic.twitter.com/18GugdtuOs

– Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) December 10, 2020

Famous model and businesswoman Kim Kardashian was also among the names who supported the campaign launched for Brandon Bernard. She is the daughter of Robert Kardashian, one of the most famous pop culture phenomena in the world and one of the top lawyers in the US, and she currently plans to undergo a 4-year “apprenticeship” process at the office of Van Jones attorneys to become an attorney, then become an attorney by examination. Kim Kardashian, who was seeking the certificate, stated the following in her post on the subject:

1. He was 18 at the time.
2. It was not he who shot the couple.
3. 5 people demand clemency from the prosecutor and the jury.
4. He has been in prison for decades with a clean record, helping at-risk youth.
5. There is support from both sides to stop the execution.

WHO ARE THE OTHER FOUR NAMES WAITING FOR MY DUTY IN THE LAST DAYS OF TRUMP?

Alfred Bourgeois: Bourgeois, whose execution was expected to take place in December, was convicted of torturing his two-year-old daughter. The previously scheduled execution date was suspended for consideration of the matter due to allegations by defense attorneys that Bourgeois was mentally unstable.

Lisa Montgomery: In 2004, Montgomery’s attorneys, who strangled a pregnant woman to death, cut off her belly, and stole her baby, claimed she suffered severe brain trauma and mental disorder due to violence as a child, but the Execution date is set for January 12. Montgomery will be the first woman to be executed by federal courts since 1953.

Cory Johnson: Lawyers for Cory Johnson, who murdered 7 people in connection with drug trafficking, also argue that their clients are mentally disturbed due to the violence Johnson suffered as a child. Johnson’s execution will take place on January 14.

Dustin John Higgins: Convicted of kidnapping and murdering three young women in 1996, Higgs did not commit the murders himself; his accomplice, Willis Haynes, took the lives of young women on Higgs’ instructions. Haynes had stated in his court that Higgs never threatened him or forced the murders. The Higgs execution will take place on January 15.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES?

The United States Supreme Court overturned federal death sentences in 1988, but since then, until July 2020, there have only been 3 federal court orders. It should be noted that all three executions (Timothy McVeigh, June 11, 2001; Juan Raul Garza, June 19, 2001; Louis Jones Jr., March 18, 2003) were carried out during the term of former Democratic President George W. Bush, while 9 of the 12 federal executions were carried out in July 2020. It has happened since then.

According to a report published by Gallup in November 2019, 60 percent of American citizens prefer life imprisonment over death. Gallup claimed that, for the first time in 30 years, opinion against execution rose at these rates. Turkey is also in the 105 countries where the death penalty is absent, including the United States, which implemented the active implementation stands out as one of the 35 countries.

Attorney General William Barr (Photo: Reuters)

“Congress explicitly authorized the death penalty,” said US Attorney General William Barr of death sentences. The justice ministry advocates for the rule of law. The punishment imposed by our justice system we owe to the victims and their families ”. Barr said there is no problem at the time of execution of the death sentences and said: “I think the way to stop the death penalty is to abolish the death penalty.”

However, nongovernmental organizations, politicians and journalists argue that the Trump administration has accelerated pending executions because of Biden’s anti-execution rhetoric, and that a change of office is not expected ethically.

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