D.C. sniper calls himself 'this innocent black man'

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The Associated Press
© November 5, 2009

By Steve Szkotak

RICHMOND

Attorneys for John Allen Muhammad released a May 2008 letter on Wednesday in which the mastermind of the deadly 2002 sniper attacks in the Washington, D.C., area proclaims his innocence.

The rambling, handwritten letter was made available because of requests for a statement from Muhammad, his attorneys wrote on the Web page of their law firm. The letter was filed in federal court in connection with Muhammad's unsuccessful attempt to block his execution, the attorneys said.

Muhammad, 48, is scheduled to die by injection on Nov. 10 at a Virginia prison.

In the letter dated May 8, 2008, and rife with misspellings, Muhammad writes of discussions with a new team of attorneys and of assurances that "exculpatory evidence" that he claims was withheld from his trial "will prove my innocent and what really happen ...."

The letter adds: "So all you police and prosecutors can stand-down-'rushing' to murder this innocent black man for something he nor his son (Lee) had nothing to do with ...."

Lee Boyd Malvo was Muhammad's teenage accomplice, who is serving a life sentence. Muhammad fostered a father-son relationship with Malvo but the two were not related.

Jonathan Sheldon, one of Muhammad's attorneys, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that the letter has been filed in U.S. District Court since May 2008. "It just had not come to public attention, like much of our filings," he wrote.

The letter, written under the heading "Attorney Client Privilege," was apparently filed during an attempt by lawyers to spare Muhammad from the death penalty.

In their filing, the lawyers said Muhammad was regularly whipped with hose pipes and electrical cords and beaten with hammers and sticks by family members during a brutal childhood.

Muhammad was convicted of killing Dean Harold Meyers at a Manassas, Va., gas station during a three-week spree that killed 10 in October 2002. The killings happened in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Tuesday, Muhammad's attorneys asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop his execution.

Muhammad's lawyers also have asked Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine for clemency, saying Muhammad is mentally ill and should not be executed.

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They both should...

Submitted by muerte on Thu, 11/05/2009 at 12:36 pm.

...get the needle. A stronger message needs to be sent to everyone especially our youth population (under 18), if you take someone's life other than self-defense, you have your choice, the needle or the chair, but not life in prison so the taxpayers have to support you (food, clothing...etc...)for killing somebody.

Life

Submitted by horace1105 on Thu, 11/05/2009 at 6:23 am.

Death is not right but, the random killing of innocent people and all over money is inexcusable. They gave him a fair trial, he planned this months in advance. I am sure some evidence wasn't presented on both sides of this case or even presented in the best way possible. He killed 10 people in cold blood and they did not even know it was coming. Now his case was mishandled or now he is black all of a sudden, this does not negate the fact of the lives he chose to end; him or his minion did not give one consideration to that fact. He had his chance in court and was given what he did not give his victims, a chance to argue for their lives. I hate to hear or see where anyone was killed or put to their death. We have gods laws, and he gave us the power to have mans laws also. This man took so many lives and now he wants to use the excuse his case was mishandled, insanity, or black as his defense. He had his chance at life and made the choice to selfishly take other lives. I pray for his soul and that he has made his amends with god is all.

Can't happen!

Submitted by pLamastra on Thu, 11/05/2009 at 5:50 am.

How about the "Innocent Black Man" (Bus Driver) that this animal killed? (and 9 others)

I'm only sorry that the Chesapeake Jury gave his killing partner "Life" instead of the Death Penalty. Now we get to feed and clothe him for the next 40 yrs! PLUS "he" will have totally free healthcare!

He's probably already had his FLU shot, along with all of our U.S. prisoners and the detainees at Gitmo? Hmmmmmmm.....why would he need a flu shot?

"Muhammad's lawyers also have asked Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine for clemency"

Surely, Kaine would not even consider this? If he does, he'd best not show his face in Virginia, Maryland or Washington D.C.