NCADP - The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Larry Swearingen, Jan. 24, 2007, TX

Do Not Execute Larry Swearingen!

Jan. 24, 2007, TX

On Dec. 8, 1999, Melissa Trotter was last seen with Larry Swearingen in a school cafeteria. Her body was found in a Texas forest 25 days later, and Swearingen was convicted of the murder. Allegedly, Trotter rejected Swearingen’s sexual advances, and he then strangled her.

The state of Texas should not execute Larry Swearingen. He maintains his innocence, and the DNA evidence in the case is inconclusive to prove that Swearingen attacked Trotter. Since this is a capital case, and DNA evidence is available, the court should rely only on conclusive evidence. Also, the testimonies of two state witnesses are inconclusive. An appellate judge wrote a dissenting opinion stating that Swearingen is not eligible for capital punishment because there is no conclusive evidence that Swearingen, even if he had committed the murder, was committing another crime at the same time.

Please write to Gov. Rick Perry on behalf of Larry Swearingen!

February 09, 2010

Subject:

I wish to appeal to you on behalf of LARRY SWEARINGEN, who is due to be executed on Jan. 24, 2007. My sympathies go out to the family and loved ones of Melissa Trotter, and I agree this was a very tragic event that cannot go unpunished. However, the death penalty—which only serves to create more victims and perpetuate a cycle of violence—is not the right punishment for LARRY SWEARINGEN. The state of Texas should not execute Larry Swearingen. He maintains his innocence, and the DNA evidence in the case is inconclusive to prove that Swearingen attacked Trotter. Since this is a capital case, and DNA evidence is available, the court should rely only on conclusive evidence. Also, the testimonies of two state witnesses are inconclusive. An appellate judge wrote a dissenting opinion stating that Swearingen is not eligible for capital punishment because there is no conclusive evidence that Swearingen, even if he had committed the murder, was committing another crime at the same time. Executing LARRY SWEARINGEN would violate the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and constitute the ultimate cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. Please find it in your heart to spare the life of this human being. Thank you for your time and consideration in this important and urgent matter.
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