Texas Tribune reports that yesterday a Texas state trial court judge rejected a request submitted jointly by the prosecutor and the defense attorney to withdraw a warrant setting the execution date for convicted murderer John Ramirez for October 5. The request to withdraw the execution date came two days after the court set it. District Attorney Mark Gonzalez said that he is ethically opposed to the death penalty and did not want the death penalty imposed on any prisoner while he is in office. An assistant district attorney had filed the request to set the execution date without conferring with Gonzalez. An appeal is planned. Ramirez was the petitioner in a RLUIPA case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court last year holding that he was entitled to a preliminary injunction barring Texas from proceeding with his execution without permitting his pastor, during the execution, to lay hands on the him and audibly pray with him. (See prior posting.)
