Gregory Wilson scheduled execution on September 16 called a travesty

Carol Forsloff - Gregory Wilson’s case is a "travesty of justice and among the worst examples  of a defendant tried for his life with unqualified counsel."

Stephen Bright, president of the Southern Center for Human Rights, said that about a man scheduled to die on Thursday in Kentucky in what legal advocates at the death penalty information center consider to be an unfair trial.

At the time Wilson was interrogated, investigated, tried and convicted he had no money to pay for an attorney.  No one would take his case until finally an attorney with no office, who was semi-retired and gave his business address as a local bar took the case.  It was said the attorney, William Hagedorn,  did not show up for half the proceedings in Wilson's case.  and that the trial judge, Judge Foote, had no experience presiding over a capital murder case.  It also took a year for Wilson to have an attorney that would take the case.  Wilson mostly represented himself when his attorney didn't show up.

Just days ago Amnesty International,  asked its members  to request Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear commute Gregory Wilson’s death sentence to life in jail. Wilson is currently scheduled to be executed via lethal injection because of its concerns about trial unfairness.

Wilson, a 53-year-old African American male, was found guilty of raping and killing Deborah Pooley, a waitress along with an accomplice, Brenda Humphrey, who was sentenced to life in prison.  It has been reported  by criminal law advocates  that Humphrey was brought down a hallway for regular sex with a judge at the time of the court proceedings.

Those against the death penalty protest not the guilt or innocent of Wilson but whether Wilson had a fair trial when he was convicted two decades ago.  Wilson has been in jail since that time.

The Constitution guarantees the right of all Americans to have a fair trial in matters of both civil and criminal actions under the Sixth Amendment.  It has also been found that "ineffective assistance provided by retained counsel provides a basis for finding a Sixth Amendment denial in a trial."

Kenton Circuit Judge Gregory Bartlett has denied a stay of execution, maintaining there is no evidence refuting Wilson's guilt .

Governor Steve Brashear of Kentucky makes the final decision before Thursday's scheduled execution.