An inmate in Texas faces execution this Thursday for the murder of another prisoner over 26 years ago. Despite the impending execution, the victim's sister and religious leaders have appealed to authorities for clemency.
William Speer, aged 49, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He was sentenced to death for strangling Gary Dickerson in July 1997 at Telford State Prison, located near New Boston in northeast Texas.
Speer expressed remorse and submitted a video as part of his clemency petition to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, saying, "I am so aware of the things that I've done. I'm so aware of the pain and the hurt that I've caused. I could just say that I'm sorry."
Speer's legal team claims that he has transformed during his time in prison, expressing regret for his actions and actively leading a religious program that ministers to other death row inmates. They have sought intervention from state and federal courts to halt the execution, citing allegations that prosecutors at his 2001 trial failed to disclose evidence, presented false testimony, and neglected to present information about Speer's troubled childhood. They argue that Speer was physically and sexually abused as a child. Prosecutors, on the other hand, have refuted these allegations.
Another claim raised by Speer's attorneys was related to the state's supply of pentobarbital, the drug used in executions, which they argued had been exposed to extreme heat during a recent fire, making it unsafe. Appeals on this issue were denied by a federal judge and Texas' top criminal appeals court. A similar claim by another inmate, Jedidiah Murphy, was also unsuccessful, and he was executed earlier this month. The Texas Attorney General's Office stated that the execution drugs were tested for potency and sterility after the fire, ensuring a safe and humane execution process.
At the time of the killing, Speer was already serving a life sentence for fatally shooting Jerry Collins, a friend's father, at the man's home in the Houston area when Speer was 16 years old.
The Texas Paroles Board voted 7-0 against commuting Speer's death sentence to a lesser penalty and rejected the possibility of a six-month reprieve.
Speer's motive for killing Dickerson was his desire to join the Texas Mafia prison gang, as prosecutors explained. The gang ordered the hit after wrongly believing that Dickerson had informed authorities about contraband tobacco they had attempted to smuggle into the prison. Speer and another inmate, Anibal Canales Jr., were both sentenced to death for the murder, with Canales remaining on death row.
Sammie Martin, the only living sibling of the victim, has now requested that Speer's life be spared, expressing her belief that Speer is genuinely remorseful and has been contributing positively to the world. Martin revealed that she was never informed about Speer's scheduled execution.
In court documents, lawyers from the Texas Attorney General's Office stated that, despite Martin's sentiments, the state maintains its interest in deterring gang-related violence and ensuring justice for Dickerson.
A group of religious leaders from across the country has also appealed for Speer's clemency, acknowledging his religious work within the prison system and emphasizing that it does not excuse his past actions but provides a more comprehensive understanding of his character.
Speer would be the seventh inmate executed in Texas and the 21st in the United States this year.
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