Expected Execution of Death Row Inmate Gary Graham Causes Political Headaches For George W. Bush
PROTESTERS (shouting): No more lynching! No more lynching! No more lynching!</s>BERNARD SHAW, CNN ANCHOR: Protests, politics, and the death penalty: George W. Bush awaits the latest execution on his watch. Also ahead: a cloud over Al Gore's camera friendly day with Jesse Ventura, the 1996 campaign fund-raising flap comes back to haunt.</s>ANNOUNCER: From Washington, this is INSIDE POLITICS, with Judy Woodruff and Bernard Shaw.</s>SHAW: Thank you for joining us. Judy is off today. About two hours from now, convicted murderer Gary Graham is scheduled to be executed in Texas, the latest flash point in the capital punishment controversy dogging Governor George W. Bush. Protesters and others are gathered outside the prison in Huntsville, waiting to hear the results of emergency appeals, including one to the United States Supreme Court. Earlier today, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted to proceed with Graham's execution. Graham's supporters say his conviction for a 1981 murder is in doubt because it was mostly based on one witness' testimony, which they claim was flawed. In the state capital of Austin, death penalty opponents are sending a message to Governor Bush, though, under Texas law, he has no power to intervene in this case, at this point. But, as a presidential candidate, Bush's response to the death penalty has been closely scrutinized amid concerns, nationwide, about the death penalty process. Our Candy Crowley, who is covering Bush, joins us from Austin. And CNN's Charles Zewe is with us from Huntsville Prison. Candy, have we heard from the governor today?</s>CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: No, Bernie. We did spot him. He went to the state capital to conduct some business this morning, we are told that he was expecting to have a regional coffee with some reporters and was indeed going to meet with his chief counsel. But other than that, we have not heard from him. We do expect, however, to hear from him later this evening after the Supreme Court makes some final judgment.</s>SHAW: The governor has underscored his faith in the Texas justice system and he's insisted that he knows of no innocent person having been executed. Do those statements make him politically vulnerable?</s>CROWLEY: Well, you know, on the face of it, let me first tell you that Bush was asked yesterday, "Do you think that this entire thing is hurting you politically?" He said, "If it hurts me politically, it hurts me politically. I'm going to do my job and follow the law." On a policy basis, it happens to be what he believes. If you look at it politically, there is also another argument to be made that the -- on an alternative statement, any kind of sign that perhaps he thought that maybe there was a chance someone innocent had been executed would then have left him wide open to the question, then why do you continue with executions? So, Bush's position at this point, first of all, has the advantage of being what he believes and, second of all, he says if it hurts me politically, so be it. But there is an argument to be made that any other position considering that the state of Texas continues to execute people would have been more of a political vulnerability.</s>SHAW: I'll have one question more for you. But first, I want to pop over to Charles Zewe and, Charles, ask you, is the United States Supreme Court indeed the court of last resort here?</s>CHARLES ZEWE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed it is, Bernie. Although, lawyers for Graham have filed appeals with the state court, the federal court and the Supreme Court, it is really the U.S. Supreme Court and Justice Antonin Scalia right now who holds Gary Graham's life in his hand. This case has been before the Supreme Court on four previous occasions and the Supreme Court has refused to get involved. It is back there right now and just about everybody agrees this is it.</s>SHAW: Well, our correspondent at the court, Charles Bierbauer is standing by and CNN will bring to our viewers the latest word when and if Justice Scalia acts. Charles Zewe, I want to ask you, how were the witnesses selected for this planned execution?</s>ZEWE: Well, Bernie, it's interesting, because the witnesses for Gary Graham, who's also known by his African name Chaka Sankofa (ph) -- the witness list includes Jesse Jackson -- who has really been championing this cause, especially in the last couple of week, campaigning for the death sentence and conviction to be overturned here -- along with Bianca Jagger, the former wife of rocker Mick Jagger, and who is now with Amnesty International; Reverend Al Sharpton from New York, the prominent activist; along with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the Democratic Congresswoman from Houston; and his spiritual adviser, Minister Robert Mohamed, who just left a meeting with Graham. On the other side of that, on the witness -- on the victim side of that are three people who suffered losses at the hands of Mr. Graham: namely, 26-year-old Bobby Lambert, who is victim's grandson, who vividly recalls being told that his granddad had been murdered in Houston 19 years ago when he came home from school one day; Dianne Clemens, who is one of the founders of the victims' rights group Justice For All in Houston; and finally, Rick Sanford, who is a man who was one of Graham's victims in a week-long crime spree that began with the murder for which he was convicted. Sanford was abducted by Graham, says he was abducted and told by Graham during the course of that abduction, "Look, I've already killed six people and I'll kill you, too."</s>SHAW: On that note, back to Candy Crowley. In the glare of all this publicity, Candy, what are Governor Bush's plans later today and into tomorrow?</s>CROWLEY: His plans later today are merely to -- this was supposed to be a downday in Austin and it is again. We do expect to see him after the Supreme Court makes some decision. As for tomorrow, he is flying off to Alabama, he's going to have a fund raiser there and an event, so he will continue on the campaign trail tomorrow.</s>SHAW: OK, thanks very much, Candy Crowley in Austin, and at the Huntsville Prison, Charles Zewe. Although Governor Bush maintains that no innocent person has been executed during his tenure as governor of Texas, most Texans do not share his certainty. A Scripps Howard Poll published today shows 57 percent of Texans think the state has put an innocent person to death. And 76 percent say they would support a death penalty moratorium for cases which might be affected by DNA testing. Still, 73 percent of Texans say they favor the death penalty. Well, if Governor Bush is looking for someone who shares his views on the death penalty, he need only turn to his brother, the governor of Florida. CNN's Pat Neal reports on the latest execution of Jeb Bush's watch, and how Florida fits into the current controversy over capital punishment.</s>PAT NEAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Convicted murderer Thomas Provenzano was executed by lethal injection Wednesday night. It was the fifth death warrant signed by Jeb Bush since he became governor of Florida last year.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Game's over for him.</s>NEAL: Provenzano believed he was Jesus, but a court said he knowingly walked into an Orlando courthouse 16 years ago, shooting three bailiffs. Two died and this man, Mark Parker, was paralyzed. He witnessed Provenzano's execution.</s>MARK PARKER, VICTIM OF THOMAS PROVENZANO: He's on his way to where he deserves.</s>NEAL: Provenzano was the 48th person put to death in Florida since 1976, when the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole country is moving in the direction of slow this process down and examine it, get better lawyers involved, and decrease the chances for error. Governor Bush, on the other hand, is moving in the direction of speed this process up.</s>NEAL: Florida has the third highest number of executions in the United States. Only Virginia and Texas, where Bush's brother, George W. Bush, is governor, have executed more. Both Bushes have backed measures in their states to speed up death row appeals. The Florida law, passed earlier this year, would shorten the time between sentencing and execution to a maximum five years.</s>JUSTINE SAYFIE, SPOKESMAN FOR GOV. JEB BUSH: Governor Bush believes that within five years, that's an adequate period of time to handle all death penalty appeals for death row inmates. He's concerned with the families of the victims who have to suffer for endless appeals and endless delays.</s>NEAL: But an adviser to Bush on the legislation sparked controversy after being quoted as saying: "What I hope is that we become like Texas -- put them on a gurney and let's rock and roll." The adviser later apologized and this spring the state Supreme Court ruled parts of the law unconstitutional. But as in other states, evidence has come to light in Florida that some death penalty inmates have been wrongly convicted. Freddie Pitts and Wilbert Lee spent 12 years on death row for killing two gas station workers, they were freed after another man confessed to the crime.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The error rate in Florida is horrendous.</s>NEAL: A recent national study on the death penalty showed Florida's error rate to be high: 73 percent. And the state now leads the country in the number of death row convicts who are eventually exonerated.</s>SAYFIE: That just shows in Florida that the system is working, that we have an extensive appellate process for death row inmates.</s>NEAL: Like his brother, the governor of Texas, Jeb Bush does not believe his state needs a moratorium on executions, like the one ordered by Republican Governor George Ryan of Illinois this year. At least five other states are considering enacting similar moratoriums, and six others have studies under way to determine the fairness of their capital punishment systems. (on camera): Americans overwhelmingly support the death penalty, but polls show that sentiment is softening. About two-thirds believe in capital punishment, but that's down about 15 percent over the past 20 years. (voice-over): The increased use of DNA testing and more cases of exoneration have led many states to question the system. But two governors named Bush insist the death penalty works, and if anything, it needs to move faster. Pat Neal, CNN, Miami.</s>SHAW: And still ahead on</s>INSIDE POLITICS: Al Gore is all smiles out there on the campaign trail, but will questions about past fund raising cause problems for the vice president? Plus, Ralph Nader makes inroads with the Teamsters. A look at what, if anything, it means for his White House bid.