WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | John Allen Muhammad put to death, left behind letter
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The D.C. sniper, John Allen Muhammad, was a man with no final words when he was executed Tuesday night, but it seems he did have something to say, in a letter.
During a press conference in Richmond Wednesday, the family's attorney revealed the 48-year-old killer left behind a note for them. As far as what was in it or when he wrote it, they're keeping that under wraps.
"Right now we're not prepared to disclose anything in the letter because it would be extremely inappropriate at this time," said Charlene Patterson, family attorney for John Muhammad.
Through their attorney, the sniper's family said they are remorseful for Muhammad's actions and were hoping he would vocalize remorse before being put to death.
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UPDATED 9:25 P.M.
JARRATT, Va. (AP) -- The mastermind of the 2002 sniper attacks that killed 10 in the Washington, D.C., region has been executed.
A prison spokesman says John Allen Muhammad died by injection at 9:11 p.m. Tuesday at Greensville Correctional Center.
Muhammad was executed for killing Dean Harold Meyers at a gas station during the spree that terrorized Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., over a three-week period.
His teenage accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, was sentenced to life in prison.
Prison spokesman Larry Traylor says Muhammad had no final words.
He says he didn't hear him utter a word the entire time.
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UPDATED 9:15 P.M.
JARRATT, Va. (AP) -- John Allen Muhammad executed for sniper attacks that killed 10 around D.C. during 3-week spree.
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine has cleared the way for the execution of sniper John Allen Muhammad.
Kaine denied Muhammad's clemency request Tuesday. Muhammad is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday night at a Virginia prison for killing Dean Harold Meyers at a gas station during a three-week spree that left 10 people dead in 2002 across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Muhammad and his teenage accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were also suspected of fatal shootings in other states including Louisiana, Alabama and Arizona. Malvo is serving a life sentence.
Muhammad's attorney, Jonathan Sheldon, says Virginia will be executing a severely mentally ill man.
Muhammad has exhausted all of his court appeals.
Here is the governor's release:
RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine issued the following statement today on the scheduled execution of John Allen Muhammad by the Commonwealth of Virginia:
“On November 17, 2003, John Allen Muhammad was tried before a jury in the Circuit Court of Virginia Beach, Virginia and convicted of two counts of capital murder committed in Prince William County: his premeditated murder of Dean Meyers in the commission of an act of terrorism; and the premeditated murders of Dean Meyers and others within three years. Muhammad was also found guilty of the use of a firearm in the commission of capital murder and conspiracy to commit capital murder. At the sentencing hearing on November 23, 2003, the jury sentenced Muhammad to death for the capital murders and to 23 years in prison for the other crimes. The trial court sentenced Muhammad in accordance with the jury’s verdicts on March 29, 2004.
“On April 22, 2005, the Virginia Supreme Court affirmed Muhammad’s convictions and death sentence. The United States Supreme Court denied Muhammad’s petition for a writ of certiorari on May 15, 2006.
“The trial court appointed counsel to represent Muhammad in a state habeas corpus proceeding, and on June 12, 2007, the Virginia Supreme Court dismissed this petition. On October 26, 2007, the United State District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia stayed Muhammad’s scheduled execution and appointed counsel for federal habeas corpus proceedings. The district court denied and dismissed all of his federal habeas corpus claims on September 24, 2008, and on August 7, 2009 the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s judgment. On November 9, 2009, the United States Supreme Court denied Muhammad’s petition for a stay of execution and a writ of certiorari.
“Muhammad’s trial, verdict, and sentence have been reviewed by state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of Virginia, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Having carefully reviewed the petition for clemency and judicial opinions regarding this case, I find no compelling reason to set aside the sentence that was recommended by the jury and then imposed and affirmed by the courts.
“Accordingly, I decline to intervene.”
