Jurors, Family Members Oppose Texas Execution

February 11, 2011 at 3:05 PM

The family of Timothy Adams does not want the state of Texas to execute him on February 22.  That is not too surprising, but is a good reminder that those on death row have families who love them, and that the loss of a loved one through the instrument of state killing can be every bit as painful as the loss of a loved one to murder. 

Execution witness viewing room (c) Scott Langley

The family of Timothy Adams knows this because they are also the family of the victim.  Timothy Adams shot and killed his 19-month-old son, TJ Adams, during a standoff with Houston police 9 years ago.  As heinous the killing of little TJ was, the loss of another family member, this time to execution, will only amplify the pain caused by this crime.

Timothy Adams’ father (and TJ’s grandfather):

“Losing TJ was especially hard for me… However, I cannot imagine losing my son to this tragedy as well… I do not know what I will do if we lose Tim.”

Timothy Adams’ brother (TJ’s uncle):

“It’s hard to explain why Tim did what he did… It was totally out of character… I still have a strong relationship with him. I often break down when I leave the prison after our visits. I cannot imagine losing my brother.”

Timothy Adams’ sister (TJ’s aunt):

“It’s going to affect my family in a bad way if he is executed. I would never wish this on anyone, even my worst enemy… This would just be another huge loss to our family.”

Three jurors from the original trial are also seeking to stop this execution, saying that they felt pressured by other jurors into voting for a death sentence they didn’t believe in.  

One juror said she changed her vote from life to death under pressure, and “carried the guilt around for years knowing that I sentenced Adams, a man who had done wrong but who was otherwise a good, religious, and hard-working person, to death”; while another said: “Adams was so remorseful during the trial, and I could tell that he was hurting a lot.”

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles can recommend that Texas Governor Rick Perry grant clemency in this case, and commute Timothy Adams’ death sentence to life without parole. Please join these jurors and family members in calling for clemency in this case.

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10 thoughts on “Jurors, Family Members Oppose Texas Execution”

  1. Also, the family of Johnnie Baston's murder victim, Chong Hoon Mah, petitioned Ohio's parole board to recommend clemency for Baston, but the parole board has rejected it! This is so saddening to both families of Baston and Mah. I hope God may give them both comfort in times of loss when Baston's time arrives to be killed by Ohio. I also pray that Baston finds his peace with God when his hour of death arrives. May God forgive him. 🙁
    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-voices-victim…

  2. Also, the family of Johnnie Baston's murder victim, Chong Hoon Mah, petitioned Ohio's parole board to recommend clemency for Baston, but the parole board has rejected it! This is so saddening to both families of Baston and Mah. I hope God may give them both comfort in times of loss when Baston's time arrives to be killed by Ohio. I also pray that Baston finds his peace with God when his hour of death arrives. May God forgive him. 🙁
    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-voices-victim…

  3. Also, the family of Johnnie Baston's murder victim, Chong Hoon Mah, petitioned Ohio's parole board to recommend clemency for Baston, but the parole board has rejected it! This is so saddening to both families of Baston and Mah. I hope God may give them both comfort in times of loss when Baston's time arrives to be killed by Ohio. I also pray that Baston finds his peace with God when his hour of death arrives. May God forgive him. 🙁
    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-voices-victim…

  4. Also, the family of Johnnie Baston’s murder victim, Chong Hoon Mah, petitioned Ohio’s parole board to recommend clemency for Baston, but the parole board has rejected it! This is so saddening to both families of Baston and Mah. I hope God may give them both comfort in times of loss when Baston’s time arrives to be killed by Ohio. I also pray that Baston finds his peace with God when his hour of death arrives. May God forgive him. 🙁

    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-voices-victims-family-asks-ohio-board-spare-inmates-life

  5. The death penalty is the greatest human shame of the XXI century and the ultimate decadence expression in democratic societies.
    While the system is living completely unpunished both the judges who have made serious mistakes and the large criminal court international.
    U.S. can not be considered a strong and influential power, as long as remains a judicial system based on the rule of law which allows kill a human being.
    Although I am not a family member of this condemned man, as a democratic state citizen, I have the painful feeling that those who hold powers, whatever they are (judicial, economic or political) are out of reach of any punishment.
    Despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) created in 1998 for judging major war criminals such Milosevic, Charles Taylor, and Pinochet. Including this lately Sudan's President “Omar Bashir” the murderers and ruthless officials in Kenya…
    I wonder why the U.S. and France are considering the possibility to stop legal action against those who have killed hundreds of people while a citizen who committed a crime is waiting for his conviction in the death row.
    Alluding to those who make the laws and power, I dedicate them this famous phrase: "Never a smaller number of individuals have done so much damage to an entire society. On the God’s laws there are not social classes for the dead, but it seems that there has always been a large discrimination in our dehumanized world. And I wonder just even when are we prepared to take the consequences of this foul play.

  6. The death penalty is the greatest human shame of the XXI century and the ultimate decadence expression in democratic societies.
    While the system is living completely unpunished both the judges who have made serious mistakes and the large criminal court international.
    U.S. can not be considered a strong and influential power, as long as remains a judicial system based on the rule of law which allows kill a human being.
    Although I am not a family member of this condemned man, as a democratic state citizen, I have the painful feeling that those who hold powers, whatever they are (judicial, economic or political) are out of reach of any punishment.
    Despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) created in 1998 for judging major war criminals such Milosevic, Charles Taylor, and Pinochet. Including this lately Sudan’s President “Omar Bashir” the murderers and ruthless officials in Kenya…
    I wonder why the U.S. and France are considering the possibility to stop legal action against those who have killed hundreds of people while a citizen who committed a crime is waiting for his conviction in the death row.
    Alluding to those who make the laws and power, I dedicate them this famous phrase: “Never a smaller number of individuals have done so much damage to an entire society. On the God’s laws there are not social classes for the dead, but it seems that there has always been a large discrimination in our dehumanized world. And I wonder just even when are we prepared to take the consequences of this foul play.

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