UPDATE: Governor Kaine announced at 4pm today that he was denying Eddie's clemency request. Our hearts and prayers go out to Eddie and his family. Please join us in a moment of silence at 9:00 pm.
I am leaving the petition open for another day so that you may continue to add comments.
Thank you all for taking the time to let your voices be heard. Your support and especially your thoughtful comments will be a source of comfort to Eddie's friends and family in the difficult days ahead.
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Edward Bell, a Jamaican national, was convicted by an all-white jury in 2001 in the shooting death of the popular Officer Ricky Timbrook. You can learn more about his case at www.clemency4Eddie.net or by reading local coverage of the case by the Northern Virginia Daily at http://www.nvdaily.com/news/bell/index.html.
Eddie has completed his appeals and is facing execution on February 19, 2009. Eddie is the beloved father of five children who will be devastated if he is executed. Help us convince Governor Kaine that Eddie deserves mercy -- a life sentence without parole remains an onerous punishment, a death sentence is not necessary. Join us in asking Governor Kaine to commute Eddie's sentence from death to life without parole.
Dear Governor Kaine:
The case of Eddie Bell raises serious questions of fairness and justice in Virginia.
We are concerned that Eddie has been denied a fair opportunity to show that he is a person with intellectual disabilities who should not be executed, that significant evidence exists indicating that he is innocent of the crimes for which he is condemned, and that there were intolerable deficiencies in his representation and in the manner in which his case has been reviewed since trial.
We urge you to grant Eddie clemency and commute his death sentence.
Thank you.
