YOUR PHONE CALL WILL HELP SAVE THE LIFE OF A YOUNG MAN
The state of Virginia has scheduled the execution of MICHAEL CHARLES SATCHER
Evidence indicates that he may be innocent of the 1990 murder of Anne Elizabeth Borghesani.
* Satcher's 1995 blood did not match the state lab's results for his blood from 1990 or the semen found at the crime scene.
* A woman told the jury she recognized Satcher as the man who accosted her even though she had picked someone else out of a lineup and had originally given a description of an older, heavier and taller man than Satcher.
CALL/FAX/TELEGRAPH GOV. GEORGE ALLEN IN RICHMOND TO DEMAND
1. THAT HE NOT KILL MICHAEL CHARLES SATCHER, a possibly innocent man. (Gov. Allen is the one person in position to save this man's life.)
2. THAT HE ORDER NEW DNA TESTS BE PERFORMED as soon as possible.
THIS EXECUTION IS SCHEDULED FOR 12/9/97, PLEASE CONTACT GOV. ALLEN TODAY!
OPINION LINE: (804) 786-2211 then press 1 for the opinion line and leave a message FAX: (804) 371-6351 VOICE: (804) 371-2642 LEAVE AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BY VISITING: http://www.state.va.us/governor/govmail.htm MAIL/TELEGRAPH: George Allen, Office of the Governor, State Capitol, Richmond, VA 23219
(For more information, see the following article from the Washington Post.)
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Stay in Arlington Slaying
Facing Execution in 1990 Bike Path Murder and local Inmate Asks Governor for New DNA Test
By Brooke A. Masters Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, December 3, 1997; Page C01 The Washington Post
The U.S. Supreme Court declined yesterday to stay next Tuesday's scheduled execution of Michael Charles Satcher for the 1990 rape and murder of an Arlington County woman, but his attorneys have asked Virginia Gov. George Allen (R) to let them redo the DNA test that linked him to the crime. That 1990 DNA test found that there was only a one in 40 million chance that someone other than Satcher, now 29, raped Anne Elizabeth Borghesani as she walked to her 23rd birthday party on the Custis Trail bike path. But Satcher's attorneys, John L. Hardiman and Lee Ann Anderson McCall, say their experts believe one portion of the 1990 test conducted by the state crime lab shows evidence of contamination. So they retested Satcher's blood in 1995 using the state's 1990 method. Their new results found a problem on that part of the test: Satcher's 1995 blood did not match the state lab's results for his blood from 1990 or the semen found at the crime scene. Now, as part of their clemency petition to Allen, they want to use a more sophisticated method on the crime scene evidence. The defense is hoping to follow the example of death row inmate Earl Washington, who won permission to do DNA testing and then a conditional pardon in 1994 because the tests raised questions about his conviction in the 1982 rape and murder of Rebecca Lynn Williams in Culpeper, Va. "Doesn't [Satcher] at least deserve to have this DNA question resolved before there is an execution?" Hardiman asked. A federal judge has already called into question the other key piece of evidence against Satcher, testimony from a woman who told the jury she recognized Satcher as the man who accosted her on the same trail the same night, even though she had picked someone else out of a lineup. But state Attorney General Richard Cullen, whose office handles criminal appeals, has refused to turn over the DNA evidence, saying Satcher was convicted after a fair trial. "Mr. Satcher has no plausible claim of innocence," Cullen said. "He is not entitled to a new DNA test." And Arlington Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Arthur Karp, who prosecuted Satcher, said the DNA test was accurate. "It was reviewed by a lot of people at the time," he said. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit agreed this fall that neither the DNA test nor problems with the witness require a new trial, and the Supreme Court voted 7 to 2 yesterday not to take the case. Unless Allen intervenes, Satcher will become the eighth person executed in Virginia this year. Allen spokesman Ken Stroupe said the governor is considering Satcher's appeal for new testing and clemency. Allen counsel Mark Christie plans to meet with Satcher's attorneys later this week, Stroupe said. Satcher's sister Carla Satcher, 27, said her brother is trying to stay hopeful. "He has faith in God. Basically he's been keeping everybody else sane," she said. (c) Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company
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