Pending Execution Of Earl Washington

EDM number 112 in 1993-94, proposed by Chris Mullin on 25/11/1993.

That this House notes with distaste that the State of Virginia is proposing to execute Earl Washington, who has been diagnosed as mentally retarded and highly suggestible; notes that Mr Washington was convicted of murder and rape mainly on the basis of statements extracted from him in police custody; notes that, in addition to the offences of which he was convicted, Mr Washington confessed to a series of crimes which he could not possibly have committed and with which he was not charged; notes the strongly held view of his attorney, Mr Robert T Hall, that Mr Washington is an innocent man; notes that the courts have refused to entertain new evidence on the grounds that it came to light out of time; calls on the Attorney General, Steven D. Rosenthal, to order a retrial; and calls on the Governor of Virginia to commute the death sentence without delay or else further to tarnish the human rights record of the United States of America in the eyes of civilised people.

This motion has been signed by a total of 84 MPs.