Stacey Lawton
I am saying, I want y'all to keep your heads up, hold on and stay strong
for
everybody. I mean ah, I don't want y'all to look at me like I am a killer
or
something man, cause I ain't no killer. I mean, I didn't, I didn't kill
your father. I
mean, I know how it look, but I didn't do it. You know what I am saying?
You
were out there with me, Tommy. I mean, you know man. (mumbled) You know
I always did want to say something to y'all. Right? I can't say that I
done it
because I didn't do it. I've got love for everybody. I am a Christian now.
I'm
saying I want everybody to keep thier heads up and stay strong. I'm going
to
stay strong. I'll be seeing you, this is my last breath.
Ricky, keep your head up baby. All y'all, Doreen, Melodee.
I mean, I know y'all don't come down here. I just really don't know what
y'all
want me to say. I mean, I know, ah, I mean, I'm sorry anybody, ah, anybody
got killed that night. It wasn't supposed to happen, but I didn't do it.
I really
didn't do it. I don't want y'all to go through life thinking that I did.
You know
what I am saying? I love everybody and I want y'all to stay strong. Right?
It
would take me an hour or a long time, man, but, ah, man, I don't want to
hold
y'all up, man, like that, ah. Y'all just keep your head up and stay strong,
man.
Give my love to everybody.
I love y'all.
|
R.I.P-Stacey LaMont
Lawton
A friend of Stacey remembers "You don't really know
how it feels to wait and die. That's why I make rhymes to make you wanna
cry. I try to stay deep down in the Bible Cause things in the physical
form ain't reliable. Cause life ain't nuttin but an hour glass. And the
sand in the glass is slippin too damn fast."
|
News about Stacey Lawton's Death
An inmate convicted of killing a man during a Christmas Eve burglary was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday as Texas neared a U.S. record for the number of executions by a state in a year.
Stacey Lawton, 31, was pronounced dead after a fatal mix of chemicals was injected into his arms at the state prison in Huntsville, 75 miles north of Houston.
Lawton repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, saying, "I didn't kill anybody. I don't want you to look at me like I'm a killer....I know how it looked, but I didn't do it."
Lawton was sentenced to die for murdering Dennis Price in Tyler, Texas, on Dec. 24, 1992.
Lawton, a Dallas native, was on parole in 1992 after serving only 7 months of a 10-year term for delivery of cocaine when he and 2 others went on a crime spree in the Tyler area, breaking into as many as 16 vehicles.
Price had gone out to confront Lawton and 2 other men as they broke into his truck to burglarize it. Lawton allegedly shot Price in the chest with a shotgun he had stolen in an earlier burglary.
To the end, Lawton denied he was the triggerman.
One of his accomplices, Karlos Fields, got a life sentence in the case, while the other was a 14-year-old juvenile who testified against him.
Lawton becomes the 36th condemned prisoner to be put to death this year in Texas, and the 235th overall since the state resumed capital punishment on December 7, 1982. There are 2 more executions scheduled to occur in the next 2 days in Texas, and if they are both carried out as expected, Texas would break the record of 37 executions it carried out in 1997, and would set a record for the most executions by any state since U.S. authorities began keeping death penalty records in 1930.
Lawton becomes the 76th condemned prisoner to be put to death this year in the USA and the 674th overall since America resumed executions on January 17, 1977. And Lawton becomes the 148th condemned prisoner to be put to death during the tenure of Governor George Bush, who assumed office in January of 1995.
(sources:
Associated Press, Reuters and Rick Halperin)
``I
didn't kill anybody,'' Stacey Lawton, 31, said in a final statement. ``I
know how it looked,
but
I didn't do it.''
Lawton was the 36th condemned Texas inmate executed by lethal injection this year and the first of three scheduled for consecutive nights. If all three occur, Texas would top the record 37 executions it carried out in 1997.
Lawton, a Dallas native, was on parole in 1992 after serving only seven months of a 10-year term for delivery of cocaine when he and two others went on their crime spree in the Tyler area, breaking into as many as 16 vehicles.
Dennis Price, manager of the city of Tyler's data processing center, found them trying to get into his truck outside his family's home. His teen-age daughter called 911 and was on the line with a dispatcher when her 47-year-old father was gunned down.
One of Lawton's partners, a 14-year-old boy, testified against him. The other, Karlos Fields, received a life prison term.
Lawton said Fields was the gunman, a contention authorities disputed.
(source: Associated Press)
| U.K.
Recording artists 'One Minute Silence' support Stacey
Sample letter to send Governor Bush on Stacey Lawton's behalf From OMS Drummer Edwin Stratton |
| Will Texas Execute an Innocent Man ? |
- STACEY HAS
RECEIVED A TEMPORARY STAY OF EXECUTION -
Thank you to the Judge who gave Stacey a Stay of Execution...
The Date has been reset (see
below) - he will now be executed Nov 14, 2000...
HELP STOP THIS STATE MURDER !
"We are sharing this
personal letter below to allow you to know Stacey and we hope it
will compel you to contact
the governor and the media as directed below on his behalf.
We'd like to ask you
to do this personally as well."
- Dave & Tracy at the CCADP
Here is Stacey’s letter to Tracy & Dave at the CCADP, 25th September, 2000:
"Tracy & Dave -
Hey my precious friends how are things for ya'll ? Fine I hope
well its almost that time, for something good to happen if not then its
going to be over soon : (
I want you all to
know that I love ya'll very much I pray that I get some good news but if
not
I just wanted ya'll
to know that its been great and I appreciate everything that you done for
me if it wouldn't
have been for ya'll I wouldn't have met all the wonderful friends that
I did
in this short period
of time thank you. Well if things don't get better on the 4th I'll see
my
family on the 3rd
all day from 8:30 Am till 4:30 pm and on Wed 4th I'll get to see them from
8:30 till 12:00 noon
and then they take me to the Walls Unit and I get to use the phone from
12:00 til 5:30 pm
don't worry I'll call ya'll : ) and at 4:30 I eat my last meal
which is something
unique a (jar of pickles)
: ) I grew up loving pickles and I'll go loving them : )
at 5:30 they'll bring
me and strap me down to the gurney and then call for the victim family
and my 5 witnesses
on different sides of the wall, and then they pull the curtain back like
its a big event !
And to most it probley
is : ( I make a last statement and then I'm put
to sleep : (
I'm still smiling
and staying strong I mean if everybody crying who will be smiling, I'm
focused only on Jesus I plan on going to heaven when its time. I don't
want ya'll to ever doubt my love for ya'll because its true you helped
me when I needed you you've showed me the love in ya'll heart and I really
really appreciate that, and I'll call ya'll on Wed 4th Ok. Until better
days I love ya'll and take care and stay strong.
Love always Stacey
Lamont Lawton - Believe in Jesus, he's great! : )
I love you. "
TYLER, Texas (AP) -- A
judge has delayed a convicted killer's execution because his lawyer
missed by one day the
deadline for appealing to Gov. George W. Bush's office for clemency.
Stacey Lawton, 31, was
scheduled to die by injection Wednesday, but State District Judge Cynthia
Stevens Kent on Monday rescheduled Lawton's execution for Nov. 14.
The judge agreed with
Lawton's attorneys that the deadline for filing a clemency petition was
missed inadvertently.
Lawyers representing
death-row inmates have 21 days before a scheduled execution to file
clemency applications.
Lawton's lawyer, Jeff Haas, said he miscalculated the dates.
``Do you count the day
of execution, or do you count the day it was filed, or don't you? There
are lots of different ways it can be calculated,'' Haas said.
Lawton was condemned
for fatally shooting Dennis Price, 47, in 1992 outside Price's home west
of Tyler.
The Supreme Court last
week had refused to review Lawton's case.
News Update October 1, 2000 :
(Tyler, Texas) Stacey
Lawton is scheduled to be executed Wednesday, October 4 at 6:00 pm (CST).
Because the Texas Executive Clemency Office claims his attorney failed
to file Stacey's petition by the deadline (21 days before the execution
date), the petition was "not processed" and the Texas Board of Pardons
and Paroles will not be required to review it and render a decision or
recommendation. Stacey's attorney, Jeff Haas, courageously challenging
the ruling, will argue Stacey's case at a hearing which has been scheduled
in Tyler on Monday, September 2, at 1:00 pm in the 114th Judicial Circuit
of Smith County. Stacey will be
present at the hearing
where Jeff Haas will motion the court for a stay so that Stacey will have
the opportunity for due process established by TX's Clemency rules. (Individuals
on death row do not have a constitutional right to the clemency process,
but an argument can be made that once a process has been established, individuals
should not be deprived of "due process.") Please pass this news on
to your media contacts
My full name is Stacey Lamont Lawton
, I'm 30 years old, I was born July 10th,
1969. I was born in Dallas,
Texas. I'm 6' 2", 225 lbs.
I am an African-American I have dreadlocks in my hair, I am the only the only one on Texas death row who has them. I'm brown sugar color with thick eyebrows and goatee beard. I love to work out and to stay in shape, I love to read , write, sing and play basketball another 'Vince Carter' :)
I also write a lot of rapsongs
and sing them, what I am looking for is someone to write from wherever
they are I just want to make friends, I'm down to Earth I'm in and out
spoken guy who should have been a comedian because even though I'm on death
row I'm always trying to cheer someone up with a joke or if it's not the
place and time for that…some comforting words because there are a lot of
really depressed people here so I try to uplift their spirits but Tracy
and Dave
I hope you all will help me find
some people to correspond with and share my thoughts with, and until later
take care.
Thanks for everything :)
A friend, Stacey
L. Lawton
- P.S. I've been on death row since '93
Stacey Lawton #999066
Terrell Unit
12002 FM 350 S
Livingston Texas
77351 USA
"I am an African-American I have dreadlocks in my hair, I am the only one on Texas death row who has them...I love to work out and to stay in shape, I love to read, write, sing and play basketball." (Stacey Lawton's website at www.ccadp.org)
Stacey Lawton was 22 years-old
when he was charged with the 1992 murder
of Dennis L. Price.
A recent investigation by the Dallas Morning News found "that nearly 1 in 4 condemned inmates has been represented at trial or on appeal by court-appointed attorneys who have been disciplined for professional misconduct at some point in their careers. Others have been represented by court-provided attorneys who dozed in trial, failed to investigate their case or put in minimal preparation." There are insufficient statewide standards and funding for lawyers handling death penalty cases which means that poor defendants who can't afford a private lawyer a more likely to get the death penalty.
Stacey Lawton is one of many who did not receive adequate legal representation and therefore was prevented from having a fair chance at trial. In the direct appeal brief filed on Mr. Lawton's behalf to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeal, his lawyers gave contradictory statements. The court noted at several points "that appellants argument is poorly, if not inadequately, briefed." Stacey lost the appeal and is now scheduled to be executed October 4, 2000.
" Because the Texas Executive Clemency Office claims his attorney failed to file Stacey's petition by the deadline (21days before the execution date), the petition was "not processed" and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles will not be required to review it and render a decision or recommendation."
Demand that Governor Bush gives Stacey "Full Access to the courts" !
Please Contact:
Governor George W. Bush
Office of the Governor
PO Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428
512-463-1782-phone
512-463-1849-fax
www.governor.state.tx.us/
www.governor.state.tx.us/e-mail.html
Board of Pardons & Parole
Attn: Gerald Garret
P.O. Box 13401, Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
512-406-5852-phone
512-467-0945-fax
www.tdcj.state.tx.us/bpp/index.html
Austin-American Statesman
P.O. Box 670
Austin, TX 78767
512-445-3500-phone
512-445-3679-fax
news@statesman.com
The Dallas Morning News
2726 South Beckley
Dallas, TX 75224
214-977-8462-phone
214-977-8019-fax
discoveries@dallasnews.com
www.dallasnews.com
The Houston Chronicle
P.O. Box 4260
Houston, TX 77210
713-220-7491-phone
713-220-6806-fax
hci@chron.com
www.houstonchronicle.com
Offer your support to
the Texas-based Abolition Organisations
Contact them for more
information on upcoming actions or demonstrations in Texas:
Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
3400 Montrose Blvd., Suite 312
Houston, TX 77006
David Atwood-contact
713-520-0300-phone
dpatwood@igc.apc.org
Gloria, Njeri, Joanne or anyone at the
Texas Death Penalty Abolition
Movement at 713-521-0629 or
email abolitionmovement@juno.com
After the shoot-out took place, the three men fled the scene of the crime without awareness of the fatality. Upon their arrest, all 3 were informed of the murder. In order to save his cousin's life, the youngest, a 14-year-old male, was convinced by his family to testify against Stacey instead of his cousin. The events following that night will inevitably lead to the death of a 2nd victim.
Unfortunately, Stacey Lawton has
been sentenced to die in the state of
Texas on October 4, 2000. Stacey
is desperate to obtain a suitable defense attorney, as his current attorney,
Jeffrey L. Haas (903-593-8338) has not made any reasonable attempts to
save his client's life. In fact, Mr. Haas declined an opportunity
to file for a hearing with the 5th circuit court of appeals. None
of Stacey's fingerprints were found on the weapon used to kill Mr. Price.
Additionally, Stacey's trial judge, Mrs. Cynthia Stevens Kent (903-535-0617)
is under investigation by the FBI for illegal happenings, this is a flaw
in Stacey's case. Stacey had an illegal indictment! Furthermore,
the commissioners over the jury were simultaneously serving as jurors,
although this is a mere technicality, it is illegal. Lastly, Stacey
has suffered from ineffective assistance of counsel by his trial lawyers
-- they did not allow anyone to testify on Stacey's behalf.
Stacey is only asking for a fair chance at life. There should be enough flaws in his case to warrant a 2nd look. Please don't let this tragic event take two people's lives. If there is a chance of his innocence Stacey cannot be put to death. Please let it be known that Stacey is not claiming to be completely innocent of all the events that occurred on the night of December 24, 1992; however, Stacey did not commit murder.
Please contact me as necessary....
I can be reached by email at : bdxg@yahoo.com
Thank you very much, Amanda Graves
My full name is Stacey Lamont Lawton
, I'm 30 years old, I was born July 10th, 1969.
I was born in Dallas, Texas.
I'm 6' 2", 225 lbs. I am an African-American I have dreadlocks in
my hair, I am the only the only one on Texas death row who has them.
I'm brown sugar color with thick eyebrows
and goatee beard. I love to work out and to stay in shape, I love
to read , write, sing and play basketball another 'Vince Carter' :)
I also write a lot of rapsongs and sing them, what I am looking for is
someone to write from wherever they are I just want to make friends, I'm
down to Earth I'm in and out spoken guy who should have been a comedian
because even though I'm on death row I'm always trying to cheer someone
up with a joke or if it's not the place and time for that…some comforting
words because there are a lot of really depressed people here so I try
to uplift their spirits but Tracy and Dave I hope you all will help me
find some people to correspond with and share my thoughts with, and until
later take care.
Thanks for everything :)
A friend, Stacey L. Lawton - P.S. I've been on death row since '93
Stacey Lawton #999066
Terrell Unit
12002 FM 350 S
Livingston Texas
77351 USA
"You don't really
know how it feels to wait and die. That's why I make rhymes to make you
wanna cry. I try to stay deep down in the Bible Cause things in the physical
form ain't reliable. Cause life ain't nuttin but an hour glass. And the
sand in the glass is slippin too damn fast."
- By Stacey LaMont Lawton
Visit the RIP Stacey
LaMont Lawton page below for both Stacey's poems and tributes to him...
| U.K.
Recording artists 'One Minute Silence' support Stacey
Sample letter to send Governor Bush on Stacey Lawton's behalf From OMS Drummer Edwin Stratton |
| Will Texas Execute an Innocent Man ? |
|
R.I.P-Stacey LaMont
Lawton
A friend of Stacey remembers |
