33 YEEARS AFTER HE WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH, THE 9TH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS DECIDES A COLD BLOODED MURDERER DID NOT RECEIVE AN ADEQUATE DEFENSE

The notoriously liberal 9th Circuit decides that California’s longest-serving death row inmate’s lawyer failed to tell the jury of his troubled childhood

33 years ago, Douglas Stankewitz was convicted and sentenced to death for the cold blooded murder of Theresa Greybeal in Fresno. According to the Los Angeles Times, on Monday a panel of the 9th Circuit spared his worthless life, ruling that his lawyer presented a “paltry” amount of evidence in trying to avoid the death sentence for his client and ignored extensive documentation of his troubled past. Judge Raymond C. Fisher wrote that the jury might have chosen a life sentence had it known of Stankewitz’ upbringing and his heavy drug use just hours before the murder.

The 2-1 ruling held that Stankewitz should receive a new penalty phase trial or be resentenced to life to life without possibility of parole. It will be nearly impossible for the prosecution to gather up witness some 33 years later, so for all practical purposes the 9th Circuit has spared this worthless piece of shit’s life.

Troubled childhood, my ass! What about the life of Theresa Greybeal that Stankewitz snuffed out?

Bob Walsh says: A combination of the courts, lack of public will and (at least right now) a governor and attorney general who are both strongly personally opposed to the death penalty will help insure that it doesn’t happen here. I personally expect the repeal of the death penalty to pass. Even if it does not, we will not have a functional death penalty for the foreseeable future.

Here is Jeff ‘Paco’ Doyle’s take on this shameful and sickening decision:

JUSTICE DELAYED, DENIED, DEFEATED
Douglas Stankewitz is the Poster Slob for the death penalty litigation abuse endemic in the state and federal appeal systems. His continuing existence is our collective shame

By Jeff ‘Paco’ Doyle

PACOVILLA Corrections blog
October 30, 2012

A year prior to the murder of Theresa Greybal, I graduated from high school. In 1979, one year after the Superior Court upheld Stankowitz’ initial death sentence, I married my wife, now suffering her 33rd year of wedded regret.

In the years to follow, I had a 25 year (plus) career, became a grandfather and, well, lived. Douglas Stankewitz also lived. Meanwhile, Theresa Greybal moldered in the grave and faded from memory–No photos of the victim are to be found on the web while her killer’s fat face is a Google search away.

How very sad–How very sick.

33 years after being convicted by a jury of his peers for the murder of an innocent woman, Stankowitz’ right to a fair trial has been deemed harmed. We cannot, as a civilized people, put him to death because the jury wasn’t appropriately apprised the killer was abused a s a child. 33 years.

In the interim, South Dakota Inmate Eric Robert murdered correctional officer Ronald Johnson at The State Penitentiary on April 12, 2011–He was executed 14 days ago for that crime. South Dakota is blessed by falling well outside the boundaries of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2 weeks, Californian’s will cast ballots to decide if Capital Punishment remains on the books–Notwithstanding, the Ninth Circuit will keep it from becoming a reality.