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22 August 2000
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22 August 2000
The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Param Cumaraswamy, in an urgent communication to the United States Government, has expressed his grave concern over the scheduled execution of Alexander Edmund Williams on 24 August 2000. Mr. Williams was convicted of the abduction, rape and murder of Aleta Carol Bunch in 1986 when he was only 17 years old.
The Special Rapporteur drew the Government's attention to information he had received that the death sentence may have been imposed due to the incompetence of Mr. Williams's State-appointed attorney. The Special Rapporteur also drew the Government's attention that the State may be in breach of its obligations under Principle 6 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers. Principle 6 obligates the State to provide a lawyer of "experience and competence commensurate with the nature of the offence" charged with "in order to provide effective legal assistance" when the accused is unable to pay for the services of a lawyer. The particulars of incompetent handling of the case for Mr. Williams by the attorney, as alleged, are most alarming, the Special Rapporteur said.
The Special Rapporteur has urged the Government to communicate his concerns to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, calling on the same Board to review the case and commute the death sentence and, in the meantime, to stay the execution.
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The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Param Cumaraswamy, in an urgent communication to the United States Government, has expressed his grave concern over the scheduled execution of Alexander Edmund Williams on 24 August 2000. Mr. Williams was convicted of the abduction, rape and murder of Aleta Carol Bunch in 1986 when he was only 17 years old.
The Special Rapporteur drew the Government's attention to information he had received that the death sentence may have been imposed due to the incompetence of Mr. Williams's State-appointed attorney. The Special Rapporteur also drew the Government's attention that the State may be in breach of its obligations under Principle 6 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers. Principle 6 obligates the State to provide a lawyer of "experience and competence commensurate with the nature of the offence" charged with "in order to provide effective legal assistance" when the accused is unable to pay for the services of a lawyer. The particulars of incompetent handling of the case for Mr. Williams by the attorney, as alleged, are most alarming, the Special Rapporteur said.
The Special Rapporteur has urged the Government to communicate his concerns to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, calling on the same Board to review the case and commute the death sentence and, in the meantime, to stay the execution.
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