Stop the Execution of Jedidiah Murphy in Texas
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles & Governor Greg Abbott
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Jedidiah Murphy is scheduled for execution in Texas on October 10, 2023 for the 2000 murder of Bertie Cunningham.
Explore this case more at savejedidiahmurphy.org
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Why is this case "legally warped?" Because during the mitigation phase of the trail, prosecutors wrongly made the case for Murphy’s death sentence by presenting evidence of a crime for which he had never been charged, much less found guilty by a court. Read more about this issue here.
ABANDONED, PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY ABUSED, NEGLECTED, ASSAULTED, SHIPPED, REMOVED and ALONE.
These are all the things Jedidiah Murphy experienced by the time he was just 13 years old, when most children are learning what foods they like or what their talents are. He was never treated for any of these things, and as a result, he did what many do that never get the help they need. He committed a horrific crime and ended up on Texas death row.
Jedidiah was in and out of foster care and had been removed by the state from his first adoptive home due to abuse and violence - something that was common in Jedidiah's life. He had been subjected to it for as long as he can remember, and at the age of 13 he began drinking to self-medicate the trauma and his complex and debilitating mental disorder called dissociative identity.
He never denied his role in the murder case and he confessed because he never set out to harm anyone. He doesn't even remember the biggest details of the crime at all, due to his severe mental illness. He suffered blackouts from the ongoing trauma of abuse, neglect and abandonment. He was drugged during his trial and would often sleep during parts of it - seemingly cold and indifferent because he was incapable of normal emotion at all. He even attempted suicide during his trial.
Should the State of Texas kill someone that they clearly failed time and time again as a child?
Texas' aggressive execution schedule marks it as an outlier in its use of the death penalty while the majority of other states are on a downward trend of executions. In the last few years, Texas has been one of only a handful of states that have carried out death sentences - and it continues to do so targeting the poor, the mentally ill and people of color.
Please sign the petition asking Governor Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to do everything within their power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.
Additionally, you may reach out now to the Board at bpp_clemency@tdcj.texas.gov and the Governor at https://gov.texas.gov/contact/ and (512) 463-1782. You can simply leave a voice message, or choose to speak to a representative if you prefer.
Please note: In Texas, the Governor does have limited power when it comes to the death penalty. But the story we are told that "it's out of the governor's hands," is only true if we allow it to be. Yes, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles must recommend clemency in that state in order for the Governor to grant clemency (mercy) by commuting a death sentence. But the fact is that the governor appoints the members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. He can choose to appoint members who will take valid claims and concerns more seriously, instead of acting like rubber-stamping gate-keepers. He can still use his position of power and influence to enact justice in the State of Texas.
Sponsored by
To:
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles & Governor Greg Abbott
From:
[Your Name]
We are writing to ask that you to stop the October 10, 2023 execution of Jedidiah Murphy for the 2000 murder of Bertie Cunningham.
This case is "legally warped" Because during the mitigation phase of the trail, prosecutors wrongly made the case for Murphy’s death sentence by presenting evidence of a crime for which he had never been charged, much less found guilty by a court. If not for this little lie, Jedidiah might well have received a sentence of incarceration rather than death.
ABANDONED, PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY ABUSED, NEGLECTED, ASSAULTED, SHIPPED, REMOVED and ALONE.
Texas' aggressive execution schedule marks it as an outlier in its use of the death penalty while the majority of other states are on a downward trend of executions. In the last few years, Texas has been one of only a handful of states that have carried out death sentences.
We, the undersigned, ask that you do everything within your power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.
Thank you for time and attention to this urgent and serious matter.