I’m against the death penalty. It’s no secret. I think the concept is downright bizarre, actually. But this isn’t about my viewpoints or what I believe, necessarily. This morning, I was listening to a Podcast of The Rachel Maddow Show on Air America. I do this every morning, actually. I load up my Nano and head into work. The hour goes by better if I’m listening to something other than the grunts and farts of my fellow commuters.
On Wednesday night, Robin Lovitt, a convicted murderer, is scheduled to die by lethal injection in the state of Virginia. Since his arrest, he has claimed he is innocent. And Gov. Mark R Warner, is the only person who can save his life.
Now, I know what you might be thinking, you might be thinking why would he want to do that? After all, Lovitt is a convicted murderer. Here, in lies the problem.
It would seem that an Arlington Circuit Court clerk threw away DNA evidence that could have otherwise proved Lovitt’s innocence. Well, that sucks.
Gov. Mark R. Warner is said to be a pretty solid candidate for the upcoming 2008 Democratic presidential election. Considering Virginia has executed more inmates than any state but Texas and Warner hasn’t granted clemency to one person since he’s taken office, I think it would send one heck of a message if he grants Lovitt’s plea. Especially considering the system planning on executing him lost the only evidence that could free him.
Edited to Add: I love it how one newspaper reports “mistakenly threw away DNA evidence that could have proved his claim.” and another reads “deliberately destroyed evidence that Lovitt’s lawyers claim might save his life.” If I hadn’t read it firsthand, I’d have guessed that second bit of reporting came from The New York Post.
Mihow 
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