Johnny Paul Penry

Johnny Paul Penry (born May 5, 1956) is a Texas Death Row convict who is said to be mentally retarded. He was sentenced to death on April 9, 1980 for raping and stabbing 22 year old Pamela Moseley Carpenter (sister of American football star Mark Moseley), who died of her wounds, on October 25, 1979. His lawyer claims that he has the reasoning capability of a 7-year old. His death sentence has been overturned three times by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1988, 2001, and 2006.

On February 15th, 2008 Penry accepted a plea for life without parole. In the plea proceedings, Penry stated that he "is presently, and at all times relevant to these proceedings, not a person with mental retardation as that term is defined by the Texas Health and Safety Code, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV-TR published by the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (formerly AAMR)." Penry and his attorneys also ratified the 2002 jury finding that he was not mentally retarded as well as the 2002 findings of fact and conclusions of law entered by then presiding judge Elizabeth Coker to the same effect.

Before the crime for which he was sentenced to death, Penry was sent to prison for five years in 1979 on a rape conviction. He was paroled two years later.

References

* [http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/statistics/deathrow/drowlist/penry.jpgOffender Information] . "Texas Department of Criminal Justice". Retrieved on 2007-11-24.