D.C. Sniper Wants To End Appeals

John Allen Muhammad Has Asked Prosecutors To Help Him

(AP)  Washington-area sniper John Allen Muhammad is asking prosecutors in a letter to help him end legal appeals of his conviction and death sentence "so that you can murder this innocent black man."

In a two-page letter obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Muhammad said he has tried without success to stop his defense attorneys from pursuing the appeals, and that he was counting on the state attorney general to assist him.

Muhammad told the prosecutors' office that he is waiving all rights to appeal his 2003 conviction and death sentence for the sniper killings in 2002 that terrorized the Washington, D.C., region after he moved to the area from Tacoma, Wash.

"I've written to you all because I know you will make sure this letter will get to the right people — so that you can murder this innocent black man," Muhammad wrote in the letter, dated April 23.

In the letter, Muhammad writes in the margin, "Muhammad innocent and on death row."

He does not state why he wants to end the appeal but writes that he has informed his appeals lawyers of his desires, and that any appeals they have filed "have been done against mine will."

Last month, Muhammad's appellate lawyers did indeed file a petition asking a federal judge to overturn Muhammad's conviction and death sentence in a Virginia court.

Muhammad and his teenage accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were convicted in 2003 of a random killing spree that left 10 people dead in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia over a three-week span in October 2002.

Muhammad was sentenced to death, and Malvo was sentenced to life in prison.

Muhammad's lawyer, Jonathan Sheldon, declined to comment Tuesday.

The recent appeal filed by the lawyers cited evidence of brain damage that may render Muhammad incompetent to make legal decisions. Therefore, they argue, he should never have been allowed to represent himself, as he did for a disastrous two-day stretch at his Virginia trial.

Muhammad also represented himself in a subsequent trial in Maryland, in which he was also convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Katherine Baldwin, a lawyer in the attorney general's office who is representing Virginia in the case, wrote a letter Tuesday saying she had received Muhammad's letter and was forwarding it to the defense lawyers and the judge "for whatever action you deem appropriate."

Tucker Martin, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, did not immediately return calls seeking comment Tuesday.

[gkc99]

How about execution by firing squad, where the crew is all firing from a range of about 200 yds, each equipped with a Bushmaster with scope, and odds taken on which shooter will nail the f*cker?

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by MagicMerlin8 at 10:48 PM

HAHHAHAHAHA...NOT!

[swwils]

Hell I say sit him in a truck on the highway,and target shoot at him ,until he is pronounced dead!I mean he wants to die,right!

[libh8er]

end legal appeals of his conviction and death sentence "so that you can murder this innocent black man."

Sounds good to me. The sooner the better.

[missybelle-2009]

Maybe the families of his victims can get in on this. Innocent? Wow. Keep it up, buddy, get all cocky and sarcastic.

[guadalcanal3]

Murder this innocent black man????...What about the innocent black people he killed?...not to mention the poor innocent white folks?...I am so sick of the "Race Card" being played that I could puke.I know so many white girls that are called racist by black guys just because they are not particularily attracted to that particular guy..(after being ''rudely'' hit on) they are made to feel guilty...and black guys take advantage of this...unfortunately white guys cannot use this ''ruse''...I am not racist and I have many many Afro-American friends...but I find that it is the black folks who are being racist these days...Oh yes...If Afro-Americans think they have it so bad here then maybe they should move back to Africa... where they are mistreated by their own kind...laugh out loud O.J...Your time will come!

[tunman-2009]

Geez the courts have bent over backwards to make sure everybody does not their rights to this and that trampled on. Now let''s make sure that this "innocent" (lmao!!) man gets his wish. I wonder were are all the TA''s (television activists) showing up to save this poor poor man?

[michellem99-2009]

He and that kid was at a homeless shelter in the summer of 98 in Bellingham WA. We stayed there. He was an asre .TThe kid with him was a punk..I had to buy a cane that that people use to help them walk. Only I used it to *see*.They were told they could not talk to me as that were thr rules. HANG THEM..

[keithle1]

Put this idiot out of our misery already. Enough.

"...innocent black man."

Funny. I guess we''re supposed to feel sorry for him. Another victim of The White Conspiracy that puts black boy scouts/angels behind bars for no reason.
Maybe he''s hoping Sharpton & Jesse will get interested in his case & start screaming about the injustice of it all.

Don''t do the crime if you can''t do the time.

[michellem99-2009]

keithle.I am for the ones that never done the crimes to be free. This man was in the homeless shelter when we were there in Bellingham. I have to use a white cane. I could talks to the ladies and one man as we have been toghter 25 years. He was there . There was a mam homeless that tried to talk to me,I would not give him the answer he wanted. i was told the rules.

[keithle1]

I love the criminals who want to defend themselves in court. Go right ahead. Knock yourself out. They all think they''re F. Lee Bailey. Stick a bullet or two in his fat stupid skull & be done with it. No one will cry. No one will care. The sun will come up the next morning.