NCADP - The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Donald Beardslee

Donald Beardslee was executed Jan. 19 despite the protests of both Californians and those in his native country of Austria. See Austrians Condemn Schwarzenegger for Execution for more.

California
January 19, 2005

The state of California is scheduled to execute Donald Beardslee Jan.19 for the 1981 murder of Patty Geddling and Stacy Benjamin in San Mateo County. Beardslee is so severely mentally impaired that one hemisphere of his brain is virtually inert; he was condemned for peripheral involvement in a crime for which the principal instigators received lesser sentences.

At the time of sentencing, the jury was unaware of the extent to which Beardlsee's actions were influenced by brain damage at birth and subsequent head trauma.

Dr. Ruben Gur, Director of Neuropsychology and the Brain Behavior Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, recently assessed Beardslee. He concluded that Beardslee suffers from severe brain damage that has particularly affected the right hemisphere of his brain leaving it "virtually non-functioning."

Dr. Gur determined Beardslee is "unable to correctly process and contextualize information", and "the impairment produced confusion and paranoia under most unfamiliar circumstances." He found that Beardslee struggled to moderate appropriate responses to "fight/flight" impulses, often causing bouts of confusion and panic.

This mental condition also left Beardslee with a restricted emotional range, causing him to appear indifferent and aloof at trial. Unaware of his condition, the jury misinterpreted his emotional disconnect as an indication that Beardslee was a cold and calculating killer.

The trial court refused jury requests to provide information about the punishments imposed on his co-defendants, leaving jurors unable to weigh the relative culpability of the various participants. Beardslee had a far lesser role in the crimes when compared to his co-defendants. There is no evidence that his participation was pre-meditated and he fully co-operated with law enforcement, immediately informing on the instigators.

In twenty years in the structured environment of prison, he has had no disciplinary violations and has been praised by San Quentin staff belying prosecution warnings that he would pose a continued threat to guards and inmates if not executed. He is said to be an asset to the prison community.

If the execution is carried out, Beardslee will be the 11th person put to death in California since the state resumed executions in 1992, and the first since Jan. 2002.

Please contact Gov. Schwarzenegger immediately asking him to grant Mr. Beardslee clemency.

February 09, 2010

Subject:

I would like to express my sincere sympathy over the deaths of Patty Geddling and Stacy Benjamin. However, I am extremely concerned about the scheduled execution of Donald Beardslee. Beardslee is severely mentally impaired. One hemisphere of his brain is virtually not functioning. The jury was not aware of Beardslee's condition when they sentenced him to death. The jury did not know of his mental condition, which though present at birth, was made worse by an auto accident and a tree following on his head. His injuries and impairment prevent him from expressing emotion and leaves him ill-equipped to develop appropriate responses in stressful and confusing situations. The jury, unaware of his condition, saw a man who appeared to have no remorse for his actions; a man who appeared to be cold and calculated but is actually severely mentally impaired. Contrary to the prosecution's statements at the sentencing phase of trial, Mr. Beardslee has not been a threat to society while in prison. On the contrary, he has not had a single disciplinary problem and has been described as an asset to the prison community. Executive clemency was established for cases like Beardslee. He has never had the opportunity for a jury to hear all of the aspects of his life story. Mr. Beardslee clearly does not pose a threat while in a structured environment. There is no reason to needlessly take the life of severely brain damaged individual. To do so would be a grave injustice. I ask that you grant Mr. Beardslee clemency.
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