Even with Supreme Court Intervention, still too many people put to death in Texas

By Kirsten Bokenkamp Communications Coordinator Texas leads the nation in the number of executions.  In fact, we have executed more than 4 times as many people as any other state since the death penalty was reinstated in the 1976. If Texas were its own country it would have tied for eighth in the world (with Syria) for the number of executions in 2010.  Though barely publicized, the US Supreme Court intervened twice this month to save the lives of two inmates on death row in Texas. First, on September 15, after he had eaten his last meal, Duane Buck got news that his execution had been temporarily stayed by the Court.  Buck was tried in 1997, and racist testimony by psychologist Walter Quijano suggested that his being African American would contribute to "future dangerousness" to inmates in prison, a factor that is considered before issuing a death sentence.  Despite the fact that Mr. Buck’s conviction was one of six that former Texas Attorney General (and now US Senator) John Cornyn said needed to be reopened because of Mr. Quijano’s racist testimony, Gov. Perry refused to grant Buck a 30-day stay for his case to be reviewed. Just last night the Supreme Court intervened in Texas’ death penalty system once again.  The Court stopped the execution of Cleve Foster less than three hours before he was to be put to death. This is the third time the court has intervened on behalf of Mr. Foster, and it did not explain why it issued the stay. This pattern of intervention from the highest court in the land should compel Texas to take a good look at our death penalty system.