Juvenile Death Penalty Ronald Chris Foster

National Mental Health Association

December 12, 2002

The Honorable Ronnie Musgrove
Governor, State of Mississippi
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, MS 39205-0139
Fax: 601/359-3741

Dear Governor Musgrove,

On behalf of the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), I want to express our strong opposition to the death sentence of Ronald Chris Foster, who was 17 at the time of the offense. Ronald Foster's execution is scheduled for January 8, 2003.

In appealing for clemency, I seek in no way to excuse the crime or minimize the pain suffered by the family and friends of George Shelton. I do not deny the serious and violent nature of the offense for which Ronald Foster was convicted, but young people cannot be held to the same standard of culpability and accountability for their actions as adults are. Impulsiveness, poor judgment, and a lack of self-control are frequently characteristics of childhood and are the reasons we limit many of the rights of minors.

NMHA believes that the age, maturity, mental status, and any childhood history of abuse / trauma of a youthful offender should always be considered mitigating factors in deciding an individual's punishment. Ronald Foster's trial was plagued by a variety of problems. There was a significant amount of mitigating evidence that should have been raised by counsel in the sentencing phase of the trial, including his youth, his two traumatic head injuries, his disturbing home life, and his lack of criminal history.

Twenty-eight states have outlawed the execution of offenders under the age of 18 and 15 of the 22 states that do allow the punishment, including Mississippi, have chosen not to use it since the reinstatement of the death penalty. Furthermore, the application of the death penalty for child offenders by other countries has virtually ended. In fact, in 2002, the United States stands alone in the world in executing offenders who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime.

Additionally, a number of national organizations, including the American Bar Association, American Psychiatric Association, Child Welfare League of America, Children's Defense Fund, Youth Law Center, Juvenile Law Center, Coalition for Juvenile Justice, American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry and American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, oppose executions for crimes committed by offenders under the age of 18.

Executing Ronald Foster serves no principled purpose and only demeans our system of justice and the stature of our state. Furthermore, Ronald Foster's execution would be contrary to American standards of justice, fairness, and decency as well as international law.

I urge you to commute Ronald Foster's sentence to life in prison. Help put an end to the practice of executing people who committed their crimes while still children.

Respectfully,

Michael M. Faenza,
President and CEO

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