>Demonstrations were held around the country Monday to protest against
>the impending execution of Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham) in Texas. Shaka
US-ers are strange people indeed. Each time a convicted criminal assumes a funny name, he instantenously becomes a cult figure surrounded by supporters whose faith in his innconece approaches religious conviction,
unshaken by any knowledge of facts. Is it a re-enactmemnt of that old cult figure Jesus Christ, or what?
wojtek>
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In the event, Shaka had a rather considerable national and international movement going on his behalf back when he got his first serious execution date in 1993, at which time he still went by his given name of Gary Graham. There was enough pressure brought to bear on Ann Richards that she granted him a 30-day stay hours before he was to be strapped down; that event now forms the basis for the current governor's debatable claim that he does not have the power to stay the Thursday execution without the intervention of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Jason