John Ramirez, sentenced to death for the 2004 stabbing murder of Pablo Castro in Corpus Christi. [PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/31/execution-halted-man-convicted-corpus-christi-stab/]
On this date, October 5, 2022, John Henry Ramirez was executed by lethal injection in Texas. He was convicted of the July 19, 2004 murder of Pablo Castro.
Texas executes John Henry Ramirez, 38, who killed convenience store clerk for just $1.25: He famously won right to have his pastor lay hands on him as lethal injection was administered
· John Henry Ramirez, 38, was executed Wednesday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas
· Ramirez stabbed Pablo Castro, 46, twenty-nine times in a drug-fueled robbery
· He had been on death row since 2008 over the 2004 robbery, in which he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs along with two other women
· Ramirez sued prison officials in August 2021 for not letting his advisor pray over him as he was put to death
· The Supreme Court voted 8-1 in favor of Ramirez's request, but Justice John Roberts said the plea 'is but the latest iteration in an 18-year pattern of evasion'
· For Protestants, the laying of hands is a symbolic act in which a religious leader places their hands on a person to confer a spiritual blessing
A Texas inmate at the center of a legal battle over religious rights of those facing execution in the United States was put to death on Wednesday for the murder of a convenience store clerk.
John Henry Ramirez was pronounced dead at 6.41pm local time in the state's death chamber in Huntsville, where he planned to have his Christian pastor lay hands on him and audibly pray as he died by lethal injection.
Ramirez, 38, was sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of Pablo Castro in Corpus Christi in 2004.
Ramirez, 38, was sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of Pablo Castro in Corpus Christi in 2004. The store clerk would have turned 62-years-old, had he been still alive. Prior to his death in 2004, Castro had nine kids (pictured with one of them)
Ramirez in his final words told the Castro family that he hoped his execution would help them find closure.
'I have regret and remorse, this is such a heinous act,' Ramirez said, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. 'I hope this finds you comfort, if this helps you then I am glad. I hope in some shape or form this helps you find closure.
'To my wife, my friends, my son, grasshopper, Dana and homies, I love y'all. Just know that I fought a good fight, and I am ready to go. I am ready, Warden.'
No other details about Wednesday's execution were released.
The execution took place seven months after the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in Ramirez's favor in his case against the state of Texas, which rejected his request for pastoral touch and prayer while he dies. The decision bolsters the religious rights of condemned inmates.
The Ramirez case centered on religious protections under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment and a 2000 federal law that requires officials to show a compelling interest to deny a prisoner's religious-based request and to do so using the least restrictive means.
Texas defended its position by emphasizing its need to maintain security during the execution.
Outsiders touching inmates in the execution chamber could inadvertently disrupt intravenous lines, and audible prayer could interfere with officials' ability to monitor for signs of distress, the state said.
Castro was brutally murdered in 2004 while taking out the trash and getting in an altercation with one of the two women that Ramirez was with
Ramirez was sentenced to death in 2008 for the murder of Castro, a father of nine who worked nights at a convenience store in the southern Texas city of Corpus Christi.
Seeking money to buy drugs, Ramirez stabbed Castro 29 times and made off with $1.25 on July 19, 2004, prosecutors said.
Ramirez has been a member of the Second Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. Pastor Dana Moore has regularly driven about 300 miles (480 km) north to Livingston to pray with Ramirez in prison.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11283825/Texas-execute-inmate-won-religious-rights-case.html
Family of victim say execution of John Ramirez brings closure
The family of Pablo Castro said they found closure following the execution of John H. Ramirez, 38, at 6:41 p.m. Wednesday in the Huntsville Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Ramirez was convicted of robbing and killing Castro, 46, on July 19, 2004, during a drug-induced robbery spree in Corpus Christi.
Castro was taking out the trash at a convenience store and had $1.25 on him when he was stabbed 29 times.
“On behalf of my family, this has been a long time coming. Our dad taught us to be hardworking people with integrity. And in the end his hard work did not go in vain because through all this we have gone through without his presence we’ve remained as he wanted us to be - hardworking men and women with integrity,” said Fernando Castro, the youngest son of Pablo Castro. “His legacy will continue through us as it has. Our father never truly died because through us he will live forever.”
The family said relief isn’t the right word following the execution, and they said they believe the punishment should have happened sooner.
Ramirez fled to Mexico for three years before he was arrested. He wasn’t sentenced to death until 2008. He was granted a new attorney, his execution was postponed several times, and the Castro family members said they felt cheated each time.
“His apology is not going to bring my dad back,” said Fernando. “My dad finally got his justice.”
Fernando also said his family didn’t turn to alcohol and drugs when this tragedy occurred, and instead have dedicated their lives to serving, either as first responders or in the U.S. military.
“My dad didn’t get his justice until today. It shouldn’t have taken this long and the system is far too slow,”he added.
Castro’s son, Pablo Castro Jr., said the execution brought him no joy but he said he hopes that the “eye-for-an- eye” justice will stop future crimes.
“We have been put through hell, and something was actually done,” Pablo said. “His apology was empty words for me.”
The execution was attended by 12 witnesses, including Pastor Dana Moore, who kept his hand on Ramirez’ heart throughout the entire process. Church member Janice Trujillo sang “Amazing Grace” at the Ramirez side of the viewing port to mask the snoring and gasping sounds for his wife, family and friends.
“He’s free,” said Amanda Ramirez.
Trujillo said, “We are the ones left behind right now.”
A documentary film crew and about a dozen opponents of the death penalty had gathered outside the prison Wednesday night.
Ramirez’s case rose to national attention last year when he received a last-minute stay by the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed to hear his religious rights claims.
At that time, Ramirez’s attorney claimed that his religious rights were violated when the Texas Department of Criminal Justice did not allow his spiritual adviser to pray aloud and lay hands on him during his execution. Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled in Ramirez’s favor, leading to the execution being rescheduled.
INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.itemonline.com/news/family-of-victim-say-execution-of-john-ramirez-brings-closure/article_fb252834-451c-11ed-b1e6-b3bda2a2b4dd.html
RELATED LINKS:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramirez_v._Collier
OTHER LINKS:
Woke Leader of Christian Org. Wants to Abolish Criminal Punishment, Even For Cannibals and Rapists
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3350621811720081/posts/5467842389998002/
Repent Or Perish says:
October 5, 2022 at 11:49 am
The fact these individuals proclaim themselves ‘evangelists’ is perverted and sick. Their desire to free the brutal predators in our society from punishment is akin to declaring violence on those they should be trying to protect.
https://christiansforabolition.org/
https://relevantmagazine.com/faith/church/op-ed-a-christian-case-for-prison-abolition/
https://gereformeerd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Magdeburg-Confession-1550.pdf
Bring back public execution by firing squads By Tony Fagbemi
https://vk.com/wall-184585082_688
https://guardian.ng/opinion/bring-back-public-execution-by-firing-squads/