For the first time ever, an appeals court has made a decision that allows a state (Arkansas) to force a prisoner on death row to take antipsychotic medication to make him sane enough to execute. The Supreme Court has never ruled on such a matter.

To rule that a person is no longer seriously mentally ill because they are taking appropriate medication is something like ruling that a person who is taking their diabetic medication no longer has diabetes. The parallel would be that since the diabetic is "no longer" diabetic, they can start eating anything they want. As with diabetic medications, antipsychotic medications do not cure the underlying disorder, they only make it more tolerable or less damaging. You can't nit-pick much better than this court has done with its ability to so narrowly define "insanity" as to exclude "seriously mentally ill."

• New York Times article dated February 11, 2003 -- State Can Make Inmate Sane Enough to Execute.

• Seattle Times Opinion dated January 21, 2003 -- How Gov. George Ryan got mugged by reality.

• Seattle Times Opinion dated January 19, 2003 -- Illinois governor saves us from ourselves.

• Seattle Times article dated January 18, 2003 -- Off the hook from death row, Illinois inmates now face new fears.

• Seattle Times article dated January 14, 2003 -- Local foes see flaws in death penalty.

• Seattle Times article dated January 14, 2003 -- Illinois governor on death penalty: 'I can't play God'.

• Seattle Times opinion column dated January 14, 2003 -- A courageous, last act.

• MSNBC.com article posted January 11, 2003 -- Governor clears Illinois death row -- Ryan pardons 4, commutes other sentences before leaving office.

The execution of Ronald Chris Foster originally scheduled for January 8, 2003 has been stayed by Governor Ronnie Musgrove. To read more about Mr. Foster's case, check the following links:
• See The Clarion-Ledger article posted January 7, 2003 -- Governor cites questions, OKs execution stay -- for the good news about a stay of execution for Ronald Chris Foster in Mississippi.

• Please consider writing to Governor Musgrove to thank him for showing the courage to be logical, rational and humane in his decision about Mr. Foster. Go to Gov. Musgrove's Web page to contact the Governor.

• Read more from the Clarion Ledger, article posted January 4, 2003 -- Lawyer: Spare retarded man's life.

• Read the National Mental Health Association's letter: Mississippi Governor: Commute Ronald Foster's Death Sentence.

The execution of James Blake Colburn has been stayed on appeal (see Washington Post article below). Mr. Colburn's case may need our attention again if the Supreme Court does not stay the execution further or determine that such an execution is not legally appropriate in these circumstances. Mr. Colburn was scheduled to be executed in Texas on November 6, 2002. Mr. Colburn suffers from severe paranoid schizophrenia and has been forcibly medicated to "make him competent enough to be executed." Please read the following articles and calls for action. Thank you for your interest!
• Washington Post article posted November 7, 2002 -- Supreme Court Blocks Execution of Texas Man -- Case Raises Questions About Issuing Death Sentence for Mentally Ill Defendants.

• Houston Chronicle article posted November 5, 2002 -- High court won't stop execution of mentally ill killer.

• Houston Chronicle article posted November 5, 2002 -- Stay sought for schizophrenic's execution tonight.

• Washington Post article posted November 5, 2002 -- High Court to Rule In Psychiatric Case -- Justices Will Decide If Defendants May Be Forcibly Medicated to Be Made Fit for Trial.

• ABCNews.com article posted November 4, 2002 -- Ill Man Faces Texas Execution -- Mentally Ill Prisoner Facing Death This Week in Texas For Fatal Stabbing of Hitchhiker.

Amnesty International's Pages Devoted to Mr. Colburn:
• Please go to Amnesty International's page describing the James Blake Colburn case.

• Amnesty International's Action Page Regarding Mr. Colburn has been updated to reflect that the execution has been stayed. Please mark that page to stay updated for future assistance that may be needed. Thank you for your interest!

• Pending USA Executions List at Amnesty International.

• Please go to Amnesty International's Actions You Should Take Now! page to view other calls for help.

The National Mental Health Association (NMHA), Amnesty International, and several other organizations are working to prevent the execution of a man who suffers from serious mental illness. Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman was scheduled to be executed in Tennessee on April 10, 2002.

Good news! On April 22, 2002, the United States Supreme Court announced that it will take Mr. Abdur'Rahman's case. Go to The Tennessean: Supreme Court will hear Abdur'Rahman's case to get more information.

On April 5, 2002, Tennessee Governor Sundquist decided not to grant clemency. However, given the Supreme Court's stay, we urge you to continue to press Governor Sundquist to grant clemency.

Just because the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed Mr. Abdur'Rahman's execution pending the outcome of his appeal does not mean that the execution will not proceed at some point in the future. The Supreme Court is only reviewing a very technical legal question. It is not likely to reverse the lower court's decision. We recommend continuing to ask Governor Sundquist to grant clemency.

It is important to note that Governor Sundquist makes it clear on his Web site that he is a member of the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran Church formally opposes the death penalty and much information documenting the church's stand is available on their Web site:

• A Social Statement on The Death Penalty, dated September 1991.

• Death Penalty Advocacy Plan for 2001-2002.

• Letters Requesting Commutation of Death Penalty in Juan Raul Garza Case, dated June 22 and November 2, 2000.

Even Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Birch recommended on January 15, 2002, that Governor Sundquist commute Mr. Abdur'Rahman's death sentence. You can read his opinion at Dissenting Order of the Honorable Adolpho Birch, Jr., which is a small Adobe Acrobat pdf file (4 pages). If you want to view every document that is available at the Web site of the Tennessee Supreme Court, you can go to their Search Page and type in "Abdur'Rahman."

What actions could you take in this case?

• Consider writing to , Evangelical Lutheran Church, Southeastern Synod to ask him for support from the Southeastern Synod to oppose the death penalty in Mr. Abdur'Rahman's case.

• Send e-mails, faxes and voice messages to Governor Sundquist and Mr. Traughber of the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole. See our copy of NMHA's E-mail Alert about Mr. Abdur'Rahman's Pending Execution which gives contact information and recommendations about what to say.

To read more about Mr. Abdur'Rahman's case, please go to Amnesty International's description of the case. To read a much more detailed analysis and factual statement of Mr. Abdur'Rahman's case, go to full text of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Decision, dated September 13, 2000.

For a comprehensive list of articles and information, please go to The Tennessean's recently updated List of Links About the Abdur'Rahman Case.

Thank you for your help!

      More Good Death Penalty News!

• Washington Post article posted July 1, 2002 -- Judge Declares Death Penalty Unconstitutional.

• Seattle Times article posted June 21, 2002 -- Court bars execution of retarded prisoners.

• CNN article posted June 20, 2002 -- Supreme Court bars executing mentally retarded.

• CNN article posted June 20, 2002 -- Anti-death penalty groups hail ruling.

• Maryland's Governor Glendening has declared a moratorium on the death penalty in Maryland. Read more about it at Washington Post May 9, 2002, article - Glendening Declares Moratorium on Executions.

Your faxes and telephone calls made a difference! On February 25, 2002, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles commuted Alexander Williams' death sentence to life imprisonment. To read more about the Williams case, please go to ABAnet.org. Sadly, Mr. Williams committed suicide in his prison cell on November 25, 2002.

- Best wishes, Ron Sterling M.D. (Seattle, Washington, USA)