Beardslee Executed Despite Community Opposition

Wednesday, January 19th, 2005
Marin County, CA

Prison officials declared Donald Beardslee, at 12:29am. Beardslee is the first man to be executed in California in nearly three years.

He was executed nearly 24 years after the crimes he was convicted of participating in were committed. None of the other men who were involved in the murders of two San Mateo County women received a death sentence.

On January 18th, Governor Schwarzenegger denied Donald Beardslee's clemency request, and the Supreme Court declined hearing the two remaining appeals in the case.

Hundreds of community members, activists and concerned citizens braved the cold weather tonight to protest against the execution of Donald Beardslee outside the east gate at San Quentin State Prison tonight from 8pm until confirmation of Beardslee's execution. The vigil also honored people who were executed in California, as well as their victims.

The vigil was organized by the Bay Area Anti-Death Penalty Coalition. Member organizations included the AFSC, Death Penalty Focus, the Idriss Stelley Foundation, Lesbian and Gay Insurrection and the Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal. Protesters carried signs reading "End The Death Penalty", "Don't Kill For Me" and "Stop State Murder".

Speakers at the vigil included Darrel Myers of Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation who said, "I think what binds us, those people who are for the execution of Donald Beardslee and myself and you, is that we want justice."

Several people in support of the execution, including family members of the victims were also present.

Carlos Villareal from the Bay Area National Lawyers Guild also addressed the crowd protesting Beardlee's execution, "In the midst of a fiscal crisis, we should ask Governor Schwarzenegger how much the state spends to provide mental healthcare to low income or no income Californians and then ask him how much it costs to prosecute capital crimes."

According to the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, the cost for life imprisonment averages $500,000, compared with $1 million to $3 million, while other studies have estimated the cost to be as high as $7 million.

--

Links: Bay Area Anti-Death Penalty Coalition