Terry Williams was sentenced to death for murdering Amos Norwood, 56, a chemist and church volunteer, whose body was found stabbed, bludgeoned and partially burned in a Philadelphia cemetery in June 1984.
Marc Draper pleaded guilty to murder and implicated Williams in the crime.
He has been granted a rare hearing after it turned out that prosecutors failed to reveal key evidence at his trial; this evidence concerned the motive for the attack. Murder is always wrong, and a criminal offence, but sometimes there are circumstances behind the crime.
His execution is still scheduled for October 3rd 2012, but has a hearing that could reduce that to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The reason for the appeal is that Norwood has sexually abused Williams, alongside many other young boys in their church congregation. The jurory were presented with a 'murder gone wrong' rather than a damaged 18 year old (18yrs 3months) who had undergone abuse and had finally snapped and sought revenge.
The jurory also did not know Williams had been sexually abused by lots of other older men in his neighbourhood, presenting a very damaged young man.
Williams committed a second murder of another child abuser which lead to his death penatly sentence.
Even his victim's wife is asking for his death penalty sentence to be halted.
Retaliation is always wrong, but does this man deserve to die for his crimes? This is a very unusual step just before an execution. Is it right that he was convicted by a jurory who deliberately had facts hidden from them? Do you think these facts matter in the case?
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/terry-williams-execution_n_1885215.html
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